Kitfo
ክትፎ
Minced beef, spiced butter and mitmita — traditionally raw. This is the briefly warmed home version unless you trust the butcher.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: ክትፎ.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Hot
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Kitfo is very fresh minced lean beef mixed with niter kibbeh and mitmita (or berbere if that is what you have), served raw (tere) or barely warmed (leb leb) with ayib (fresh cheese) and gomen. We write leb leb. If you have a butcher you trust and you know the risks of raw beef, tere is the original. We are not going to pretend a supermarket mince is that.
What you'll need
5 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Melt butter with berbere and cardamom. Do not brown it.
2 min
Step 2
Off the hardest heat, fold in the mince 1–2 minutes until just losing raw colour (leb leb), or serve raw if the meat is truly fresh and you accept that. Salt.
3 min
Watch: Supermarket mince is for the warmed version.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 425 kcal
- Protein
- 32.9 g
- Carbs
- 0.9 g
- Fat
- 31.1 g
- Saturated fat
- 15.2 g
- Fibre
- 0.4 g
- Sugar
- 0.1 g
- Sodium
- 582 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Niter kibbeh → Butter plus garlic and cardamom
The Tuesday fat.
Tips
- Ayib or a mild fresh cheese on the side. Gomen. Injera.
- Mitmita is hotter and more cardamom-forward than berbere.
History & culture
Gurage-associated, now national restaurant food. A celebration plate. Injera, not a bun.
A raw-beef tradition with spiced butter. Diaspora kitchens more often warm it.
Regional variation
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Kitfo take?
20 min all in — 15 min prep, 5 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Hot.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Nut-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Mixing bowl.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Niter kibbeh → Butter plus garlic and cardamom. The Tuesday fat.
What should I watch for?
Supermarket mince is for the warmed version.
Any tips from this recipe?
Ayib or a mild fresh cheese on the side. Gomen. Injera. Mitmita is hotter and more cardamom-forward than berbere.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Tibs
ጥብስ
Seared beef or lamb with onion, chilli and rosemary — the sizzling platter, not a stew.
EasyMedium heat
Kafta
كفتة
Minced lamb, parsley and onion on a skewer — the Levantine grill that is not a burger.
Easy
Doro wat
ዶሮ ወጥ
Chicken in a dark berbere-onion sauce, a hard-boiled egg — the feast pot, not a weeknight curry.
MediumHot