Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Vegan Gluten-free Recipe

Published: Jul 7, 2014 · Modified: Jan 11, 2019 by Richa 150 Comments

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Atakilt Wat – Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Easy spiced side full of amazing flavor. free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast, nut, gluten, grain.

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Seattle has an abundance of Ethiopian food. After Indian, Ethiopian is always the next choice when we want some spice and deep flavors in the meal. The veggie platter filled with 2 to 4 different simmered lentil dishes, greens, simmered okra, cabbage pcarrot wat, all served up over the huge Injera. There are several Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle. A lot of them however are usually a miss when it comes to maintaining the taste and quality of the food. Or maybe I am picky 🙂 Seattle-lites, what is your favorite Ethiopian restaurant?

Atakilt Wat/ Atkilt wot is a cabbage side that is so close to the Indian cabbage dishes and yet has its own flavor profile. The traditional recipe may or may note use uses niter kibeh which is butter/ghee slow-infused with whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, cloves, ginger, garlic etc. by cooking everything on low heat for hours. You can make niter qibe/ kibeh with coconut or olive oil(see my second book for a recipe) and use about a Tbsp in this recipe instead of all the spices and oil. Since I don’t usually have the infused oil ready, I add the spices to oil in the second step to infuse the oil while cooking (indian food style) for my interpretation of atakilt wat. You can omit the spices. Cook the dish at lower heat for best results. Serve with Ethiopian flat breads or other flat breads and lentil stews.

More Ethiopian from the blog.

Kik Alicha – split Pea stew

Ethiopian flat bread Injera – Instant and fermented versions

Missir Wat

Yedifin Missir Alicha.

Fusion Ethiopian Berbere Chickpea Pizza

This is a simplified version of the traditional wat.

Steps:
cook the onion, garlic, ginger for 5 minutes.
Add all the spices and cook to infuse the oil to make a quick niter kibeh.

Add the veggies, cover and cook until tender.

Serve hot.

Serve hot with Ethiopian flat bread Injera and lentil wat, ethiopian greens(gomen wat).

*The veggies get cooked in their own moisture. If they start to stick (depends on your lid, type of pan, moisture in the veggies), add splashes of water or broth and mix in and continue to cook.

Video:

Recipe Card

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4.85 from 59 votes

Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Vegan Gluten-free Recipe

Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Easy spiced side full of amazing flavor. free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast, nut, gluten, grain.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Side

Cuisine: ethiopian

Servings: 2

Calories: 259kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

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Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil or vegan butter divided
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 green chili chopped (optional)
1/2 cup (80 g) chopped onion
1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) cumin powder
1/2 to 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) fenugreek seeds or powder
1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) cardamom powder
1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) cloves powder
a generous dash of black pepper
3/4 cup (96 g) sliced carrots
2 medium potatoes chopped, 1.5 loaded cups
1/2 (0.5) head of cabbage finely chopped
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt

Instructions

In a large skillet, add 1 tsp oil and heat at medium-low. Once hot, Add garlic, ginger, chili, and onion. Mix, cook for 4 minutes.
Add the cumin, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Mix and cook for 3 minutes to infuse the oil and to continue cooking the onion to golden.
Add the carrots, potato and mix well. Add cabbage and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir once in between.
Add 1/4 tsp or more salt, and 1 tsp olive oil. Mix in. Deglaze at this time with water if needed Cover and Cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. *
Serve hot with Ethiopian flat bread Injera and lentil wat, ethiopian greens(gomen wat)

Video

Notes

*The veggies get cooked in their own moisture. If they start to stick (depends on your lid , the pan, moisture in the veggies), add a couple of splashes of water or broth and mix in and continue to cook.

