Published: · Modified: by Trish Bozeman · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments
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Homemade berbere recipe! Berbere spice is a blend from Ethiopia very common in Ethiopian cuisine. Fiery chiles and warming spices make this perfect for soups, stews, or as a seasoning!
Aaaaaaaaand Global Feasts Ethiopia recipes officially begin! First up, the heart and soul of Ethiopian wots, a homemade berbere recipe. Berbere is a fiery Ethiopian spice blend used throughout so much of Ethiopian cooking. It consists largely of ground red chiles, onion powder, fenugreek, and paprika.
So, I believe this is a pretty authentic berbere recipe. I scoured the interwebs and found SO many different recipes with different ingredients! I sort of blended all of the recipes I found together to make my own version, which I have really fallen head over heels for. Mine didn't end up that rich red hue that I have seen in photos, but I'm still a mega-fan.
It's really no secret around here that I am absolutely gaga for a good Indian dish. I go through curry powder like crazy in my house, and keep a stock of naan in the freezer at all times. THIS berbere though, it's like a deeper, more elevated curry powder. I can honestly say that I may have replaced my go to curry powder with berbere!
Recipe
Berbere recipe (Ethiopian spice blend)
Trish Bozeman
Homemade berbere recipe! Berbere spice is a blend from Ethiopia very common in Ethiopian cuisine. Fiery chiles and warming spices make this perfect for soups, stews, or as a seasoning!
4.50 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 minutes mins
Total Time 8 minutes mins
Course Other
Cuisine Ethiopian
Servings 1 cups
Calories 611 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 10 whole cloves
- 16 medium dried spicy red finger chiles, stems removed
- 3 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 4 tablespoon onion powder
- 6 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Combine fenugreek seeds, peppercorns, and cloves in a small frying pan. Heat over medium high heat until fragrant and toasted, about 3 minutes. Do not burn. Set aside.
Grind the red chiles in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Add the toasted spices and grind until fine.
In a medium bowl, combine the chile mixture with the remaining ingredients. Whisk together until well blended.
Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Here's a note from a reader about berbere:
"If you want that “red hue” add gochugaru pepper..or even gochujang sauce."
Nutrition
Calories: 611kcalCarbohydrates: 131gProtein: 26gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 7127mgPotassium: 3851mgFiber: 40gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 26950IUVitamin C: 1043mgCalcium: 463mgIron: 23mg
Keyword spice, vegan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Still to come this week for Global Feasts Ethiopia: misir wot, a spiced lentil tomato stew. I used lots of this awesome berbere in it!
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Hope you try this fantastic spice blend on some vegetarian dishes! 
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Reader Interactions
Comments
M. Ange Vlasblom
Do you mean garlic cloves or cloves like in...the black ones on the picture?Thank you 🙂Reply
Trish Bozeman
Cloves like the spice.
Reply
Kristen Wood
This sounds like the ULTIMATE spice blend! Yum!
Reply
tunnaika
If you want that "red hue" add gochugaru pepper..or even gochujang sauce.
Reply
Patricia Bozeman
Awesome. Thanks for the tip!
Reply
Sarah | Well and Full
I love homemade spice blends! They make your kitchen smell so nice 🙂
Reply
Patricia Bozeman
Me too Sarah! Thanks!
Reply
ruthmeaney
Hit submit too soon!!! Sounds amazing 🙂 looking forward to the rest of the dishes.
Reply
