The short answer
Berbere is the signature spice blend of Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking, a deep red, fiery yet aromatic mix built on dried chillies along with a range of warm spices. Its base is ground red chilli or cayenne for heat and colour, blended with spices that can include garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, allspice and the Ethiopian herbs and spices that give it its distinctive character. The result is hot, complex, warming and aromatic all at once, and it is the foundation of countless Ethiopian dishes, most famously the spicy chicken stew doro wat. It is more than just heat: it is what gives much of Ethiopian food its signature flavour. In the UK berbere is sold ready-made by African food shops.
What to remember
- It is more than heat, giving much of Ethiopian food its signature flavour, and it is sold ready-made by African food shops.
- It is the foundation of countless Ethiopian dishes, most famously the chicken stew doro wat.
- Those spices can include garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, cloves and cinnamon.
- Its base is ground red chilli for heat and colour, blended with many warm spices.
- Berbere is the signature Ethiopian and Eritrean spice blend, deep red, fiery and aromatic.
For Ethiopians and Eritreans in Britain, berbere is the smell and taste of home. It is the deep red spice that colours and flavours the family stews, the aroma that fills the kitchen when Doro Wat or Shiro is cooking, and the blend that a mother or grandmother mixes to her own careful balance. It carries the memory of home cooking and celebrations, of the particular berbere a family favours, and having a good blend far from home means being able to make food that truly tastes of home.
There is heritage and artistry in it too. Berbere is a masterpiece of spice blending, developed over generations into a balance of heat and fragrance that defines a whole cuisine, and to cook with it is to carry that tradition forward. Using a good berbere to make a rich, spicy wat for family who grew up on it, or introducing a friend to that warming, complex heat, is an act of welcome and belonging. That bold, aromatic taste of home, in one deep red spice blend, is the quiet gift of berbere.
What is Berbere?
Berbere is the heart and soul of Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking, the spice blend that gives so many of the region's dishes their unmistakable flavour and their deep red colour. It is a complex mixture, built on dried red chillies for heat and colour and layered with a whole array of warm, aromatic spices. Unlike a single spice, berbere is a carefully balanced blend, and its exact make-up varies from family to family, region to region and shop to shop, with each version having its own balance of heat and aroma. What unites them is that bold combination of fiery chilli and warm, fragrant spice.
Berbere is not just about heat, and this is the key to understanding it. While it is genuinely spicy, the chilli is balanced by the depth and fragrance of the other spices, so the overall effect is warming, complex and aromatic rather than simply hot. It is this depth that makes berbere so central to Ethiopian food, turning stews and dishes into something rich and distinctive. It belongs to the wider world of Ethiopian cooking we cover in our guide to [Ethiopian food](/blog/ethiopian-food), and it is the spice behind many of its most famous dishes.
What is in Berbere?
The character of berbere comes from its mix of spices, and while recipes vary, the core is fairly consistent. The foundation is ground dried red chilli, or cayenne, which provides the heat and the deep red colour that defines the blend. To this are added a range of warm and aromatic spices, which commonly include garlic and ginger (often dried), fenugreek, which is important to the characteristic flavour, cardamom, coriander seed, cumin, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and sometimes Ethiopian spices and herbs less familiar elsewhere. Some blends are toasted before grinding, which deepens the flavour.
The proportions are what make each berbere distinctive, and a good blend is a careful balance, hot but layered, fragrant but bold. Making berbere from scratch is a real undertaking, involving many spices and sometimes toasting and grinding, which is why many cooks, especially abroad, buy it ready-made. The quality of the berbere makes a big difference to the finished dish, since it carries so much of the flavour, so a well-made blend is prized. Understanding that berbere is this layered mix, not just chilli, is the key to appreciating what it brings to Ethiopian cooking.
How is Berbere Used?
Berbere is used throughout Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking, and it is the defining seasoning of a whole category of dishes. It is most famously the base of doro wat, the rich, spicy chicken stew often considered Ethiopia's national dish, which you can read about in our guide to doro wat, where berbere gives the stew its deep red colour, its heat and its complex flavour. It is used in many other wat, or stews, made with beef, lamb, lentils and vegetables, and it seasons the smooth chickpea stew shiro, which you can read about in our guide to shiro.
Beyond stews, berbere is used to season and marinate meats, stirred into lentil and vegetable dishes, and mixed with oil or the spiced clarified butter called niter kibbeh to make a paste or flavoured base. A little goes a long way, and it can be adjusted to make dishes milder or hotter. Its versatility, bringing heat, colour and deep flavour to almost anything it touches, is why it is such a cornerstone of the cuisine. For anyone cooking Ethiopian food at home, a good berbere is the single most important thing to have, since it unlocks so many dishes.
Where can I Buy Berbere UK?
Buying berbere in Britain is straightforward, and ready-made blends are the practical choice for most home cooks given how many spices go into it. African food shops that serve Ethiopian and Eritrean communities are the best place to look, stocking berbere in various strengths and styles and often their own or local favourite blends, and the staff can advise on how hot a particular berbere is and how to use it. Some larger supermarkets and spice shops also carry berbere, reflecting the growing interest in Ethiopian food.
If you are cooking a full Ethiopian meal, an Ethiopian or Eritrean food shop lets you pick up the berbere along with shiro powder, spiced butter and the injera to serve with it. The shopkeeper can point you to a good berbere and tell you about its heat. You can find African food stores near you or look up Caribbean food stores near you. If you would rather taste berbere in action first, Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants build many of their dishes on it, and a spicy wat is the perfect introduction.
Frequently asked questions
What is berbere?
Berbere is the signature spice blend of Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking, a deep red, fiery yet aromatic mix built on dried red chillies along with many warm spices. It is more than just heat: the chilli is balanced by the depth and fragrance of the other spices, and it gives much of Ethiopian food its distinctive flavour and colour.
What is in Berbere?
The base is ground dried red chilli, or cayenne, for heat and colour, blended with warm and aromatic spices that commonly include garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and allspice, sometimes with Ethiopian spices less familiar elsewhere. The proportions vary, and each blend has its own balance of heat and aroma.
Is Berbere very spicy?
It is genuinely spicy, since chilli is its base, but it is not only hot. The heat is balanced by the depth and fragrance of the many other spices, so the overall effect is warming, complex and aromatic. Blends vary in strength, and the amount used can be adjusted to make dishes milder or hotter.
How is berbere used?
It is the defining seasoning of Ethiopian cooking, most famously the base of doro wat, the spicy chicken stew, and used in many other wat (stews) of beef, lamb, lentils and vegetables, as well as in shiro. It also seasons and marinates meats and is mixed with oil or spiced butter into a flavoured base. A little goes a long way.
Where can I buy berbere in the UK?
African food shops that serve Ethiopian and Eritrean communities sell ready-made berbere in various strengths, often their own or local blends, and some larger supermarkets and spice shops carry it too. Ready-made is the practical choice given how many spices it contains, and the shopkeeper can advise on its heat and use. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you.