Nutritional values based on one serving

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Vegan Gluten-free Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 259Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Sodium 753mg33%

Potassium 1419mg41%

Carbohydrates 48g16%

Fiber 13g54%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 8240IU165%

Vitamin C 113.9mg138%

Calcium 176mg18%

Iron 8.7mg48%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe?Please do leave a comment and rating below.. Tag me on Instagram @veganricha

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Comments

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Nancy
January 30, 2024 at 9:49 am

I often make this recipe. I add mung beans to boost the fiber and protein. It freezes well too. It’s one of my go- to recipes.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  January 30, 2024 at 8:45 pm
  Glad to hear it!
  Reply
Aolele
November 18, 2023 at 12:05 pm
See Also
German Spaetzle Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) - Elavegan Best Sauteed Cabbage Recipe Vegetarian Red Borscht Recipe Smoky Lentils with Harissa Roast Cauliflower & Aubergine | Rebel Recipes

A friend and I made this for people who had never eaten Ethiopian food before, and everyone loved it.
Left out the cumin (allergy reasons) and chilli, increased the spices slightly, and used bok choy and daikon radish instead of the green cabbage and potatoes, and it was perfect.
Thank you for your lovely recipes, here and elsewhere on your site !
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  November 22, 2023 at 8:10 am
  awesome! thanks so much for your kind comment!
  Reply
Leo
November 11, 2023 at 12:14 pm

I’ve been making this recipe for awhile and love it. Most recently I was low on cabbage so I threw in some cauliflower. So. GOOD. You really can’t go wrong with this recipe.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  November 16, 2023 at 7:34 pm
  awesome! thanks so much for your kind comment!
  Reply
Deb
October 17, 2023 at 4:26 pm

Folks, this recipe is REAL DEAL Ethiopian food goodness. If you want authentic this is where it’s at.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I did use ghee; I chopped the onions super fine and infused the ghee and onion w fresh garlic and ginger.
I am fortunate to be near a good Ethiopian market where they make Berbere spice mix— it can cut the prep time if you’re able to get some! I used two TBSP Berbere spice mix.
This was SO yummy! I am gonna get some injera soon as make this again to enjoy 🙂
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  October 19, 2023 at 6:43 pm
  🙂 thank you so much, Deb!
  Reply
Gracie
September 02, 2023 at 11:12 am

This was delicious! The spices were warm and a great compliment to the vegetables. If you aren’t familiar with Ethiopian cooking, the spice profile reminded me of Indian dishes. It was a huge hit with my family. We are making it again today. I’m looking forward to trying other recipes on this site.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  September 07, 2023 at 8:40 pm
  yay! thank you, Gracie!
  Reply
Dave Wenzler
May 08, 2023 at 12:27 pm

The combination of spices created a wonderful fusion of smells in our kitchen. I also added lentils and switched to sweet potatoes for protein and less starch and sugars. Just a great recipe
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  May 19, 2023 at 6:52 am
  thank you, Dave!
  Reply
Beth
March 26, 2023 at 11:42 am

So flavourful and easy to make!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  March 27, 2023 at 6:38 pm
  thank you!
  Reply
Carol R Salyers
March 11, 2023 at 6:53 am

I don’t think there is anything wrong with your recipe, but I just wasn’t crazy about this dish. That being said I also didn’t have Fenugreek, so that might have made a difference. I tried a bit of mustard powder instead. The spice combination is very strong and it just wasn’t for me. I did like how easy it was to make and how inexpensive, provided you have the spices on-hand since those are pricey.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  March 11, 2023 at 5:12 pm
  Thank you for your feedback, Carol!! I hope you can find something on the site you enjoy more – keep me posted! Maybe the snickerdoodle cookies, or even the Swedish Meatballs? Let me know what you think!
  Reply
Ray ray of light
December 14, 2022 at 9:46 am

Such an amazing dish. I can’t get enough.
In my opinion this meal requires TONS of salt to get the perfect flavor profile…not sure why…I’m not one to typically salt my dishes heavily. Regardless…Perfection.
Reply
Nancy
December 07, 2022 at 2:11 pm

I make this a lot. I started adding mung beans for some protein and I use berbere spice blend instead of individual spices which makes it easier for me.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  December 12, 2022 at 3:30 pm
  Yum!
  Reply
Emily
September 06, 2022 at 5:34 pm

