Authentic Ethiopian Cabbage Atakilt Wat

💭 Why this recipe works

Vegan and gluten-free - this recipe is vegan and gluten-free and is a wholesome, hearty meal to share with your family No special spices - the key is all about infusing the oil with basic spices, and using a cast iron pan to spread the heat and spices through the dish Great for make-ahead - this recipe is great if you need to make a large batch ahead of time and freeze or keep in the fridge!

📋 Traditional Atkilt Wot Ingredients

♨️ How to make Atkilt Wot (Ethiopian Cabbage)

Step 1: Add the fat and once it’s hot, add spices to infuse oil. Interested in creating your own Ethiopian vegan platter at home? Check out my recipes for Misir Wot (Ethiopian red lentil stew), Shiro Wat (Ethiopian chickpea stew), and Gomen Wat (Ethiopian spiced greens).
The traditional recipe uses something called Nit’ir Qibe (pronounced Nitter Kibbeh) - which is essentially spiced, clarified butter. However, this can be time consuming. So, in the interest of making this a quick recipe, I’ve used a shortcut instead by infusing olive oil. You can also use a fattier one like avocado oil! Step 2: Sauté the vegetables and bring them together, one step at a time. First, add the onions to the fat and sauté until it turns translucent (or brown, depending on the type of onion you use). Then, add potatoes and carrots, cover and cook for 10 minutes until they’re fork tender. Finally, add the cabbage at the very end and cook for 3-5 minutes until it’s cooked but not mushy. Step 3: Take off the heat and serve with your favorite flatbread, rice or injera.

🍴 Serving & Storage Suggestions

Traditionally, Atakilt Wat is eaten with injera (a sour crepe made of a grain called teff). Working on a recipe for that - coming soon! However, in the meantime, you can eat this Ethiopian cabbage recipe with any flatbread (like a solid homemade naan) or even a nice cumin-infused rice (I know, I’m Indian, can you tell?) But my favorite way of eating it? Just ladle it in a bowl and dig in. No carbs needed! You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze by portioning into smaller freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. However, the potatoes can get quite mealy if you freeze. To reheat, simply pop it in the microwave for about a minute and you’re good to go.