Creamy Ethiopian Bean Soup

Part of our African Geography Hub — Explore Africa's landscapes and environment.

Explore More Content

📁 African facts 📁 African food 📁 Geography

Popular in This Category

View all African facts posts →

Serve Shiro Wat creamy red Ethiopian bean soup with Ethiopian Injera bread. All the ingredients and directions are provided in our easy recipe. 

Shiro Wat is a creamy red Ethiopian bean soup made with red Shiro powder and spicy red Berbere spices.

Red Ethiopian Shiro Wat Soup

Jima Ethiopia Red Soup Recipe

The African Gourmet's Shiro Wat recipe is a pureed red bean soup made with red Shiro powder and spicy red Berbere spices in Jima, Ethiopia. 

Its main ingredient is pureed red lentil powder simmered with finely chopped onions, garlic, and fiery Ethiopian Berbere spices. It is traditionally served with homemade injera bread. 

Shiro is a powder made of yellow split peas with added herbs and Berbere spices. Shiro is a vegan dish made with chickpeas mixed with spices, used to prepare a vegan stew. #EthiopianCuisine #VeganFood #AfricanFlavors

Jima Ethiopia Red Soup's primary ingredient is pureed beans with minced onions, garlic, and Berbere spice. Berbere is an integral ingredient in Ethiopian cuisine and is a hot spice blend. Its name means hot in the Amharic language and is pronounced bear-bear-ee.

Berbere spices

Jima Red Soup Recipe Ingredients and Directions

Ingredients

One cup of red Shiro powder

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 large onions, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, minced finely

1/2 cup ground dried spicy chilies

1/4 cup ground paprika

1 teaspoon ground powdered ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon Berbere Spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions.

Add oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and spices, stirring a few times, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree the bean mixture in a blender and serve hot with our Injera bread recipe.

Injera Bread Recipe

Injera bread requires simple ingredients: flour, salt, water, and time. It is traditionally eaten in the African countries of Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea. Injera, pronounced In-jer-ruh, is thicker than a crepe

but thinner than a pancake.

Ethiopian Injera bread ingredients and directions.

Ingredients.

2 cups teff flour.

2 cups water.

¼ teaspoon salt.

Vegetable oil for coating the pan.

Directions.

Mix flour, water, and salt. Put the batter aside overnight or for up to three days to ferment. The batter will start to bubble and obtain its well-known tartness.

Heat a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and lightly mix well. 

Coat the skillet with a thin layer of batter. Cook until holes appear on the surface of the bread. Flip and repeat cooking on the other side. Cover the completed bread with a damp cloth.