This Ethiopian Lentil recipe, also known as Misir Wot, makes for an irresistible vegetarian meal. Made with red lentils cooked to creamy perfection and seasoned with the bright, warming flavors of Berbere spice mix, this is a simple and delicious recipe that can be part of a healthy weeknight meal. Instant Pot and stovetop instructions included.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Misir wot (misr wat or misir wat) is a mainstay on menus at Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants, particularly as part of the veggie combo. I love it because it’s similar to Indian dal recipes.
A spicy Ethiopian lentil stew made with onions, lentils, berbere spice, and spiced clarified butter, miser wot is traditionally served over injera, a large sourdough crepe made out of a fermented millet-like grain known as teff flour.
Injera has the flavor of sourdough bread but is much sourer. Traditionally, a variety of entrées and side dishes are heaped on the injera in tidy piles, and the injera is torn off in pieces and used to pick up bites of the various stews.
My kids aren’t big fans of injera, so I like to serve these Ethiopian red lentils with brown rice, white rice or sourdough bread.
This misr wat recipe is a streamlined and quick version that can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. It’s simple enough that you can make it on a weeknight and because there’s no meat in this lentils recipe you can also make it ahead of time and leave it on Keep Warm mode.
➡ Looking for Instant Pot vegetarian recipes? Instant Pot Chana Masala, Instant Pot Curried Risotto, Taze Fasulye (Turkish green beans), Instant Pot Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower and Potatoes) are some of my favorite recipes!
Tips and Substitutions
Berbere
Berbere (pronounced bare-bare-eh) is a fiery chili pepper blend that’s essential to Ethiopian cooking and it gives this misir wot recipe intense flavor and spice. Berbere has many of the ingredients in the Indian spice blend garam masala, but unlike garam masala, it is spicy!
The spiciness of berbere can vary depending on the brand you purchase or the recipe you use. Use as much or as little as your tastes dictate. Penzey’s berbere spice is quite spicy and a little goes a long way. Silk Road berbere is milder.
If you want to make berbere spice at home here’s my recipe that’s pretty easy to make. For convenience I’ve listed spice powders but you can use whole spices and grind them in a spice grinder. The recipe makes about ⅓ cup of berbere. If you want it spicier, use 2 tablespoons of paprika and 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper:
Berbere recipe
- 3 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
- ¼ teaspoon allspice powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Onions
Misir wat is typically is made with shallots, but I use red or yellow onions. An unusual technique used in a traditional misir wat recipe is that the onions are sautéed without any fat or oil until all the liquid has come out, and the onions are cooked to a paste-like consistency.
I don’t use this traditional technique. Instead, I saute the onions in the niter kibbeh (see below) or ghee. On the stovetop, I saute the onions till they turn a deep golden brown, which can take some time. In the Instant Pot, I saute the onions for less time because pressure cooking breaks the onions down further.
Lentils
The lentils used in misir wot are referred to as red lentils, pink lentils, Egyptian lentils, and masoor dal. In this recipe I make misir wot with split red lentils but you can also use whole red lentils (whole masoor dal). When I use whole masoor dal, I pressure cook the misir wot for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you have trouble getting the lentils to cook properly, it could be because the lentils have sat on a shelf for too long. Try getting a new bag.
There is no need to soak the lentils because they are fast-cooking, but you do need to rinse them well.
Niter Kibbeh
Niter kibbeh is a clarified butter similar to ghee except it’s simmered with spices, which makes it super flavorful. For simplicity, you can use ghee, but niter kibbeh does add that extra dimension of flavor.
You can buy niter kibbeh or make your own by following a ghee recipe except you’ll add a few extra ingredients to the butter and strain them out with the milk solids. The leftover niter kibbeh can be use instead of ghee or oil when you’re cooking other recipes! Here’s what I add to my ghee recipe to make niter kibbeh:
- 1 small onion (quartered)
- 2 garlic cloves (whole)
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick (2-inch piece)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
[Find out how to make Instant Pot ghee.]
Instant Pot Misir Wot – Ingredients
- Red lentils
- Onions
- Water
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Berbere
- Niter Kibbeh
- Tomato paste
- Salt (not pictured)
More details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
How to Make Ethiopian Lentils in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
- Turn on Saute Mode
- Saute onion, garlic, ginger and add spices
- Saute spices and add liquids
- Add water and lentils
- Pressure cook
- Natural release
- Stir lentils and garnish with cilantro
How to Turn on Saute Mode
- Instant Pot DUO: Select the Saute function.
- Instant Pot ULTRA: Select the Saute function and press Start.
Saute onion, garlic, ginger and add spices
- Once the inner pot has preheated, add niter kibbeh or ghee to the inner pot and let it melt.
- Add onions, garlic, and ginger.
- Saute onion mixture until the onions are golden. Add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the inner pot if needed.
- Press Cancel. The spices added in the next step will cook in the residual heat.
- Add berbere and salt.
Saute spices and add liquids
- Stir the spices.
- Saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Don’t let the spices burn!
- Deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water if necessary.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
Add water and lentils
- Stir in water and lentils.
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 6 minutes
- Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in ‘Sealing’ position
- Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until the display reads ‘6‘ (6 minutes).
Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 6 minutes
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 6 minutes (00:06).
- Press Start.
Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)
- Instant Pot display will change to On.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00 or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.
