Name: Awaze Tibs Recipes (Ethiopian Beef Tibs)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
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

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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.

Searing Cubed Beef, and Cooking onions and peppers in a Pan to make Ethiopian Awaze Tibs

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.

Ethiopian Awaze Tibs in a bowl with injera bread

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!)

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Mike serving a scoop of Ethiopian Awaze Tibs from the pan

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.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: African

Keyword: beef, berbere

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Calories: 357kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings:

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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: 357kcal Carbohydrates: 5g Protein: 20g Fat: 28g Saturated Fat: 10g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 12g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 84mg Sodium: 350mg Potassium: 480mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 368IU Vitamin C: 15mg Calcium: 33mg Iron: 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.

Awaze Tibs (Ethiopian Beef Tibs)