Niter Kibbeh Recipe

Golden, fragrant, and rich with spices, niter kibbeh is a foundational ingredient in Ethiopian cooking. Clarified butter is infused with aromatics and spices, resulting in a versatile powerhouse ingredient. It is used throughout Ethiopian cuisine, adding toasty warmth and unmistakable depth to dishes like doro wat and misir wat. 

This version of niter kibbeh is from Top Chef season 22 winner Tristen Epps. He uses a combination of red onion, ginger, and garlic to add a layer of vegetal heat and fragrance to the butter. Finely grinding the onion mixture in a food processor before adding it to the butter breaks down the aromatics’ cell walls, allowing them to quickly impart their flavor. Epps includes spices like coriander, fenugreek, cumin, and cardamom, which gently toast alongside the butter and onion mixture. Plus, a bit of turmeric boosts the golden hue of the butter. Off the heat, the spices and aromatics continue to infuse for an hour before they’re strained through cheesecloth. The result is richly flavored, smooth, satiny liquid gold. Keep a jar of niter kibbeh in your fridge to instantly add warm toastiness and depth to a variety of dishes.

How to use niter kibbeh

This deeply complex butter is used throughout Ethiopian cooking. It’s a staple ingredient that brings toasty spice, richness, and savory notes to an array of dishes. 

It’s commonly found in wats (stews) like doro wat and misir wat. Besides its traditional uses, niter kibbeh is also delicious tossed with popcorn or roasted vegetables, or stirred into rice. Try it brushed over toasted bread, or use it to make scrambled eggs. 

What are fenugreek seeds?

Fenugreek seeds are small, hard seeds that have a unique flavor. They’re nutty, mildly bitter, and slightly sweet, with a faint maplelike aroma. Because of their hard texture, it’s best to either finely grind the seeds; soak them overnight to soften; or infuse their flavor into another ingredient, then strain and discard.

Fenugreek seeds are a common ingredient in spice blends like berbere and curry powders. They can also be used in marinades and pickles. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• Keep an eye on the butter mixture as it cooks — it can go from golden to burnt in a matter of minutes.
• Pour the butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer to ensure all of the solids are trapped and discarded.
• Wet the cheesecloth lightly with water before lining the strainer to help hold it in place.

This recipe was developed by Tristen Epps; the text was written by Paige Grandjean.

Make ahead

Niter Kibbeh may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for up to two months.