Published on . Updated on . By Tayo. This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure. 16 Comments
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Awaze Tibs (Ethiopian beef tibs) is a spicy Ethiopian stir-fry that is so versatile, and you can eat it in different ways. It has a rich, bold, ethnic flavor and is ready in just 25 minutes!
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Beef tibs can best be described as a hearty, meaty dish with complex layers. Awaze tibs are somewhat between an Ethiopian stir fry and a stew, and you can eat them as a main meal or side dish.
Jump to:
- What is Awaze Tibs (beef tibs)?
- Ingredients Used
- How to make Awaze sauce
- How to make Ethiopian Beef Tibs
- Storing and Reheating
- What can I eat this recipe with?
- Tips on making this recipe
- Recipe variations
- Frequently asked questions
- Related Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
What is Awaze Tibs (beef tibs)?
Awaze tibs, also known as Ethiopian beef tibs, is a popular East African dish of beef cooked with various ingredients that combine to create a fragrant, delicious dish. In Ethiopia, tibs refer to a dish with cubed or sliced beef or lamb.
Awaze sauce is a spicy sauce or paste made using Ethiopian ethnic spices. When cooked together, you have a mind-blowing dish you won't forget in a hurry.
Ingredients Used
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- Beef:I use 1.5 pounds of beef cut into 1-inch cubes for this recipe. You can use meaty chunks or bite-sized pieces of beef. I. usually get mine from my local grocery store or meat market.
- Niter kibbeh:This is a remarkably tasty Ethiopian clarified butter used in many of their traditional dishes. You will only need a few tablespoons of niter kibbeh for this recipe. Check out this post on how to make your own niter kibbeh.
- Veggies and aromatics:Chopped nions, garlic, and jalapeno peppers.
- Berbere:This is an Ethiopian spice blend that is present in a lot of Ethiopian dishes. It usually includes jalapeno chili peppers, coriander, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, and a distinctive Ethiopian mix of spices. You can get authentic berbere spice online or make your own.
- Lemon juice:It is sometimes mixed with red wine vinegar for an infusion of flavor.
- Other spices:Ground cumin, ground ginger, black pepper, and salt.
How to make Awaze sauce
In a small bowl, add all the spices for the Awaze sauce. Add water and olive oil and mix till it forms a paste. Or you can blend it together using a food processor.
How to make Ethiopian Beef Tibs
- In a large skillet, add the olive oil, and when heated, add the chopped beef. You can also use a 12-inch cast iron pan. Add salt and black pepper, and stir for a few minutes on high heat till it is browned.
- Melt niter kibbeh (Ethiopian clarified butter) in a skillet, then add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Saute for a few minutes, then add the sliced jalapeno peppers.
- Add the Awaze sauce, simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat and add the browned beef.
- Top up with lemon juice and cilantro, and serve!
Storing and Reheating
To store leftover Awaze beef tibs, put in into an airtight container and in the refrigerator for a few days. It will keep fresh within this time.
To preserve this tasty little dish for longer, you can freeze it for a few months. Pour it into a sealable freezer-safe container first. For easy reuse, I recommend sharing leftover awaze tibs in ready-to-eat portions, so you don't have to reheat everything all the time.
Also, label the container with the name and date so you can eat it while it's still fresh. You can add a 'use before' date to be doubly sure.
To reheat, take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge overnight to thaw out. Once it's defrosted, you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.
What can I eat this recipe with?
Typically, Ethiopians eat awaze tibs with a special flatbread called injera. The tibs are spread on top of the injera bread, and you cut out parts of it and eat with the stir fry.
Since I'm on a low carb diet, I eat my beef tibs with keto bread or on a bed of cauliflower rice.
Tips on making this recipe
- Once you put the beef in the heavy saucepan, allow the bottom of each piece to brown before you flip it to the second side.
- Put the beef in a single layer without crowding the skillet to brown them properly.
- In the absence of flavor-rich spiced butter (or niter kibbeh), you can use plain unsalted butter instead. One to two teaspoons of oil should do. You might have to add a bit more spices to taste.
- Let the beef cook for more or fewer minutes, depending on your preferred level of doneness.
- If your awaze sauce turns out a bit watery, add some more berbere to it.
Recipe variations
- Season beef with kosher salt and black pepper before browning to make them more tender and juicy.
- Use your choice of beef cut or replace it with lamb meat, if you wish.
- Add Ethiopian collard greens, fresh rosemary, or green peppers for a lovely variety.
- If you have time, marinate your beef a few hours in advance. Marinated beef will be deliciously tender and juicy when cooked in this recipe.
Frequently asked questions
What meat is used for TIBS?
You can make awaze tibs with lamb or beef. Typically, either of them is the meat used for this flavorful delicacy. You can also use venison (deer) to prepare this dish if you wish.
What is TIBS made of?
Ethiopian tibs is a dish made from cubed beef or lamb, peppers, veggies, lemon juice, and other ingredients. It is a flavorful and delicious meal that is gaining popularity worldwide. Beef tibs recipe is made from beef as the protein, while Ethiopian lamb tibs will use lamb.
