Are you wondering whether Ethiopian food is suitable for someone who is on a gluten free diet? Or maybe you are looking for examples of Ethiopian dishes that are gluten free? Well either way, you are in the right place! In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about gluten in Ethiopian food.
We start out by discussing examples of Ethiopian ingredients and dishes that are gluten free. After that, we discuss examples of Ethiopian ingredients and dishes that are not gluten free. Next, we describe Ethiopian dishes that may or may not be gluten free depending on where you order them. Finally, we discuss whether Ethiopian food is a good option for someone who maintains a gluten free diet.
What Ethiopian food is gluten free?
What Ethiopian food is gluten free? In this section, we will discuss common examples of Ethiopian items that are gluten free. We will start by providing examples of ingredients that are commonly used in Ethiopian cooking that are gluten free. After that, we will discuss some common Ethiopian dishes that are gluten free.
Note that while the Ethiopian dishes and ingredients we discuss in this section are commonly gluten free, that does not mean that they will always be gluten free at all restaurants and stores. Always make sure to talk to the chef or check the allergen label before you eat an item to determine whether the specific item you are going to eat is gluten free.
Gluten free Ethiopian ingredients
What are some examples of common ingredients that are used in Ethiopian cooking that are gluten free? Here are some common examples of Ethiopian ingredients that are gluten free.
- Vegetables (carrots, cabbage, jalapeños, green beans, collard greens, potatoes)
- Meat (beef, chicken, lamb, fish)
- Spices (berbere, beso bela, cardamom, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, cumin, nutmeg, cloves)
- Aromatics (onion, ginger, garlic)
- Niter Kibbeh or clarified butter
- Red lentils, green lentils, and split peas
- Teff flour and chickpea flour or shiro
Gluten free Ethiopian dishes
What are some examples of common Ethiopian dishes that are gluten free? Here are some examples of gluten free Ethiopian dishes.
- Tibs or sautéed beef or lamb cubes
- Kifto or beef tartare
- Shiro wat or chickpea stew
- Doro wat or chicken stew
- Kik alicha or yellow split pea stew
- Gomen or collard green salad
- Fossolia or green beans with carrots
- Tikil gomen or cabbage with potatoes
- Misir wat or red lentil stew
- Azifa or green lentil salad
- Tej or honey wine
What Ethiopian food is not gluten free?
And what Ethiopian food is not gluten free? In this section, we will discuss examples of Ethiopian items that are not gluten free. First, we will provide examples of ingredients that are sometimes used in Ethiopian cooking that are not gluten free. After that, we will provide examples of common Ethiopian dishes that are not gluten free.
Note that while the dishes and ingredients that we discuss in this section frequently contain gluten, that does not mean that gluten free versions of them do not exist. There may be restaurants and other facilities that offer gluten free versions of these dishes.
Ethiopian ingredients that contain gluten
What are some examples of ingredients that are sometimes used in Ethiopian cooking that are not gluten free? Here are some examples of ingredients that are sometimes used in Ethiopian cooking that are not gluten free.
- Wheat flour
Ethiopian dishes that contain gluten
What are some examples of common Ethiopian dishes that often contain gluten? Here are some examples of common Ethiopian dishes that may not be gluten free.
- Chechebsa or fried flat bread pieces (when made with wheat flour)
Ethiopian food that may or may not be gluten free
What are some examples of Ethiopian dishes that may or may not be gluten free depending on where you get them? Here are some examples of common Ethiopian dishes that may or may not be gluten free depending on where you get them. For each dish we list in this section, we will provide additional details on how gluten might be introduced into the dish.
- Injera. Injera is one example of an Ethiopian dish that is usually gluten free, but may contain small amounts of gluten depending on where you order it. We will start out by saying that the vast majority of injera is made entirely with teff flour, which means that it should be entirely gluten free. That being said, there are some establishments that put small amounts of barley or wheat flour in their injera. This means that you should always double check to make sure that the injera is gluten free before eating it.
Is Ethiopian food suitable for a gluten free diet
Is Ethiopian food suitable for someone who is on a gluten free diet? Ethiopian food is a great option for someone who is on a gluten free diet! While there may be some Ethiopian dishes that are made with gluten containing grains, the vast majority of popular Ethiopian dishes are made with legumes and grains that do not contain gluten like teff. Even restaurants that do not intend to cater to people who eat gluten free often have menus that are almost entirely gluten free.
The main thing you should be conscious of when going to a new Ethiopian restaurant is that there are some places that use small amounts of wheat flour in their injera. This is not a very common practice, but it does happen at some establishments. If you are planning to go to an Ethiopian restaurant with someone who maintains a gluten free diet, you should make sure that the restaurant does not use wheat flour in their injera. If a restaurant does use wheat in their injera, you are likely better choosing another location.
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