About this Dish
Ethiopian steak tartare — finely minced raw or lightly warmed beef mixed with mitmita (a dry chilli spice blend) and niter kibbeh. Eaten raw or lightly heated. Considered the finest expression of Ethiopian beef cookery. Served with ayib (fresh cheese) and gomen (collard greens).
IngredientsServes 2
🥩Beef tenderloin or top round, 500g very finely hand-minced (ask your butcher for the freshest cut)
🧈Niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter), 4 tablespoons
🌶️Mitmita spice blend, 1.5 teaspoons (adjust to taste)
🧂Salt, half a teaspoon
🧅Shallot, 1 small, very finely minced (optional, for extra flavour)
🧀Ayib (Ethiopian fresh cheese or substitute crumbled cottage cheese), 150g
🥬Collard greens (gomen), 4 large leaves, stems removed and finely sliced
🧄Garlic, 1 clove, minced (for the gomen)
🫓Injera, 2–3 pieces, for serving
Method
1
Start with the gomen: heat a splash of niter kibbeh or oil in a pan over medium heat, add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, then add the sliced collard greens with a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until just tender but still vibrant green, then set aside.2
Ensure your beef is as fresh as possible and has been kept very cold. Using a sharp knife, finely mince the beef by hand — do not use a blender or food processor as you want a tender, slightly textured mince rather than a paste.3
Warm the niter kibbeh gently in a small saucepan over low heat until just melted and fragrant. If adding shallot, cook it briefly in the butter for 1 minute until softened but not browned.4
For leb leb (lightly warmed) kitfo, add the minced beef to the pan with the warm niter kibbeh over very low heat, stirring constantly for just 1–2 minutes — the beef should barely change colour and remain mostly pink. For raw kitfo (tere), simply combine the cold minced beef with the warm butter off the heat.5
Add the mitmita and salt to the beef and butter mixture, then mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hands until every strand of meat is coated in the spiced butter. Taste and adjust mitmita or salt as needed.6
Serve the kitfo immediately, mounded in the centre of a plate or on a piece of injera. Arrange the ayib and gomen alongside, and serve with extra injera for scooping — guests tear pieces of injera to scoop up the kitfo, cheese and greens together.User Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Sign in to leave a review
Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.
Find the Best Kitfo Near Me
AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs
🔥 Viral Recipes
How the world's most famous chefs — and creators — make this dish
Tina's Ethio Kitchen
1.8K views
🌍 Food Vlogs
Food vloggers eating and cooking it at the source
🌍
No videos yet
What To Eat
The World's Food Guide
© 2025 What To Eat · hello@whattoeat.world