This turned out so good! I omitted the potatoes (didn’t have any) and added a couple cups of cooked red lentils (wanted protein but was too lazy to cook a separate wot dish)
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  September 08, 2022 at 12:53 pm
  Great idea Emily.
  Reply
Emilio
August 28, 2022 at 7:28 pm

This was amazing. I used baby red potatoes cut in half, but otherwise stuck to the recipe precisely. What a treat.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  August 29, 2022 at 10:42 am
  Sounds delicious.
  Reply
Lisa Bill
June 08, 2022 at 5:53 pm
Kokeb never disappointed back in the day, but, sadly, is long gone. I don’t live in Seattle anymore (live in Tacoma), so don’t often make it to Ethiopian restaurants. I made the trek recently and tried Delish and thought it was excellent. I ate at Blue Nile about 3 years ago and thought it was really good at the time. Enat Kitchen in Portland got my business several times about 5 years ago, and was the best Ethiopian I’d ever had!
Reply
- Tara
  September 20, 2022 at 7:56 pm
  Enat Kitchen is my fave!!!
  Reply
Kyle
April 08, 2022 at 7:39 pm
You mention there isn’t any dairy but then proceed to add butter. This isn’t a vegan dish.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  April 09, 2022 at 9:13 am
  ??
  Reply
  - J
    July 12, 2022 at 9:30 am
    They said olive oil or vegan butter…
    Reply
- Meagan
  April 20, 2022 at 5:13 pm
  
  The recipe calls for vegan butter or oil.
  Reply
Gerbergirl2
March 30, 2022 at 8:02 am

This was so delicious! Followed the instructions exactly and it was so easy. Each bite was bursting with flavor. Can be made oil free too.
Thank you so much!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  April 01, 2022 at 8:57 am
  ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ options, options
  Reply
Emm Moore
March 12, 2022 at 8:15 pm
Great dish! I didn’t have fenugreek, so I subbed with mustard and maple syrup. Cooked for 12, so I had to switch to my Instapot because I was schooling 3 heads of cabbage and 12 potatoes. Big hit with the family.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  March 16, 2022 at 12:52 pm
  wow! big hit, big dinner, sounds fun
  Reply
- Amanda
  May 21, 2023 at 11:15 am
  
  Flavors right on, I found the 7 min cook time burned spiced though. Would advise adding water from beginning or reducing initial cooking time
  Reply
  - Vegan Richa Support
    May 26, 2023 at 8:12 am
    thank you for this!
    Reply
Karin
January 14, 2022 at 5:47 am

Absolutely delicious. I had everything but the fenugreek. I think it would be delicious with other veg added, too – like kale or collard greens, zucchini, cauliflower, etc. We will make this again.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  January 14, 2022 at 5:39 pm
  great ideas
  Reply
Lauren Vaught
November 02, 2021 at 6:58 pm

Fabulous recipe! I even made the Injera pancakes to go with it!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  November 04, 2021 at 11:16 am
  oh! nice pairing
  Reply
Mik
October 17, 2021 at 7:10 pm

Used purple and green cabbage. Delicious!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  October 18, 2021 at 11:10 am
  colourful mix- thanks!
  Reply
Franny
August 05, 2021 at 12:53 pm

Excellent recipe and so easy! The ingredients are always in my pantry (except for fenugreek, will have to get some). I also used 1 tsp. more oil when frying the spices. To finish, I added 2 tsp. lemon juice, more salt and chopped cilantro. My partner doesn’t tolerate very spicy food, so I sprinkled my own portion liberally with berbere. Delicious!!! We ate the whole thing! Thanks, Vegan Richa for a yummy Ethiopian recipe. I will make it often!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  August 07, 2021 at 12:56 pm
  good to know, thanks & Do leave a rating too if you feel like it
  Reply
  - Franny
    September 18, 2021 at 6:03 pm
    
    Hi Richa, I found some ground organic fenugreek seed online at Vitacost (Frontier brand) and just made the recipe again with fenugreek added. Even more delicious! Thank you ♥️
    Reply
NaLah
July 20, 2021 at 12:10 pm

