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Home » Food » By Course » Side Dishes » Gomen (Ethiopian Collard Greens)

Gomen (Ethiopian Collard Greens)

February 13, 2019 by Kimberly Killebrew · 38 Comments

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This authentic Ethiopian side dish known as Gomen takes eating healthy greens to a whole new level of deliciousness!  A quick, simple, healthy, and thoroughly yummy side dish!

gomen recipe ethiopian collard greens traditional authentic

If you’re looking for an authentic Ethiopian veggie side dish to serve with your Ethiopian entree, Gomen (aka Ye’abesha Gomen) is among the most popular and delicious.

Or if you’re simply looking for a wonderfully flavorful way to enjoy those healthy greens, look no further.

gomen recipe ethiopian collard greens authentic

Gomen is traditionally made with collard greens but kale works equally well.  You can also use spinach but I prefer the crispiness of the collards or kale.

This traditional Ethiopian side dish can be found in most Ethiopian restaurants and pairs wonderfully with any number of Ethiopian meat and vegetarian dishes including doro wat, sega wat and misir wat, to name a few.

ethiopian food

Above picture:  The gomen is in the top left corner of the platter to the left of the lettuce.  A variety of Ethiopian dishes are commonly served for a meal and instead of serving them on a plate are served on injera, Ethiopian flatbread.  Additional injera is served on the side and pieces are torn off and used as utensils to scoop up the food.

To make Ethiopian Gomen you need an ingredient called niter kibbeh, which is an Ethiopian spiced clarified butter.  It is made using the same method as Indian ghee in which the butter is heated and the butterfat is separated from the milk solids.  Niter kibbeh is infused with a variety of fragrant herbs and spices resulting in a clarified butter that is highly aromatic and flavorful.  Niter kibbeh is an essential ingredient in Ethiopian cuisine, including Gomen, and there are no adequate substitutes.

Niter kibbeh is extremely easy to make and keeps for several months in the fridge.  While you can buy niter kibbeh online, nothing compares to the flavor and fragrance of homemade.  Check out our recipe for Authentic Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter).

niter kibbeh ethiopian spiced clarified butter recipe

Okay, let’s make some Gomen!

gomen recipe ethiopian collard greens authentic

Gomen Recipe

Let’s get started!

Heat the niter kibbeh in a pan over medium high heat.  Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.

cooking onions

Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the collard greens and another tablespoon of niter kibbeh and cook until the collards turn bright green and are wilted but still slightly crispy, 5-7 minutes.  Add more spices and/or niter kibbeh to taste.

adding seasonings and collards

This is a highly versatile side dish and pairs with virtually any Ethiopian entree.

gomen ethiopian collard greens recipe authentic

Enjoy!

gomen recipe ethiopian collard greens authentic

For more delicious Ethiopian recipes be sure to try our:

  • Doro Wat
  • Sega Wat
  • Misir Wat
  • Injera
  • Niter Kibbeh

Gomen (Ethiopian Collard Greens)

Kimberly Killebrew
This authentic Ethiopian side dish takes eating healthy greens to a whole new level of deliciousness!
Print Recipe
4.94 from 15 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine ethiopian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 115 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons niter kibbeh (plus an extra tablespoon for later)
  • 1 large yellow onion , halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bunch collard greens (about 12 ounces) , washed, thick stems removed, roughly chopped (can also use kale)

Instructions
 

  • Heat niter kibbeh in a pan over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the collard greens and another tablespoon of niter kibbeh and cook until the collards turn bright green and are wilted but still a slightly crispy, 5-7 minutes.  Add more spices and/or niter kibbeh to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 49mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Keyword Gomen
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38 Comments →

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38 Responses

  1. JOAN says

    April 15, 2020 at 12:37 am

    This was really delicious. I think the niter kibbeh really takes this over the top. We used some organic collards that we’d grown last summer, blanched and frozen. They worked well in your recipe. We eat plant based so made our niter kibbeh with plant based butter. It was terrific. Thank you so much. We will be growing extra collards this summer!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      April 15, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      Fantastic, Joan, thank you! Funny timing, I just transplanted my collards from my greenhouse into my garden yesterday – looking forward to a big harvest this year :)

      Reply
  2. Mary says

    April 8, 2020 at 8:04 am

    really yummy. I had”Ethiopian night” with my family. Made 3 of your recipies. Lots of chopping, dicing, cooking and cleaning of dishes, but oh my-delicious! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      April 8, 2020 at 8:51 am

      That’s wonderful, Mary, what a fun night and I’m so glad all the recipes were a hit, thank you!

