Last reviewed on 2026-05-29 by the Tartare.org editors.

Kitfo (Ethiopian Beef Tartare)

⏱ Prep: 25 min 🍽 Serves: 4 📊 Difficulty: Moderate
Kitfo: finely minced raw beef dressed with spiced clarified butter and mitmita, served with injera

Kitfo (sometimes written ketfo) is one of the most celebrated dishes of Ethiopian cuisine, particularly associated with the Gurage people. It is finely minced lean beef warmed gently in niter kibbeh — a spiced clarified butter — and seasoned with mitmita, a fiery chili blend. It is traditionally a dish of hospitality and celebration, served at holidays and gatherings, and is held in high regard.

You will see kitfo served at three doneness levels: tere (raw), leb leb (lightly warmed, the most common restaurant style), and yebesele (fully cooked). This recipe describes the traditional preparation and lets you choose. The seasoning and the quality of the butter matter as much as the meat.

Raw and lightly warmed beef is not safe for everyone. Pregnant people, infants and young children, older adults, and anyone immunocompromised should avoid raw or undercooked beef and should eat kitfo only when it is fully cooked (yebesele). Even healthy adults should buy whole-muscle beef from a trusted butcher, keep it cold, grind or mince it just before serving, and eat it the same day. If you have any doubt about your source, cook the kitfo through — it is delicious that way too. Local food-safety authorities take precedence over any guidance here. See our disclaimer.

Instructions

  1. Buy whole-muscle beef the day you plan to serve it, from a butcher you trust. Keep it refrigerated until the last moment.
  2. Trim away all silver skin, sinew, and surface fat. Pat the meat completely dry.
  3. Place the trimmed beef in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it for cleaner mincing.
  4. Using a sharp knife, finely mince the beef by hand into a fine, even texture — traditional kitfo is minced very fine, almost a paste, not chunky. Keep your board, knife, and hands scrupulously clean.
  5. Transfer the minced beef to a chilled bowl and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the butter.
  6. Gently warm the niter kibbeh until it is just liquid and fragrant but not hot — you want it warm to the touch, not sizzling.
  7. For leb leb (lightly warmed): in a clean bowl, work the warm niter kibbeh into the minced beef so the meat takes on a glistening sheen and warms slightly. For tere (fully raw), use the butter at just-melted temperature. For yebesele, cook the seasoned mince in a pan until no longer pink.
  8. Season with mitmita, korarima, and salt. Start with less mitmita than you think — it is hot — and adjust.
  9. Taste and balance: kitfo should be rich, gently spiced, and well salted. Add more niter kibbeh for richness or mitmita for heat.
  10. Mound the kitfo on a plate or directly on injera. Serve immediately.
  11. Accompany with ayib (the mild cheese tempers the heat), gomen (collard greens), and plenty of injera for scooping.
  12. Do not keep leftovers of raw or lightly warmed kitfo. Discard anything not eaten.

Nutrition Information (per serving, estimate)

Calories 340
Protein 26g
Fat 25g
Carbs 1g
Iron 2.6mg
Vitamin B12 2.2μg

Values are estimates and exclude injera and side dishes; they vary with the cut of beef and the amount of niter kibbeh used.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is kitfo?

Kitfo is an Ethiopian dish of finely minced lean beef dressed with niter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter) and mitmita (a chili-and-spice blend). It is especially associated with the Gurage people and is a celebratory dish served with injera.

Is kitfo raw?

It can be. Kitfo is traditionally served at three levels: tere (fully raw), leb leb (lightly warmed, the most common restaurant style), and yebesele (fully cooked). Raw and lightly warmed versions should only be eaten by healthy adults using very fresh, well-sourced beef; vulnerable groups should choose the fully cooked version.

What are mitmita and niter kibbeh?

Mitmita is a hot Ethiopian spice blend built on bird's eye chili, with korarima (Ethiopian cardamom), cloves, and salt. Niter kibbeh is clarified butter simmered with aromatics such as garlic, ginger, korarima, and fenugreek, then strained. Together they give kitfo its rich, fragrant, spicy character.

What do you serve with kitfo?

Kitfo is served with injera, the sour Ethiopian flatbread used to scoop it up. Common accompaniments are ayib (a mild fresh cheese that cools the heat) and gomen (sautéed collard greens). The cheese and greens balance the richness and spice.

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