This dish was a delicious! Toward the end of preparation, I definitely added more salt and about 1/4 teaspoon of authentic berbere seasoning for a little kick.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  July 22, 2021 at 10:54 am
  berbere is amazing
  Reply
Stacy Dhein
May 18, 2021 at 5:39 pm

I am opposite of a good cook, this recipe makes me optimistic that I can make a tastier dish . The style is intriguing and the simplicity is so appealing! I hole to also add the flatbread recipe next.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  May 20, 2021 at 2:18 pm
  yay!! so good to hear
  Reply
Tzofia
February 06, 2021 at 7:29 am

This makes a lot more than expected! it’s like twice the recipe. I also serve it with rice and beans so it’s a very filling meal. I make it all the time. I love it and i love how it’s super cheap and easy to customize with whatever you have on hand. I’ve been making this recipe for years every week. measure your spices tho, it’s easy to put too much, especially cumin, and the recipe will be a bit intense. cut it with rice if that happens, it’s not ruined anyways. honey also ads a nice balance ti the spices!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  February 08, 2021 at 12:32 pm
  wow, thank you
  Reply
Alicia
February 04, 2021 at 1:38 pm

Knocked it outta the park with this one! Wow! Beautifully spiced, texture was just right, and those last 15 minutes of covered cooking to soften the vegetables and meld the flavors worked like a charm. I used Ghee instead of vegan butter & I needed to double it so there was enough oil available when I added in the spices. Other than that – really impressed by the aromatics and proportions. I eat Ethiopian regularly and this would do any restaurant proud. Really enjoyed making & eating this one.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  February 05, 2021 at 4:29 pm
  perfect. glad you liked it, thank you
  Reply
Chari
December 25, 2020 at 9:09 pm

My family loved this recipe! Fast and easy, I can totally see this becoming a weekly staple.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  December 27, 2020 at 5:03 pm
  perfect
  Reply
Isabel
November 12, 2020 at 10:35 am

This was so yummy!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  November 13, 2020 at 9:48 am
  Awesome!! Thank you
  Reply
celia
October 14, 2020 at 8:26 pm

Love the flavour! My creation did not turn out as colourful as the one shown here. I stirred in too much water, then stirred the whole dish a bit too long, talked too long on the phone while the dish was cooking, and everything ended up a bit brown. However, this didn’t bother me and the flavoured spice water mix as well as the dish were delicious! Shall make this dish again one day!
Reply
Jill
September 06, 2020 at 2:02 pm
This sounds so good! Could I use a jalepino pepper instead
Of the green chili?
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  September 07, 2020 at 3:09 pm
  I don’t see why not
  Reply
Taylor Goodman
August 13, 2020 at 7:37 pm
I just made this ….. so good. I am always so happy when your recipes show up when I search a dish because I know it’ll be amazing. Thank you!!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  August 14, 2020 at 9:56 am
  I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
  Reply
Ellen
August 05, 2020 at 5:15 pm

Just made this and it was delicious. I didn’t have fenugreek or cardamom, and I added a tsp of berbere. I thought the vegetables would stick like crazy but they release more liquid than you’d expect. We ate it over rice but one of these days I will try to make your injera.
Just curious, do you know what the difference is between this dish and tikil gomen?
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  August 05, 2020 at 8:38 pm
  awesome!! sometimes the Tikil calls for berbere spice
  Reply
DD
July 26, 2020 at 3:55 pm

I made this tonight without the potatoes or cardamom since I didn’t have those ingredients. It was absolutely delicious! Thanks for another simple and quick veggie dish!
Reply
Angela
July 16, 2020 at 5:43 am
This looks delicious! Is it possible to cook this in an instant pot?
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  July 16, 2020 at 12:58 pm
  thank you! yes – just use the saute feature first and then pressure setting for 15 minutes.
  Reply
Kt
May 30, 2020 at 8:56 am

Delicious and authentic Ethiopian flavor!
Reply