This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Atakilt Wat – Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Easy spiced side full of amazing flavor. free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast, nut, gluten, grain.
Seattle has an abundance of Ethiopian food. After Indian, Ethiopian is always the next choice when we want some spice and deep flavors in the meal. The veggie platter filled with 2 to 4 different simmered lentil dishes, greens, simmered okra, cabbage pcarrot wat, all served up over the huge Injera. There are several Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle. A lot of them however are usually a miss when it comes to maintaining the taste and quality of the food. Or maybe I am picky 🙂 Seattle-lites, what is your favorite Ethiopian restaurant?
Atakilt Wat/ Atkilt wot is a cabbage side that is so close to the Indian cabbage dishes and yet has its own flavor profile. The traditional recipe may or may note use uses niter kibeh which is butter/ghee slow-infused with whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, cloves, ginger, garlic etc. by cooking everything on low heat for hours. You can make niter qibe/ kibeh with coconut or olive oil(see my second book for a recipe) and use about a Tbsp in this recipe instead of all the spices and oil. Since I don’t usually have the infused oil ready, I add the spices to oil in the second step to infuse the oil while cooking (indian food style) for my interpretation of atakilt wat. You can omit the spices. Cook the dish at lower heat for best results. Serve with Ethiopian flat breads or other flat breads and lentil stews.
More Ethiopian from the blog.
Steps:
cook the onion, garlic, ginger for 5 minutes.
Add all the spices and cook to infuse the oil to make a quick niter kibeh.
Add the veggies, cover and cook until tender.
Serve hot.
Video:
Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Vegan Gluten-free Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil or vegan butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 green chili, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds or powder
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/8 tsp cloves powder
- a generous dash of black pepper
- 3/4 cup sliced carrots
- 2 medium potatoes, chopped, 1.5 loaded cups
- 1/2 head of cabbage, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add 1 tsp oil and heat at medium-low. Once hot, Add garlic, ginger, chili, and onion. Mix, cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the cumin, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Mix and cook for 3 minutes to infuse the oil and to continue cooking the onion to golden.
- Add the carrots, potato and mix well. Add cabbage and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir once in between.
- Add 1/4 tsp or more salt, and 1 tsp olive oil. Mix in. Deglaze at this time with water if needed Cover and Cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. *
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You mention there isn’t any dairy but then proceed to add butter. This isn’t a vegan dish.
??
They said olive oil or vegan butter…
The recipe calls for vegan butter or oil.
This was so delicious! Followed the instructions exactly and it was so easy. Each bite was bursting with flavor. Can be made oil free too.
Thank you so much!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ options, options
Great dish! I didn’t have fenugreek, so I subbed with mustard and maple syrup. Cooked for 12, so I had to switch to my Instapot because I was schooling 3 heads of cabbage and 12 potatoes. Big hit with the family.
wow! big hit, big dinner, sounds fun
Flavors right on, I found the 7 min cook time burned spiced though. Would advise adding water from beginning or reducing initial cooking time
thank you for this!
Absolutely delicious. I had everything but the fenugreek. I think it would be delicious with other veg added, too – like kale or collard greens, zucchini, cauliflower, etc. We will make this again.
great ideas
Fabulous recipe! I even made the Injera pancakes to go with it!
oh! nice pairing
Used purple and green cabbage. Delicious!
colourful mix- thanks!
Excellent recipe and so easy! The ingredients are always in my pantry (except for fenugreek, will have to get some). I also used 1 tsp. more oil when frying the spices. To finish, I added 2 tsp. lemon juice, more salt and chopped cilantro. My partner doesn’t tolerate very spicy food, so I sprinkled my own portion liberally with berbere. Delicious!!! We ate the whole thing! Thanks, Vegan Richa for a yummy Ethiopian recipe. I will make it often!
good to know, thanks & Do leave a rating too if you feel like it
Hi Richa, I found some ground organic fenugreek seed online at Vitacost (Frontier brand) and just made the recipe again with fenugreek added. Even more delicious! Thank you ♥️
This dish was a delicious! Toward the end of preparation, I definitely added more salt and about 1/4 teaspoon of authentic berbere seasoning for a little kick.
berbere is amazing
I am opposite of a good cook, this recipe makes me optimistic that I can make a tastier dish . The style is intriguing and the simplicity is so appealing! I hole to also add the flatbread recipe next.
yay!! so good to hear
This makes a lot more than expected! it’s like twice the recipe. I also serve it with rice and beans so it’s a very filling meal. I make it all the time. I love it and i love how it’s super cheap and easy to customize with whatever you have on hand. I’ve been making this recipe for years every week. measure your spices tho, it’s easy to put too much, especially cumin, and the recipe will be a bit intense. cut it with rice if that happens, it’s not ruined anyways. honey also ads a nice balance ti the spices!
wow, thank you