Berbere (በርበሬ)

Berbere (በርበሬ) is Ethiopia's essential chili spice blend. It is deep red, warm and earthy, with a slow heat, and it is the base of most Ethiopian red stews.

Shop Yegna Mart Berbere (500 g)

What does berbere taste like?

Warm, earthy and smoky, with a heat that builds slowly rather than hitting all at once. Behind the chili you taste garlic, ginger, korerima and fenugreek, which give berbere its depth.

What is berbere used for?

Doro wot, the holiday chicken stew
Misir wot, red lentils in berbere sauce
Shiro wot, for more heat and color
Key wot and many other red stews
Awaze, the spicy berbere paste served on the side

In most red stews, berbere goes in early, cooked with the onions so its flavor builds into the sauce.

Real berbere, not the baltena blend

In Ethiopia, baltena shops sell ready made spice blends in sealed plastic bags. The quality is not what our families wanted, so they never bought it. They spent the time to make their own berbere at home instead. That is the berbere we make today.

What is in our berbere?

Our berbere is made by our family to the same standard we have always cooked with at home. It is built from 16 traditional ingredients: red chili pepper, garlic, red onion, ginger, Ethiopian sacred basil, korerima, rosemary, black cumin, ajwain, fenugreek, salt, long pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper and cumin.

Berbere vs mitmita

Both are Ethiopian chili blends, but they are used differently. Berbere is the deep red base you cook into stews. Mitmita is much hotter, made with bird's eye chili, and is mostly used in kitfo and served on the side.

Berbere vs mekelesha

Berbere goes in at the start of a stew. Mekelesha has no chili and goes in at the end, adding depth and aroma on top of the berbere.

How to store berbere

Keep it sealed in a cool, dry place, away from the stove and direct sunlight, so the color and aroma last.

Where can I buy berbere?

You can order Yegna Mart berbere online. Ours is produced in Ethiopia and packed fresh in Canada. We ship everywhere in Canada and the United States. See our shipping policy for delivery times and free shipping details.

Order Berbere (500 g)