This Misir Wot recipe is an Ethiopian red lentil stew prepared with clarified butter, aromatics, and an earthy and floral spice blend known as Berbere. It's a signature vegetarian dish in Ethiopian cuisine that can be made easily in the Instant Pot or on the stove.
Wat, or Wot, is an Ethiopian-style stew that is typically prepared with chicken, beef, lamb, lentils, and a variety of vegetables.
I cook this stew using red lentils in ghee and season it with the traditional Ethiopian spice blend known as Berbere.
This popular spice blend provides a distinctive earthy, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor to the lentils, which makes this red lentil recipe absolutely divine.
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Reasons to Love This Recipe
Here's why I love this stew:
- It's a simple and straightforward recipe that's ready in under 30 minutes!
- Can be prepared in two ways - Instant Pot or Stove.
- Plant-based, healthy, and filling due to protein-packed red lentils.
- Savory and satisfying, especially when served with rice, injera, couscous, or sourdough bread.
- Completely Gluten-Free and Vegetarian!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
There are two main ingredients - red lentils and Berbere! Once you have these, all you need is a touch of ghee, a few aromatics, and water.
- Ghee: Ghee or butter can be used interchangeably. If you really want to be authentic, feel free to use the Ethiopian spiced clarified butter called 'Niter Kibbeh.' Look for it in ethnic food stores or online.
- Lentils: I used red lentils in this recipe, but you can also use yellow split lentils, green lentils or any lentils that are quick-cooking. Just make sure to rinse the lentils 2-3 times until the water runs clear. This gets rid of any excess starch which can otherwise cause your stew to be thicker than desired.
- Berbere: This unique Ethiopian spice blend is a combination of warm whole spices like cumin, cardamom, coriander, fenugreek, garlic, cloves, turmeric, ginger root, black pepper, salt, paprika, cinnamon and dried red chiles. Keep in mind that some store-bought brands tend to be on the spicier side, so check out my homemade version below!
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
Homemade Berbere Seasoning
Most Ethiopian recipes are traditionally made with a unique spice blend called Berbere seasoning. When I looked up the composition of Berbere, I realized that the ingredients are very similar to making garam masala, with a slight variation in quantities.
Here's how I make it at home in 10 minutes (makes ½ cup) with my spice grinder. After using the blend for this recipe, store the remaining in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
- 4 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons green cardamom seeds
- 10 cloves
- 2 teaspoons cayenne powder
- 6 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
Alternative: How to Make Berbere Using Garam Masala
It is very easy to replicate the flavor of a berbere blend using garam masala by adding a few additional spices. To do so, simply combine (enough for this recipe):
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
How To Make Misir Wot
I made this red lentil stew in my Instant Pot, but any comparable electric pressure cooker will work for this recipe. You can even make it on the stove. Whichever way you choose, both require only one-pot and 30 minutes to stew heaven!
Instant Pot Method
- Turn on Sauté mode. Wait 30-40 seconds for the inner pot to get hot, then add butter or ghee (Pic 1).
- Add chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until onions soften (Pic 2).
- Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté another minute, then add tomato paste, salt and Berbere seasoning / spice mix. Stir well (Pic 3).
- Add rinsed and drained lentils, water and stir. Press 'Cancel' and close the lid. Select Manual or Pressure Cook and cook for 4 minutes at high pressure on sealing mode (Pic 4).
- After the cooking is complete, wait 5 minutes for natural pressure release, then follow the quick-release instructions. Open the lid after the pin drops (Pic 5).
- Stir and check for consistency. If the stew seems too thick, add ½-1 cup of water (or as needed) and stir well till the water gets absorbed and lentils reach a creamy consistency. Check for seasoning (Pic 6).
- Finish the dish with a light squeeze of lime juice.
Stovetop Method
- Heat a heavy bottom sauce pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter or ghee, along with chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until onions soften.
- Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté another minute.
- Add tomato paste, salt and Berbere seasoning / spice mix. Stir well. Add rinsed and drained lentils, 3 cups water and stir.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the lentils cook through and reach a creamy consistency. Be sure to stir every few minutes or so.
