Atakilt Wat (Ethiopian Cabbage, Carrot, and Potato Stew)

Name: Atakilt Wat (Ethiopian Cabbage, Carrot, and Potato Stew)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Ethiopia
Ingredients: 1/2 head green cabbage, sliced; 2 carrots, sliced into rounds; 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 onion, sliced; 1/4 cup oil or niter kibbeh; 1 tsp grated ginger; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 tsp turmeric; Salt and pepper to taste

6 servings15 min prep30 min cookEasy Ethiopia

♡ Sign in to save Print / Save as PDFPro

The Story Behind It

The Tale of Atakilt Wat (Ethiopian Cabbage, Carrot, and Potato Stew)

Story updated September 17, 2026

Atakilt wat, a mild turmeric-tinted stew of cabbage, carrots, and potatoes, belongs to the "alicha" family of Ethiopian dishes cooked without berbere. Like other vegetable wats, it grew out of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's extensive fasting calendar, which pushed home cooks to build satisfying, deeply flavored dishes entirely from vegetables and spiced oil.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

1/2 head green cabbage, sliced
2 carrots, sliced into rounds
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup oil or niter kibbeh
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1Heat oil in a large pot and sauté the onion until soft, about 6 minutes.
2Add ginger, garlic, and turmeric and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3Add the potatoes and a splash of water, cover, and cook 10 minutes.
4Add the carrots and cook another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5Add the cabbage and cook, covered, 10 more minutes until all vegetables are tender.
6Season with salt and pepper and serve warm with injera.

Want Cook Mode, your own recipe photos, and unlimited calculators?

Get Home Cooking Pro

Comments

Loading comments…