Ethiopian Chickpea Stew (Shiro Wat)

Name: Ethiopian Chickpea Stew (Shiro Wat)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Ethiopia
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil; 2 medium onions (about 2 cups / 300 g), finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves (about 1 tbsp / 9 g), minced; 1 tbsp (6 g) freshly grated ginger; 2 tbsp (16 g) berbere spice blend, plus more to taste; 1/2 cup (60 g) shiro powder (finely ground roasted chickpeas); 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) water, plus more as needed; 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt

ሽሮ ወጥ Shiro WatSay it: SHEE-roh waht

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 5, 2026.

Jump to recipe Pin it

Shiro wat is a thick, earthy Ethiopian stew made from shiro powder, finely ground roasted chickpeas, simmered with onions, garlic, ginger, and berbere. It is an everyday dish and a staple of fasting days, when it is cooked without meat or dairy. The texture is smooth and porridge-like, with gentle heat and a deep toasted-legume flavor. It is traditionally served with injera, the sour fermented teff pancake, and eaten by scooping with torn pieces. Its simplicity and pantry ingredients make it a beloved home-cook dish.

Ethiopian Chickpea Stew (Shiro Wat)

ሽሮ ወጥ, Shiro Wat

Pronounced SHEE-roh waht

Serves: 4
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
Level: Easy

Also nut-free and egg-free.

Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

4 servings

For the stew

3 tbsp (45 ml)45 ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil
2 medium onions (about 2 cups / 300 g), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves (about 1 tbsp / 9 g), minced
1 tbsp (6 g)6 g (1 tbsp) freshly grated ginger
2 tbsp (16 g)16 g (2 tbsp) berbere spice blend, plus more to taste
1/2 cup (60 g)60 g (1/2 cup) shiro powder (finely ground roasted chickpeas)
2 1/2 cups (600 ml)600 ml (2 1/2 cups) water, plus more as needed
1 tsp (6 g)6 g (1 tsp) fine salt

Method

Finely chop the onions. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the onions, and cook, stirring often, until soft and deep golden at the edges, 10–12 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the berbere and cook for 30 seconds to toast it, taking care not to burn the spices.
Pour in the water and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the shiro powder in a slow, steady stream so no lumps form. If it thickens too fast, add a splash more water.
Simmer over low heat, stirring every few minutes to prevent scorching, until the stew is thick, glossy, and as dense as soft porridge, 12–15 minutes. It should hold a spoon track.
Season with salt and taste; add more berbere if you want more heat. If the stew is thicker than you like, loosen it with a little warm water.
Spoon into a bowl or onto a platter and serve hot with injera.

Regional variants

Some home cooks add a chopped tomato or a spoonful of tomato paste for a rounder flavor; for a non-fasting version, replace the oil with niter kibbeh. Shiro also appears as a filling for injera rolls or as shiro fit-fit with torn injera.

Cook's notes

Shiro powder varies in starchiness; keep extra warm water handy and adjust to a thick but spoonable consistency.
Stir often and keep the heat low—shiro scorches easily at the bottom of the pot.
If you cannot find shiro powder, grind toasted chickpeas to a fine powder and use the same amount.

Serve with

Injera, and often a side of salad or cooked greens; Ethiopian coffee or tea.

Make ahead and storage

Cool and refrigerate up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water, as it thickens when cold.

United States

Delmonico Steak

25 minMains

Russia

Beef Stroganoff

Befstroganov

55 minMains

Indonesia

Javanese Goat Satay

Sate Kambing

30 minMains

Recipe Pin it