- If the stew seems too thick, add ½-1 cup water (or as needed) and stir well till the water gets absorbed and lentils reach a creamy consistency. Check for seasoning.
- Finish the dish with a light squeeze of lime juice.
Serving Suggestions
Misir Wot is traditionally served family-style over a spongy flatbread called injera.
But during the week, I love to keep it clean and simple. I pair it with couscous, rice, quinoa, or a slice of sourdough bread, along with a garden salad lightly dressed with lemon vinaigrette. Try this simple Instant Pot Rice recipe.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Use an Ethiopian cooking fat. If you really want to be authentic, feel free to use the Ethiopian spiced clarified butter called 'Niter Kibbeh.' Look for it in ethnic food stores or online.
- Use a store-bought or homemade spice blend. If you have the berbere spice blend, substitute my spice list with 1.5-2 tablespoons berbere spice mix (depending on how spicy you like it).
- Control the spice level. If unsure about the spice level, start by adding 1 tablespoon berbere. After pressure cooking, taste, add more (if desired) and simmer for 1-2 minutes. To make it mild, you can follow the recipe for berbere seasoning in the recipe card and skip the cayenne.
- Pay attention to water quantity. The consistency of this stew is mushy and creamy. After pressure cooking, if your stew looks very thick, add ½-1 cup water (or more) to loosen them. Adjust the quantity of water to reach your desired consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Berbere seasoning is a unique Ethiopian spice blend that can be found at Whole Foods or online.
One serving of misir wot is 178 calories, without additional sides. Serve it with a starch and vegetable and you have a complete plant-based meal!
More Ethiopian Recipes From My Kitchen
- Instant Pot Ethiopian Beef Key Wot Stew: A hearty beef stew prepared in the Instant Pot in less than half the time.
- Chicken Noodle Soup with Ethiopian Spices: A satisfying, hearty chicken noodle soup seasoned with a warm and aromatic Ethiopian spice blend.
- More Instant Pot Lentil Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Misir Wot - Ethiopian Red Lentils
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee (see notes)
- 1 cup onion chopped fine (1 medium)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (1-inch ginger grated or minced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or 1 roma tomato pureed)
- 1 teaspoon salt ; if using Berbere, adjust salt based on spice blend contents
- 1½-2 tablespoons berbere seasoning (reduce to 1 tablespoon for mild)
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed 2-3 times
- 2½ cups water adjust consistency after cooking (see notes)
- lime juice garnish before serving
Berbere Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Turn on Sauté mode. Wait 30-40 seconds for the inner pot to get hot, then add butter or ghee.
- Add chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until onions soften.
- Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté another minute, then add tomato paste, salt and Berbere seasoning / spice mix. Stir well.
- Add rinsed and drained lentils, water and stir. Press 'Cancel' and close the lid. Select Manual or Pressure Cook and cook for 4 minutes at high pressure on sealing mode.
- After the cooking is complete, wait 5 minutes for natural pressure release, then follow the quick release instructions. Open the lid after the pin drops.
- Stir and check for consistency. If the stew seems too thick, add ½-1 cup of water (or as needed) and stir well till the water gets absorbed and lentils reach a creamy consistency. Check for seasoning.
- Finish the dish with a light squeeze of lime juice. Serve with the traditional sourdough flatbread, injera.
Stove Top Method
- Heat a heavy bottom sauce pot or dutch oven. Add butter or ghee, along with chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until onions soften.
- Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté another minute.
- Add tomato paste, salt and Berbere seasoning / spice mix. Stir well. Add rinsed and drained lentils, 3 cups water and stir.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the lentils cook through and reach a creamy consistency. Be sure to stir every few minutes or so.
- If the stew seems too thick, add ½ - 1 cup water (or as needed) and stir well till the water gets absorbed and lentils reach a creamy consistency. Check for seasoning.
- Finish the dish with a light squeeze of lime juice. Serve with the traditional sourdough flatbread, injera.
