Quick and Easy Ethiopian Beef Tibs Recipe

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Forget about boring, bland meals and spice things up with a plate of mouth-watering and aromatic Ethiopian Beef Tibs.  Sink your teeth into this flavorfully spiced recipe it’s like you’re taking a trip to the heart of Africa.

It’s always fun to travel from your kitchen and try a new cuisine or recipe from another country.  That’s what I’m doing today.  In celebration of Africa Day, I decided to try something new and different.  I wandered Pinterest to see what really appealed to me and the hubs.  I considered making an African sweet potato stew but wasn’t sure he would be up to it.  Then I found this parsad which would make a dish to take to work for breakfast.  I toyed with making some chermoula for grilled lamb chops, but then I stumbled on Ethiopian beef tibs.  It’s easy and packed with so much flavor from the berbere spice mix.  I’ve used berbere before so it wasn’t new to me.  But beef tibs is definitely new to me.

Africa Day is on May 25th every year.  Now known as the African Union (UA), African Day commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) which came into being in 1963. Africa Day celebrates African unity and progress while reflecting on the continent’s rich history and diverse cultures. They celebrate their social, political, and economic achievements as well as its contributions to the world in art, music, and culinary traditions. African cuisine stands as a vibrant reflection of the continent’s heritage.

What is Ethiopian Beef Tibs?

Ethiopian Beef Tibs has bold flavors and simplicity. It consists of succulent beef pieces infused with vibrant spices and sautéed. Beef tibs includes aromatics like garlic and onions and incorporates berbere, which is Ethiopia’s signature spice mix. Like masalas in India, berbere differs from family to family.  I made a blend to serve with my crispy berbere pork chops and used the same blend of spices for this recipe, too.

Historically, tibs were served as a gesture of respect and honor, often reserved for special guests or significant celebrations symbolizing warmth, community, and the joy of sharing a delicious meal.  Families pass down their beef tibs recipes from generation to generation. Each one adds their own spin to the dish.  As fresh meat was easier to come by for a family in Ethiopia, the popularity of this dish grew from just special occasions to family dinners.

What is Berbere Spice Mix?

Berbere is the heartbeat of Ethiopian cooking.  It is a fiery and aromatic spice blend that delivers depth and complexity to dishes. Its name, derived from the Amharic word for pepper, reveals its spicy nature but it has more flavor than heat alone. Berbere typically combines chili powder, fenugreek, garlic, coriander, and an array of other spices.  All of these spices create a harmony of smoky, sweet, and earthy flavors. It’s great in stews, sautéed meats, and even lentil dishes.

Ingredients to Make Berbere Spice Mix

To create an authentic berbere spice mix at home, you’ll need:

Whole spices – coriander seeds, cardamom pods, whole allspice, fenugreek seeds, whole cloves, stick cinnamon, black peppercorns, onion flakes

Ground spices – turmeric, cayenne pepper, paprika

Ingredients to Make Ethiopian Beef Tibs

Pantry ingredients – berbere spice, onion, canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth

Refrigerator ingredients – butter, jalapeno, fresh ginger, garlic

Instructions to Make This Beef Tibs Recipe

Start with making the berbere spice blend.  Place the whole spices in a skillet and toast over medium-high heat.  Stir the spices frequently so they don’t burn.  When they begin to become aromatic, remove them from the heat.  Let them cool to room temperature.

Pour the spices into a spice grinder.  Add the onion flake and the ground spices and grind to a fine powder.  If you don’t have a spice grinder you can use a coffee grinder.  I’m lucky enough to have received a wonderful spice grinder for Christmas.

Season the beef with salt and pepper and toss it with 1 tablespoon of the berbere spice mix.  Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and butter to the pan.  When the oil is hot, add the beef and fry until browned on all sides.  Stir in the onion, jalapeno, grated ginger, and garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are tender. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and berbere spices.  Simmer until the beef is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Serving This African Beef Recipe

Ethiopian Beef Tibs goes best with injera which is a sourdough flatbread made from teff flour.  They use the bread as a utensil to eat the beef tibs. This adds to the communal spirit of Ethiopian meals as people sit around the pot of beef in the center and every dips into the beef with their injera.   I didn’t get injera so I served mine with steamed rice.

You could serve it with some jollof rice which is rice cooked in spices and a tomato-based sauce.  Even though it’s typically the main dish, it would go well with these beef tibs.  There’s also Nigerian coconut rice which has similar spices as berbere.  South African yellow rice would really make the colors of the beef stand out.  It’s made with turmeric, brown sugar, and sultanas.  Nigerian rice and beans black-eyed peas for a simpler yet delicious base for the beef.  Or try a Kenyan pilau that is made with herbs and spices and fresh tomatoes.

Other African Recipes to Celebrate Africa Day

There are some other great recipes to make in celebration of Africa Day.  The first that comes to mind is Jollof Rice.  It’s a West African favorite rice dish that is spiced with tomatoes, peppers, and onions.  Another great recipe is South African Bobotie.  It’s a casserole made with meat, bread, jam, chutney, and curry powder to name a few.  The casserole is topped with a savory custard topping similar to a quiche base.

Of course, you can’t skip Moroccan Tagine.  It’s a slow-cooked stew featuring meat, vegetables, and fragrant spices cooked in a traditional earthenware pot.  Another great meat recipe is Kenyan Nyama Choma.  It’s a simple recipe for grilled meat seasoned with simple spices.  The slow cooked meat is then charred on the grill for added flavor.  If you’re looking for something more interesting try Nigerian Egusi Soup.  It’s made with ground melon seeds, of all things.  There’s also leafy greens like spinach, whatever meat you have on hand, and some heat from scotch bonnet peppers.

There’s so much about African cuisine that I don’t know.  But what I do know is that it has the most interesting combination of flavors.  There’s a suya spice that calls for ground peanuts as the base.  I’ve made an African beef and peanut stew that was rich and delicious.  And also called for berbere seasoning.  I have found several recipes where they use peanuts.

They also use millet and sorghum as a grain.  I’ve tried both and they’re tasty and worth trying at least once.  African cuisine includes yams and sweet potatoes.  No, they’re not the same.  And they use quite a bit of leafy greens and okra.  African cuisine often combines what we would call sweet and savory spices together.  The berbere calls for allspice and cloves along with coriander and fenugreek.

What does this Ethiopian beef tibs recipe taste like?

It has so much flavor.  The beef is tender and the sauce is full of so much flavor.  The onions, jalapenos, garlic, and ginger combined with the tomatoes and tomato sauce make a rich and delicious base for the tender beef coated in berbere seasoning.  The berbere adds such a flavor packed punch to the whole dish.  It’s a well-rounded beef recipe with so much flavor and a little bit of heat.  Served over rice, it’s a hearty and delicious dinner that’s on the table quickly and easily.

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