How to Naturally Release Pressure (NPR) on the DUO and ULTRA
- Allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR). The float valve will be in the down position. This may take 15 to 30 minutes. [Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
Stir lentils and garnish
- Stir the Ethiopian lentil stew.
- Garnish with cilantro if desired.
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
Stovetop Directions for Misir Wot
To make Ethiopian lentils on the stovetop, cook onion mixture till deep golden brown in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat and then lower to medium-low. Add spices, lentils, and tomato paste. Simmer the lentils in 3 cups of water, stirring often and adding water as needed, until lentils are cooked through to your liking and mixture is a thick stew, about 30 minutes.
See the recipe card below for detailed instructions on how to make this Ethiopian vegetarian recipe.
Ethiopian Lentils | Misir Wot (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups onion diced
- 2 tablespoon niter kibbeh or ghee or butter
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 ½ tablespoon berbere or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 ¾ cup water (3 cups for stovetop)
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoon cilantro to garnish (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
- Press Saute and add niter kibbeh to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Once the niter kibbeh has heated up, add onions, garlic and ginger. Stir until onion mixture is golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Press Cancel. The spices in the next step will cook in the residual heat.
- Add berbere and salt and stir to coat, about 30 seconds. Make sure there's nothing stuck to the bottom of the inner pot – deglaze as needed.
- Add tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds. If anything gets stuck to the inner pot, deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water.
- Stir in the water and lentils.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
- Do a natural pressure release. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Open the Instant Pot and stir the Ethiopian lentils. Garnish with cilantro, if using.
Stovetop
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat niter kibbeh over medium heat.
- Add onions, garlic and ginger. Stir for a few minutes till onions begin to turn golden. Lower the temperature to medium-low and saute till onion mixture is a deep golden brown, stirring frequently. It may take 15 to 20 minutes or longer for the onions to become nicely browned. Make sure they don't burn, and deglaze as needed.
- Stir in berbere and salt, and saute for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato paste and lentils. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, deglazing with water if needed.
- Add 3 cups of water and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are cooked to your liking and the stew has thickened, about 30 minutes. Add more water, if needed, in tablespoon increments.
- Adjust with more berbere and salt, according to your tastes.
- Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. minced garlic, chopped onion, etc.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Scott says
Oh mercy! I just made this tonight and I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better tasting Misir Wot anywhere! That was delicious! Thank you so much!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
I’m so happy to hear that you liked the Ethiopian lentils recipe! Did you make it in the Instant Pot or stovetop?
Kristy Yoder Schemrich says
Hi in my town I can only find fenugreek seed. If I grind it, is it the same as the powder?
Thanks, Kristy
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Kristy, great question. Yes, to make homemade berbere for Ethiopian Lentils, you can just grind whole fenugreek seed.
Myss Terree says
Thank you so much for the Instant Pot instructions.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
You are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed the Ethiopian lentil recipe!
Cheryl says
Really good. I did the IP method and took the advice of other commenters who said less water (If you want scoopable with injera) and 5/5 cook/natural. I didn’t have any niter kibbeh so I used olive oil and then stirred a tablespoon of butter in after the natural release and it was such an amazing texture!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks, Cheryl. I’m glad to hear that you liked the misir wot recipe!
Dana says
This was delicious! I did the home made berbere and used the shallot. Also, the person I live with always needs meat, so I dumped some shredded chicken on his. Served on quinoa…again, delish! 6 mins in the instant pot was a bit too long because the texture ended up like babyfood…which is fine, it was tasty. But if you’re looking for a little more texture, I’d do maybe 4 mins in IP, 5 mins natural release, then manual release the rest…possibly manual release it all after 4 mins of cooking.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Dana, I really appreciate you taking the time to give your feedback!
Ann says
Yum. I’ve made this with 2 cups of water in the IP – our favorite Ethiopian place’s misir wot is very scoopable. I think I can go with even less water. I’ve also dragged my IP outside to cook it so that the smell of the niter kibbeh doesn’t make the house smell =)
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Ann, thank you for the review. I’m so happy you like the recipe. Thanks for the tips.
Liz says
Make this dish a lot!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
So glad to hear it, Liz!
Yoav Morahg says
Made this tonight and it was FANTASTIC! My father-in-law is vegan so I wound up making my own vegan niter kibbeh which seems to have worked just fine. I happened to have berbere from Penzeys and you were right… it was HOT. A bit hot for me but my father-in-law likes a lot of heat and he was happy as can be. He said it’s a winner and I definitely agree! Thanks as always!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Great to hear from you again, Yoav! I’m so glad you let me know that you and your FIL like the recipe 🙂
Mara says
I’ve made this twice now and it never gets old! Love to add chopped dates and black olives to it as well.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Mara – thank you so much for your comment – I’m thrilled to hear you love the recipe!
Leone says
Made this last night. Incredibly good! My husband and I I loved it!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Leone – I’m thrilled to hear you loved the recipe. I love how quick and easy it is!
laura says
Fabulous! This was delicious & the flavor reminded me a lot of my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Great recipes. Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you so much, Laura! I’m glad you liked the recipe – I love how easy and healthy it is!
Karan Lewis says
Can you double or triple this recipe?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Karan, yes you should be able to – just make sure the contents don’t go above the 1/2 mark of the inner pot.