Tikil Gomen (Ethiopian Cabbage with Carrots and Potatoes)

February 11, 2023

Cabbage, albeit a versatile veggie, rarely shines so bright as it does in this Tikil Gomen recipe–a spicy, flavor-loaded, Ethiopian style preparation of velvety cabbage sauteed with carrots and potatoes.

When you order a vegetarian platter at an Ethiopian restaurant, you will often find a cabbage or collard greens dish, called tikil gomen (also spelled tikel gomen or tikle gomen ), among the many tasty stews laid out over the spongy injera bread. And although it looks rather unassuming, you can bet it will be one of the tastiest of all those wonderful offerings.

I have for you today my tikil gomen recipe, and I daresay it’s as good as any I’ve eaten at a restaurant. The cabbage is velvety, melt-in-the-mouth smooth, and the berbere and niter kibbeh load it with lots of spicy flavor.

The word “gomen” in Amharic means cabbage, although you will often find tikil gomen made with other brassicas, including kale and collard greens. Some choose to call this cabbage dish Atakilt Wot but bear in mind that atakilt wot (“atakilt” being “vegetable” in Amharic) can refer to a stew made with any vegetable and not necessarily with cabbage. My favorite Ethiopian restaurant serves a delicious Atakilt Wot made with green beans, potatoes and carrots.

Table of Contents

Why you will love this recipe

Uniquely delicious. Cabbage is wonderful but not everyone loves it. This Ethiopian cabbage is a great dish to conquer any phobias attached to this healthful veggie. The carrots and potatoes are a nice complement to the cabbage, contributing texture and flavor. I love Indian cabbage recipes like this easy cabbage curry, but I have to admit that the flavor of this tikil gomen is even more enticing.
Easy to make. This is a one-pot recipe and an easy dish for weeknights. It really doesn’t take much hands-on time once you’ve added everything to the pot.
Friendly to all diets. The tikil gomen is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and vegan. If you are a keto or low-carb eater, or are on a low-calorie diet, skip the potatoes and/or carrots.

Ingredients

Vegan niter kibbeh. This is the dairy-free, olive-oil based version of the Ethiopian spiced ghee or butter used to make so many tasty dishes. The niter kibbeh has notes of ginger, garlic, black pepper, allspice, cumin, cardamom, cloves and other spices that add beautiful flavor.
Red onions. You can use white onions or yellow onions but red are best for flavor here.
Garlic. Crush the garlic into a paste or mince it really fine for best flavor.
Potatoes. Use yellow or red potatoes. Preferably don’t use russet or any starchy potatoes because they’ll turn mushy.
Carrots. The sweetness of the carrots is amazing with the cabbage and potatoes.
Berbere spice blend. This golden spice blend, along with the niter kibbeh, will transform the veggies into utter deliciousness.
Turmeric. This adds an extra boost of healthfulness and some nice color.
Cabbage. Use a whole, medium head of cabbage for this recipe.
Jalapeño peppers. Or any green chili peppers of choice.

Variations

Green cabbage is most commonly used in this dish, but you can use purple cabbage, it won’t affect the flavor. You can also use collard greens or kale instead of cabbage.
To make the dish healthier, use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.

Tikil gomen, Ethiopian cabbage, carrots and potatoes, in blue bowl with spoon.

How to make tikil gomen

1. Heat a wok and add the niter kibbeh. Add onions with some salt and saute over medium heat until onions are soft.

2. Stir garlic into the onions and continue sauteing for another minute.

Carrots and potatoes added to tikil gomen wok.

3. Stir in the carrots and potatoes.

Potatoes, carrots and spices added to onions in wok.

4. Add the berbere and turmeric to the veggies and mix them together. Cover the wok and cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat or until potatoes and carrots are nearly cooked. Stir frequently to ensure nothing sticks or burns.

5. Add the cabbage to the wok and mix it in. Cover and cook the veggies for another 10 minutes over gentle heat, stirring occasionally, or until the cabbage is very soft and the carrots and potatoes are cooked through.

6. Stir in the sliced jalapeño peppers. Add more salt if needed and turn off heat.

Serving suggestions

Storage instructions

Refrigerate: Place leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days.
Freeze: Tikil gomen can be frozen for up to three months. Use a freezer-safe container.
Reheat: Thaw and reheat in the microwave or in a wok until warmed through.

More tasty vegetable sides

If you love this Ethiopian Tikil Gomen recipe, be sure to check out other global vegan recipes on Holy Cow Vegan!