Group · Herbs & spices
Berbere
Berbere is the foundation blend of Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking. Unlike most Indian blends, it is frankly hot: chilli dominates, accompanied by fenugreek, ajwain, black cardamom, ginger, dried garlic and onion, and korarima, a local cardamom.
On nutrition facts: 327 kcal per 100 g, with 12.6 g of protein, 37.8 g of carbohydrate and 27.7 g of fibre. These values come from the Ciqual line « Spice (average food) », as there is no measurement specific to berbere.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 327 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 1370 kJ |
| Protein | 12,6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 37,8 g |
| Fat | 7,9 g |
| Fibre | 27,7 g |
Micronutrients per 100 g
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Manganese13,6 mg680 %
- Vitamin K1116 µg155 %
- Iron18 mg129 %
- Copper0,93 mg93 %
- Potassium1430 mg72 %
- Calcium479 mg60 %
- Magnesium186 mg50 %
- Vitamin E4,76 mg40 %
- Vitamin B9dietary folate equivalents26,3 µg
See the other 14 nutrients
- Vitamin B51,65 mg28 %
- Phosphorus190 mg27 %
- Omega-3 ALA0,53 g27 %
- Vitamin B60,31 mg22 %
- Selenium9,18 µg17 %
- Zinc1,63 mg16 %
- Omega-6 LA1,49 g15 %
- Vitamin B10,12 mg11 %
- Vitamin B31,52 mg10 %
- Vitamin B20,09 mg6 %
- Iodine9,12 µg6 %
- Vitamin A46,1 µg6 %
- Vitamin C4,29 mg5 %
- Vitamin D0,09 µg2 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
It is used in quantity, and that is its particularity. Where a teaspoon is enough elsewhere, a doro wat calls for two to three tablespoons. Even so, you stay under 60 kcal for a dish for six: berbere is an ingredient in its own right, not a pinch.
Ethiopian cooking is largely plant-based. Misir wot, a stew of red lentils with berbere, is one of the richest dishes in fibre and plant protein you can make, and it contains neither dairy nor meat, for religious fasting reasons.
The onion forms the body of the dish. In the traditional method, the onion is cooked down for a long time dry, with no fat, before the berbere is added. That is what gives the texture, not the clarified butter, which can be halved without harm.
Heat: start low. The intensity varies enormously by brand and by the proportion of chilli. A spoonful of one blend can be worth three of another. Taste the blend on its own before measuring.
Salt. Traditional berbere contains salt. Check the label and cut the salt you add to the dish by the same amount, since much more is used than of an ordinary blend.
Sources
Average nutrition values per 100 g, given for guidance (spices and condiments are eaten in small amounts; values vary by brand and preparation).