Check out these other delicious African recipes!
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Air Fryer Chicken Gizzards
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Nigerian Stew
Chicken Hearts and Mushrooms
📖 Recipe
Awaze Tibs - Ethiopian Beef Tibs Recipe
Awaze Tibs (Ethiopian beef tibs) is a spicy Ethiopian stir-fry that is so versatile, and you can eat it in different ways. It has a rich, bold, ethnic flavor and is ready in just 25 minutes!
5 from 6 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: African
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 486kcal
Author: Tayo Oredola
Ingredients
For the Awaze sauce
- 3 tablespoon berbere
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup water
For the beef tibs
- 1.5 lbs beef bite sized pieces
- ⅓ cup niter kibbeh Ethiopian clarified butter
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno pepper sliced
- 1 teaspoon berbere
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make Awaze Sauce
In a small bowl, add all the spices for the Awaze sauce.
Add ¼ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix till it forms a paste.
Or you can blend it together using a food processor.
Set aside.
Make Beef Tibs
Wash the cut beef pieces and place them in a colander to drain.
Chop the onions and jalapeno peppers, and mince the garlic.
In a large skillet, add the olive oil, and when heated, add the chopped beef.
Add salt, black pepper, and berbere to the beef.
Stir for a few minutes on high heat till it is browned.
Take out the beef and set them aside.
Melt niter kibbeh (Ethiopian clarified butter) in a skillet, then add the chopped onions and minced garlic.
Saute for a few minutes, then add the sliced jalapeno peppers.
Add the Awaze sauce and stir.
Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat and add the browned beef.
Add the lemon juice and simmer for a few minutes on medium heat.
Top with some cilantro, and serve!
Notes
This recipe serves 6 and contains 1 net carb per serving.
- Once you put the beef in the heavy saucepan, allow the bottom of each piece to brown before you flip it to the second side.
- Put the beef in a single layer without crowding the skillet to brown them properly.
- In the absence of flavor-rich spiced butter (or niter kibbeh), you can use plain unsalted butter instead. One to two teaspoons of oil should do. You might have to add a bit more spices to taste.
- Let the beef cook for more or fewer minutes, depending on your preferred level of doneness.
- If your awaze sauce turns out a bit watery, add some more berbere to it.
Nutrition
Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 779mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 5mg
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Tootsie saysI have never made or prepared Ethiopian food but I came across this recipe and it looks DELICIOUS! I am curious thought, what do you serve it with? What would be a good "side"? I see that this is low carb but if I was serving to others that are not, would thins best be served with rice? Noodles? Something else? I am excited to try it!
Reply
- Tayo says
Hi Tootsie, beef tibs goes very well with rice. I hope you enjoy it!
Reply
- Mark says
Hi Tayo, thank you for sharing this recipe, looks delicious and will be making it as part of our around-the-world recipes adventure! One question, what cut(s) of beef would you recommend? Thank you!
Reply
- Tayo says
Hi Mark, I use stew beef(chuck) for this recipe but you can use any cut you like.
Reply
- Mark Rouleau says
Thank you Tayo for your response and the recipe. Made it last night with lazy, pre-cut "stir-fry beef", so I'm not for sure what cut it was. Nevertheless, it was delicious! I followed the recipe verbatim except leaving out the cilantro, everyone loved it! Spice level was about a 4 out of 10. Our stop in Ethiopia was a smash!Reply
- Tayo Oredola says
Yay, I'm so glad this was a hit for you, Mark! Thanks for the lovely feedback!
- Riley says
This recipe is AWESOME! It’s the most similar to the Beef Tibs I’ve eaten at Ethiopian restaurants. The other recipes out there on the web that I’ve tried don’t even come close to this one. Thank you very much for making it possible for me to have this dish at home!Reply
- Tayo says
You're very welcome, Riley!
Reply
- em says
i grew up cooking, my family is italian - i’ve cooked some really great things in my life. i have to say this is hands down one of the top 3 meals i’ve ever cooked in my life, THANK YOU for sharing this recipe!!!Reply
- Tayo says
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. It made my day!
Reply
- Jonathan Graifer says
two questions;
1. is the 1/2tsp salt kosher salt, or table salt?
2. would simmering the spices for the niter kibbeh in already-clarified ghee work, or does it really need to go in while the solids are still present?Reply
- Tayo says
Regular salt will work. Also, it is better to simmer the spices with the solids as it cooks for a longer time, which really draws out the flavors.
Reply
- Riley says
The flavors in this recipe are PHENOMENAL! I've tried several other recipes for Beef Tibs because it's one of my favorites at Ethiopian restaurants and they've just never hit the spot. This is the only recipe that comes close (and actually exceeds!) what I've had at restaurants. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Reply
- Tayo says
You are so welcome, Riley!
Reply
- Kelly says
this is so delicious. it's the only recipe I've found that satisfied my craving for spicy ethopian food.Reply
- Tayo says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Kelly!
Reply