Video
Notes
- Use an Ethiopian cooking fat. If you really want to be authentic, feel free to use the Ethiopian spiced clarified butter called 'Niter Kibbeh.' Look for it in ethnic food stores or online.
- Use a store-bought or homemade spice blend. If you have the berbere spice blend, substitute my spice list with 1.5-2 tablespoons berbere spice mix (depending on how warm you like it).
- Control the spice level. If unsure about the spice level, start by adding 1 tablespoon berbere. After pressure cooking, taste, add more (if desired) and simmer for 1-2 minutes. To make it mild, you can follow the recipe for berbere seasoning in the recipe card and skip the cayenne.
- Pay attention to water quantity. The consistency of this stew is mushy and creamy. After pressure cooking, if your stew looks very thick, add ½-1 cup water (or more) to loosen them. Adjust the quantity of water to reach your desired consistency.
- This recipe was updated with clearer instructions, process shots and recipe images. The suggested water quantity works better across different brands of red lentils.
Nutrition
This recipe was updated with clearer instructions, process shots and recipe images.
Daveigh Jones says
Added some frozen spinach. Not much, just a little. That was probably a mistake because that ramped up the water content and they over-steamed JUST a bit, so the lentils were a little more on the mushy side than I would like, but it was good!
Made some jasmine rice and added a little turmeric to it, then spooned over the top and...yum!!! I used a plant-based butter to make it vegan. Next time, I'll likely use EVOO instead, and red onion vs yellow (yellow was all I had) for a stronger flavor. Pity I didn't have any injera - I have everything for it but the pan to make it on. Next time! (And there will most definitely BE a next time - this reminded me of the Ethiopian restaurant that I frequented back in California. I've been missing that. A LOT!)
Thank you!!
Aneesha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Daveigh! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback!
DMartin says
I used my instant pot, followed your recipe and it came out amazingly good! Better than when I’ve made this on the stovetop. Thank you!
Aneesha says
That's awesome! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe.
mark says
Absolutely fantastic. Came out perfectly and I actually added cubed chicken and wow!
Aneesha says
That sounds wonderful. Glad you enjoyed it.
Kai says
Followed the instructions exactly as written and it came out perfectly. Thanks Aneesha!
Aneesha says
Hi kai, thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you try more lentil recipes on the blog!
Avoidduplicity says
Very tasty. I really enjoy this dish at the restaurant so I tried it at home due to the limit on dining because of the pandemic. Perfect! I’m going to eat it with rice. I’m glad I found your recipe.
Aneesha says
Hi there, thank you and I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. It's on rotation in my home, we enjoy it with rice or a slice of sourdough bread.
Maryanne Senn says
helloooooo! I just closed the lid on the pressure cooker/instant pot. Because I have to walk out the door in 5 mins, I selected slow cooker, normal heat, for 3 hours. I canNOT wait to try this.
Aneesha says
Hi Maryanne, I hope it turned out great, I've never tried using the slow cook option. Would love to hear your feedback.
Niko says
This was absolutely DELICIOUS. I used EVOO in place of the butter. Can’t wait to make it again this weekend! 5/5 stars.
Aneesha says
Hi Niko, thank you so much. I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Dawn says
Oh my, this was delicious! I'm eating my leftovers for lunch now and already want to make it again tonight. LOL Making this was a last minute decision so I didn't have time to make injera, but I served it with some turmeric rice and it was a great compliment. I opted to make it on the stove to avoid instant pot dishes. I used 1.5 Tbsp Whole Food's berbere spice mix and added an additional clove of garlic. The 2.5 cups water was perfect for the bulk bin lentils we got at our local natural foods store. Thank you for this recipe, I'll definitely be trying more of your recipes in the coming weeks!
Aneesha says
Hi Dawn, thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, it's one of my favorites too 🙂
Judy M says
IThanks for this recipe 🙂 It is so delicious and easy to make! I used avocado oil vs. butter to make it vegan - still tastes great 😋
Aneesha says
Hi Judy,I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your feedback! Hope you try other lentil recipes on the blog too!
