Kitfo
Non-vegetarian
ክትፎ · kitfo
Very finely minced lean beef warmed through in spiced clarified butter and seasoned with fiery mitmita chilli and cardamom. A Gurage speciality traditionally eaten raw or barely warmed.
Kitfo is an Ethiopian main course, ready in about 20 minutes and made with beef sirloin steak, niter kibbeh (ethiopian spiced butter) and mitmita. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
- Calories
- 285
Method
Step 1
Trim every bit of fat and sinew from the chilled beef, then mince it very finely with a sharp knife or have the butcher grind it fresh.
- 12 min
Food safety: Raw beef can carry harmful bacteria. Only use very fresh, whole-muscle beef handled hygienically, mince it just before serving, and keep it cold.
Step 2
Melt the niter kibbeh (opens in a new tab) over low heat with the mitmita (opens in a new tab), cardamom (opens in a new tab) and salt until fragrant. Take off the heat.
- 2 min
- low heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
Step 3
Mix the beef into the warm spiced butter. Serve as is (tere, raw), or return to low heat for a minute for leb leb (lightly warmed), or cook through for yebesele (well done).
- 2 min
- low heat
Food safety: Raw or lightly warmed beef is not recommended for pregnant people, young children, older adults or anyone with weakened immunity — cook it through (71 °C) for them.
Step 4
Serve at once with ayib (fresh cheese) and greens on the side.
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Gurage, Ethiopia · Well documentedA speciality of the Gurage people of south-central Ethiopia.More food from Ethiopia
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Main courses
- Cooking method
- Raw, Sautéed
- Taste
- spicy (chilli heat), buttery, rich
- Diet
- No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-proteinWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious - Good for
- Festive & celebration
- Cook more with
- Beef sirloin steak · Niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter) · Cardamom
- Techniques
- Sautéing
Allergens
- Contains: Milkfrom niter kibbeh (ethiopian spiced butter), cottage cheese
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
285 kcal per serving
Estimated1 serving ≈ 141 g · recipe makes 4
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 40%
- Carbohydrate 1%
- Fat 60%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 285 kcal | 203 kcal |
| Protein | 27.8 g | 19.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.6 g | 0.5 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 0.3 g | 0.2 g |
| Sugars | 0.1 g | 0.1 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0.3 g | 0.2 g |
| Fat | 18.6 g | 13.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 10.2 g | 7.3 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 109 mg | 78 mg |
| Sodium | 508 mg | 361 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 1.3 g | 0.9 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 457 mg
- Calcium
- 34 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 130 µg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.4 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 17 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: cottage cheese.
- Niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter): Anhydrous butter oil (ghee) used as a stand-in; niter kibbeh is clarified butter simmered with spices, which add negligible nutrients.
- Mitmita: Ground cayenne used as a stand-in; mitmita is mostly ground hot chilli with a little korerima, cloves and salt.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Common mistakes
- Mincing the beef ahead of time — it should be prepared and eaten immediately.
Serve with
- Traditionally eaten with kocho (ensete bread) or injera, ayib and gomen (collard greens).
Food safety
- Raw minced beef carries a higher risk of foodborne illness than cooked beef; cooking it through is the safe option.
Storage
- Do not store raw kitfo; eat immediately.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Beef sirloin steak, very lean, trimmed and finely minced just before serving500 g
- Cottage cheese (optional)150 g
Reviews & corrections
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