Tikel Gomen is a healthy one-pot vegetarian dish with cabbage, potatoes, onion, and turmeric. It is packed with flavor, easy to make, and good for you too!
A little less well known, Ethiopian cuisine is actually extremely healthy and flavorful. Tikel Gomen is a one-pot cabbage dish and is packed with nutrients and flavor that will make it an instant favorite. This dish also happens to be naturally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, so it satisfies a lot of dietary considerations and is still simply delicious. This can be eaten as a stand alone dish, or served with rice and a popular Ethiopian staple: Injera flatbread. Dive in to a little culture and make a meal of it!
This dish is made entirely in one pot. Be sure to use a large pot with a lid. Enameled cast iron pots work great for this, as well as standard stainless steel everyday cookware. To start this dish, you will heat your olive oil in a large stock pot and then add the onion and carrots to saute for five minutes. You will add your spices and let them toast for a minute or two before adding the cabbage and potatoes. Lastly, stir that together, cover and reduce the heat so it can simmer on low for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Prepare to enjoy a cultural, culinary treasure!
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Can I reduce the amount of olive oil?
You can get away with reducing the olive oil to about 2 tablespoons, but it adds flavor as well as moisture to this dish. For best results, use the full amount.
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Can I use fresh minced ginger?
Yes. Increase the amount to 1 tablespoon if you use fresh minced ginger in place of the dried ground ginger.
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Can I use sweet potatoes instead of red potatoes?
You can. Because sweet potatoes break down at a different rate than regular potatoes, the texture will be a little different. If you wanted to be authentic to this Ethiopian cuisine, technically, you would use yams and not sweet potatoes. In the United States, the two are treated as synonymous, but they are actually very different items that aren’t related. It is extremely difficult to find true yams outside of Africa and the Carribean.
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Pro tip:
Turmeric stains really easily! So be careful where you set your lids and spoons and be careful not to splash. Fun fact, Turmeric is what is used to give mustard its bright yellow color!
If you are looking for other healthy recipes, here are some that are packed with flavor and nutrition that you will love:
- Healthy Lemon Garlic Salmon
- Tuna Stuffed Avocado
- Balsamic Tomato Salad
- Healthy Tuna Salad
- Detox Vegetable Soup
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
This dish was so easy to make and it was very good
We had this as a side dish along with roast pork. Thank you Rachel
I made this last night. It was wonderful! I DO mess with things though. I got some fresh turmeric and gratered a few rhizomes instead of powdered and added some chipped celery and lime zest. It’s worth a try. My next go at this, I’m including some coconut fat in there! Yum! My family is so glad for this recipe, thanks a ton!
*chopped
Made this for last night’s supper. We all loved it. Son had leftovers today for lunch and said it was even better! Two thumbs up for sure!
I love all types of dishes that contain cabbage. This one sounds delicious. I do make this dish with sliced Kielbasa sausages and a little bacon
if I’m craving a little meat. I first cut up and saute the bacon with slices of onion, I slowly add the other spices and ingredients. I also add about a half cup of water, set it at a medium heat until the potatoes are tender. Enjoy over some rice or alone, it is totally delicious. My family goes crazy over this dish.
Delicious ?
Sounds so very good!
Love ❤️ all the great ingredients!
Thank you Rachel all your recipes are fail proof.