Gali Golan says
These were the best lentils I've ever made! The spice blend was delicious. I made them on the stove instead of an instant pot and they turned out great. Thanks!
Aneesha says
Hi Gali, I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Coincidentally, that's what we're having for lunch today 🙂
Savitri says
Hi Aneesha,
I see that you have changed the amount of water in the ingredients list from 1½ to 2½ cups. So those 1½ cups of water was indeed not enough?
I'm going to try this recipe again this weekend with those 2½ cups of water.
Love from The Netherlands.
Aneesha says
Hi Savitri, Sorry, I thought I sent you an update on this. So, I ended up testing 3 different brands of red lentils and the earlier quantity worked only for 1 brand (which I use most of the time). This updated quantity works across different brands. Plus you can tweak the consistency to your liking after cooking too. I would love to hear how it works now.
Savitri says
I made it two days ago in the instant pot with 2,5 cups of water and high pressure cooking for 4 minutes (I saw that you also changed the time from 5 to 4 minutes) and I'm so glad because FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY 🙏 it worked, it was perfect 🥳🥳🥰😜😛🤗👌👩🍳😀!
We loved it.
Thank you Aneesha!
Love from us 👩👧👧 from The Netherlands
Aneesha says
Hi Savitri, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's amazing how one brand really threw off my results, but I'm glad I was able to resolve it. Thanks for pointing this out and helping me make this recipe fail-proof! Have a great weekend!
sanjay says
Is it possible to add chicken to this recipe? How would that change your instructions?
Aneesha says
Hi Sanjay, you can add 1/2-inch (bite size) boneless chicken pieces (thighs or breast) and cook with the same instructions. If adding 1-inch pieces, increase pressure cooking time to 5 minutes. Hope you enjoy it!
Savitri says
Hi Aneesha,
I made this recipe for dinner yesterday.
But after the natural pressure release (after 5 minutes of high pressure) the lentils were still half hard and there was almost no water left (I used 1 cup of lentils and 1½ cups of water, as stated in the instructions).
I put the IP on high pressure again for 5 minutes and also added 1 cup of water (and stirred).
This time the lentils were (after natural pressure release) cooked and soft, but it was 1 thick sticky mass.
It looked like 1 clump together, like bread dough.
I have set the IP to sauté and I had to add a lot of water (bit by bit) to make the mass looser and thinner.
But despite that, it continued to feel thick and sticky in the mouth.
I always use American measuring spoons and measuring cups and I followed your recipe instructions exactly, so it can't be that.
Do you have any advice on how to make this recipe next time?
Greetings from The Netherlands,
Savitri 😘
Savitri says
Hi Aneesha,
I made this recipe for dinner yesterday.
But after the natural pressure release (after 5 minutes of high pressure) the lentils were still half hard and there was almost no water left (I used 1 cup of lentils and 1½ cups of water, as stated in the instructions).
I put the IP on high pressure again for 5 minutes and also added 1 cup of water (and stirred).
Luckily, this time (after the natural pressure release) the lentils were cooked and soft, but it was 1 thick sticky mass.
It looked like 1 clump together, like bread dough.
I have set the IP to sauté and I had to add a lot of water (bit by bit) to make the mass looser and thinner.
But despite that, it continued to feel thick and sticky in the mouth.
I always use American measuring spoons and measuring cups and I followed your recipe instructions exactly, so it can't be that.
Do you have any advice on how to make this recipe next time?
Greetings from The Netherlands,
Savitri 😘
Aneesha says
Hi Savitri, sorry you had that experience. But it looks like your IP didn't seal fully the first time. 5 minutes is more than sufficient for red lentils and the fact that all the water dried up is a sign that it kept evaporating during cooking, which means the cooker never really reached full pressure- resulting in undercooked dal. Sometimes if the sealing ring is not tucked in all the way, it causes a slight gap from which moisture keeps leaking. I hope you give this recipe a shot, it's a favorite on the blog! And do check your sealing ring for any tears or cuts.
Savitri says
But it's a new IP, I've only had it for 3 weeks 🤔
And I already made the Ethiopian lentilstew yesterday, and today I made the chana dal in the IP (see my review there) and that went fine, no problems today so it can't be on the sealing ring, can it?
