Home » Recipes » Awaze Tibs (Ethiopian Beef Tibs)
by Mike Hultquist · · 6 Comments · Jump to Recipe
Ethiopian awaze tibs is a spicy Ethiopian stir-fry dish of cubed or sliced beef or lamb coated in piquant awaze sauce that features berbere seasoning, loaded with rich and bold flavors.
Awaze Tibs Recipe (Ethiopian Beef Tibs)
If you love spicy cuisine, you're going to fall in love with Awaze Tibs. Ethiopian awaze tibs is an Ethiopian stir-fry dish of cubed or sliced beef or lamb cooked in spicy awaze sauce.
"Awaze Tibs" translates to "Spiced Meat", and that is exactly what you'll get with this recipe.
The awaze sauce focuses primarily on berbere spice, a robust Ethiopian spice blend of bold chilies and aromatic spices, essential to many East African and Ethiopian dishes. This brings to the dish its signature heat and flavor.
This recipe is made with beef, though you can use lamb as well. I fell in love with the dish at a local Ethiopian place, and just had to make it myself.
Let's talk about how to make Ethiopian awaze tibs, shall we?
Ethiopian Awaze Tibs Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Beef. Use your favorite cut of beef, cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Vegetable Oil.
- Niter Kibbeh. Niter kibbeh (aka niter qibe or tesmi) is a seasoned clarified butter used extensively in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. There is no perfect substitute, but if needed, you can use ghee with an extra teaspoon of berbere spice instead. See the Recipe Notes & Tips section for more information.
- Vegetables. Onion, chilies, ginger, garlic, tomato. For the chilies, I use either jalapeno or Fresno peppers, though you can use any of your local favorites.
- Tomato Sauce.
- Salt and Black Pepper.
- For Serving. Injera or use warmed pita, rice if desired.
How to Make Awaze Tibs - the Recipe Method
First, season the beef with salt and pepper then brown them in batches in a cast iron pan at high heat with oil, just a few minutes per side.
Set them aside for a bit.
Next, heat the niter kibbeh (spiced butter) to the pan and cook down the onions and chilies, then the garlic, ginger and berbere spice blend.
Stir in the tomato sauce and chopped tomato, then simmer a few minutes.
Return the cooked beef to the pan and simmer over medium heat 10 minutes to let the flavors develop.
Boom! Done! Your Ethiopian tibs are ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? Enjoy! I hope you love this dish as much as we do.
Serving Awaze Tibs
Ethiopian awaze tibs is traditionally served with injera, a spongy, sourdough-like flatbread made from teff flour. It is a staple of Ethiopian cooking. You'll use the injera as a utensil to scoop up the meat to eat. It also soaks up the wonderful awaze sauce.
Consider adding sides, such as lentils or vegetables, and a bit of yogurt to cool the palate.
While not traditional, you can serve awaze tibs with rice or bread, such as flatbread, roti, or naan, as injera can be hard to find outside of Ethiopia.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Best Beef for Awaze Tibs. Some recipes call for leaner cuts of beef, such as round or sirloin, though you can make it with any cut. I prefer filet mignon or tri-tip for leaner, or ribeye for a more flavorful cut of beef. It is also traditionally made with lamb or goat.
- Niter Kibbeh. Niter kibbeh is a seasoned clarified butter (ghee) spiced with ingredients such as onion, garlic, paprika, fenugreek, ginger, cumin, thyme, oregano, cardamom, turmeric. There is no perfect substitute, but if needed, you can use ghee with an extra teaspoon of berbere spice instead.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover awaze tibs will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily reheat it gently on the stove top in a pan.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months in freezer containers
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Ethiopian beef tibs recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy African cuisine, I hope you'll check out these cookbooks, which I used to help adapt this recipe and others.
- Ethiopia: Recipes and Traditions from the Horn of Africa, by Yohanis Gebreyesus (affiliate link, my friends!)
- In Bibi's Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean, by Hawa Hassan (Author), Julia Turshen (affiliate link, my friends!)
Recommended Products
- Buy Berbere Spice at Amazon (affiliate link, my friends!)
- Buy Niter Kibbeh at Amazon (affiliate link, my friends!) - Mix with clarified butter to make niter kibbeh
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Chermoula Recipe
- Peri Peri Sauce
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Harissa Chicken
- Jollof Rice Recipe (Nigerian Rice)
- Egusi Soup
Try Some of These Other Beef Stew Recipes From Around the World
- Classic American Beef Stew
- Spicy Beef Vindaloo
- Beef Barbacoa
- Chili con Carne
- Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)
- Rendang (Indonesian Beef Stew)
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Awaze Tibs Recipes (Ethiopian Beef Tibs)
Ethiopian awaze tibs is a spicy stir-fry dish of cubed or sliced beef or lamb coated in piquant awaze sauce with berbere, loaded with rich and bold flavors.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: African
Keyword: beef, berbere
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Calories: 357kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 8
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5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chopped into bite-sized pieces (See recipe notes – I’m using ribeye - you can also use lamb)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 tablespoon niter kibbeh
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1-2 spicy chilies chopped (I’m using jalapeno)
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 3-4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons berbere spice blend or more to taste
- 1 cup tomato sauce use 2 cups for a saucier version, or beef stock
- 1 tomato chopped
- For Serving: Injera or use warmed pita, rice if desired
Instructions
Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan to medium heat. Add the beef pieces in batches and cook 2-3 minutes per side to brown them. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil to the pan along with niter kibbeh.
Add the onion and chilies and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic, ginger, and berbere spice blend and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
Add the tomato sauce and chopped tomato. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Return the cooked beef to the pan and simmer to cook through, about 10 minutes.
Serve with injera.
Notes
- Serve on top of injera, or with injera on the side.
- Use your favorite cut of beef or lamb. Many recipes call for leaner cuts, such as round or sirloin, though I love it with tender ribeye or flavorful tri-tip.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 20gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 350mgPotassium: 480mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 368IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 4mg
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Debbie says
Hi Mike
Your recipes are amazing! My burning question is… where are you finding truly hot jalapeños and Serrano peppers? We live out on Long Island, NY and visit our son in Minnesota and the peppers we can purchase taste like sweet bell peppers. I’ve taken to buying Habaneros but obviously the flavor is different so I’m not happy. Any advice?Reply
Mike Hultquist says
Debbie, so many jalapenos and even serranos are having their heat bred out of them. It can be pretty frustrating. I often do the same as you, use a habanero or something hotter tossed in, depending on the recipe. Or you can use powders, which I do as well. It's really best to grow your own for good heat, though that isn't the best solution for everyone. All you can really do is use hotter peppers or supplement with powders/hot sauces.
Reply
Chad says
Another excellent recipe, thank you. Cool to learn about something new like this. My wife and I really enjoyed.Reply
Mike H. says
Thank you, Chad - I am supper pleased you guys enjoy it!
Reply
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu i never had awaze ribs before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Reply
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Ramya.
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