      Reply
  3. Tariq Hossenbux says

    February 22, 2020 at 6:26 pm

    Pretty much the only change was mixing in some cooked rice I had to use up. Delicious and spicy!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 22, 2020 at 7:05 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tariq, thank you!

      Reply
  4. Yodit says

    May 29, 2019 at 10:24 am

    My culture food is fantastic!!!!!

    Reply
  5. Monti says

    February 24, 2019 at 3:02 pm

    Thank you for posting this! I think I requested it a few weeks ago. Making Doro Wat tonight so will make Gomen to go with it. You are fantastic!!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 24, 2019 at 11:17 pm

      You sure did, Monti, you’re welcome! :) Hope you enjoy both the doro wat and the gomen!

      Reply
  6. Nina Tayler says

    February 22, 2019 at 5:49 am

    Hey Kimberly,

    Do you reckon I can use two teaspoons of berbere instead?

    Its just I have loaaads of berbere left from when I made your delicious misir wat recipe, so would like to use that instead!

    Thanks

    Nina

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 22, 2019 at 11:34 am

      Absolutely, Nina, berbere is perfect!

      Reply
    • Judy says

      November 11, 2019 at 2:52 pm

      Thanks for the suggestion to use berbere. I also had some extra from the doro wat I made, and I didn’t have the other spices in the recipe. I came out great. Thanks for a delicious recipe, Kimberly!

      Reply
      • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        November 11, 2019 at 4:37 pm

        Thank you, Judy!

        Reply
  7. Erin says

    February 15, 2019 at 10:54 pm

    What a great recipe! I have to put this on my menu!

    Reply
  8. Krista says

    February 15, 2019 at 11:53 am

    Bring on the greens! These look so good!

    Reply
  9. Megan Ancheta says

    February 15, 2019 at 9:59 am

    I am so excited to try this recipe! It looks delicious, and I love the vibrant color of the greens!

    Reply
  10. Toffeeapple says

    February 15, 2019 at 9:38 am

    Thank you Kimberly!

    Reply
  11. Cathy says

    February 15, 2019 at 6:08 am

    These sound so flavorful!

    Reply
  12. Toffeeapple says

    February 15, 2019 at 3:50 am

    Are you able to tell me exactly what Collard means, in this context, please? It is a word that I have been unable to get a handle on for many years!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 15, 2019 at 9:34 am

      Where the term “collard” comes from I don’t know but they’re in the cabbage family. They’re large loose leaves, similar to kale.

      Reply
      • Linda says

        March 1, 2019 at 5:41 am

        Yes, collards have often larger leaves if you compare them to kale at a market’s produce section. The best time to buy collard greens is in the cool season. It’s at this time of year that collards and other greens are at their sweetest. If still in doubt, the produce personnel can guide you to what you’re looking for. Should you find kale enjoyable, try growing your own for amazing freshness and flavor.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          March 3, 2019 at 9:48 am

          Hi Linda, definitely, we grow our own greens every year (kale, collards, Swiss chard, spinach, etc) and the flavor and nutrition are vastly superior.

          Reply
  13. Kitten says

    February 14, 2019 at 8:41 pm

    Kimberly, I’m so excited you posted this! This is my absolute favorite Ethiopian dish, hands down! I also love the cabbage dish (I forget the name). I’ll be trying this one this week. All of your recipes I’ve cooked have turned out fabulous and I’m sure this will be no exception. I thank you and my family thanks you :)

    Reply
  14. Melanie Bauer says

    February 14, 2019 at 5:35 am

    Looks absolutely awesome! This is my kind of side dish, adding to my list of must makes!

    Reply
  15. Lora says

    February 14, 2019 at 3:16 am

    I think this is how I would love to eat collard greens! Love the spice mix!

    Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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