But I'll try again tomorrow.
Aneesha says
Nothing's wrong with your IP or sealing ring, What I'm talking about is a one off chance that the sealing ring wasn't tucked in all the way causing the evaporation. The fact that all the water had evaporated points to a gap in the seal, which is why the lentils didn't cook through. I hope this makes sense!
Savitri says
Okay, now I understand what you mean Aneesha.
I wonder if it was indeed not sealed properly once and so the recipe will have to go well tomorrow (I'm going to make it for lunch tomorrow), I hope so 🤞
I'll let you know 🙂
Savitri says
I made the recipe again, but now with 2 cups of water instead of 1½ cup.
Because I have read the manual for the IP pot again and it says:
Always add at least 18 fl oz. / 500 ml of water or other liquids so enough steam can be generated to cook under pressure. These include cooking sauces, wine, beer, stocks, juices of fruits and vegetables. Oils, oil-based sauces and thick cooking sauces do not have enough water content and will not account for the required liquid volume.
And this time the lentils were broken up and soft after natural pressure release (after 5 minutes of high pressure cooking) and less thick and sticky than yesterday, but it was still not as thin as in your video.
After it cooled down in our bowls for a few minutes (because it was too hot to eat it right away) it became thick and sticky again.
We then stirred a large tablespoon of vegan mayo (Jean Bâton brand, soy-free and gluten-free) per person and then it was delicious and creamy.
I think I will use 2½ or even 3 cups of water next time, because the recipe tastes great, but the ratio of lentils and moisture does not work with my IP (IP Duo 60).
I've been standing next to the IP all the time, and really no steam escaped from the moment the float valve jumped up and the 5 minute high pressure cooking started.
I find it difficult to determine how many stars I should give, because as the amount of water is now stated in the recipe (1½ cups) it comes out like a lump of bread dough, with the 2 cups I used it was still a bit too thick and sticky, but maybe with 2½ or 3 cups it will come out perfectly and then I will definitely give it 5 stars!
That's why I am not giving stars yet.
Next time I'll try tthis recipe with 2½ cups water and then I'll give stars 😘.
Love from us 👩👧👧
Aneesha says
Hi Savitri, Are you rinsing the lentils well before adding to the pot? Sometimes the extra starchy coating makes lentils sticky. I'm in the middle of testing 4-5 recipes for a project, but I will make these lentils after that (1-2 days). I'll use another brand just to rule out a brand issue. Let's compare results then. I really appreciate your willingness to give this recipe another shot. We'll figure it out together for sure! Thanks!
Alyssa says
Love this recipe!! I make one similar, but I put it on flatbread with goat cheese 🙂
Aneesha says
Hi Alyssa, thank you, I'm so glad you enjoy it. Your pairing sounds delicious, I'll try that next time :)Thanks for sharing!
Savitri says
Yes, I washed the (organic) red lentils very thoroughly, 3x ( each time in clean water) while rubbing them between my hands.
Then I put them in a strainer, rinsed under running water and let them drain.
I am curious about the result if you make the recipe again in a few days.
And yes, we'll figure it out together👩🍳👩🍳👍.
iiari says
I'll definitely try out the others. Thanks!
iiari says
Very nice recipe, thank you! I made this on a stovetop pot with the following modifications (I'm at sea level):
- I added a 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- I added 1/2 teapsoon salt since my Berbere powder jar did not have any in its ingredients
- As in the recipe, I found the red lentils were still quite crunchy. If you like it this way, great. I like my red lentil dishes to be more like a porridge, so I found instructions for that would be to use 2 and 1/2 cups water and boil/simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then it was perfect!
aneeshasg says
Hi Iiari, thanks for trying this recipe. I'm glad you customized it and made it your own. I have changed the water measurements in the stove-top recipe, didn't realize I hadn't updated those, thank you for that. If you enjoy lentils, do try some of the other lentil recipes (Dal Makhani, Dal Tadka)- I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Thanks again for sharing your feedback.