1
Season the meat
Pat the meat dry and season with salt, pepper, and half the berbere.
Dry meat browns faster and stays juicier.
season
10:00
Ethiopia | Main dish
Tibs
Ethiopian-style sauteed beef with onion, garlic, rosemary, berbere, niter kibbeh, and optional awaze for heat.
Country
Ethiopia
Region
East Africa
Time
45 min
Serves
4
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Tibs sits between a quick saute and a feast dish: hot pan, tender meat, onion, chile, rosemary, niter kibbeh, and berbere or awaze depending on the cook. It should taste bold but still let the browned meat lead.
What the dish tastes like
Ethiopian-style sauteed beef with onion, garlic, rosemary, berbere, niter kibbeh, and optional awaze for heat.
When to cook it
Best for Best for a fast celebratory supper, injera platter, or special lunch., with a medium cooking level and about 45 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Injera, awaze, salad, shiro, or mild vegetable sides.
Regional lane
Celebration meat table. Rich meat dishes where butter, chile, beef, chicken, and spice carry the occasion.
Chef watch-outs
- Rushing the rest or fermentation period.
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
- Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
How you know it is ready
- The bread or batter should smell pleasantly fermented, toasted, or nutty rather than floury.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Pantry lane
teff, berbere, mitmita, niter kibbeh, split peas
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Tibs
Injera, awaze, salad, shiro, or mild vegetable sides.
Best route from here
Celebration meat table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
4 steps
45 min total
medium
2
Sear hot
Heat half the niter kibbeh in a wide pan. Sear the meat in batches until browned outside but not fully cooked through.
sear
08:00
3
Cook the aromatics
Add remaining niter kibbeh, onion, garlic, ginger, chile, rosemary, and tomato if using. Cook until the onion softens.
soften
07:00
4
Finish the tibs
Return the meat to the pan with remaining berbere and optional awaze. Toss over high heat until glossy and just cooked.
Serve immediately so the meat stays tender.
finish
05:00
Some tibs are mild and buttery, some are spicy with berbere or awaze, and some are served sizzling with peppers and onions.