Ethiopian Bread
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 26, 2025 
This Ethiopian Bread recipe is a quick and easy take on the traditional Injera and features a sourdough crepe-like flatbread that you can make at home!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Several major American cities have large Ethiopian populations with amazing restaurants and markets throughout. Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas are among the largest. And every time we visit family in Dallas, we always eat delicious Injera bread at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant.
Ethiopian Breaad, known as Injera, is a staple Ethiopian dish that you definitely need to learn how to make at home! This sourdough flatbread is always paired with other dishes to soak up the saucy meats, veggies and beans that it accompanies.
Why You’ll Love Ethiopian Bread
- Wonderful texture – This soft and spongy traditional Ethiopian bread is great for scooping up big chunks of stews.
- Diet-friendly – Injera is naturally dairy-free and egg-free!
- Make-ahead hero – Make big batches of this flatbread recipe and store it in the freezer for future use.
Our Easy Ethiopian Bread is not only quick and easy to make in any nonstick skillet, but it’s also tender, rollable, and undoubtedly sour… With absolutely no wait time.
Ingredients and Tips
- All-purpose flour – Use traditional flour to make the sourdough crepes soft and pliable.
- Buckwheat flour – For that pop of color and soft, spongy texture use buckwheat flour.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda will give light air bubbles.
- Club Soda – Club soda will also help to create the bubbly texture.
- Vinegar – Use a good quality vinegar to create the fermented sour taste.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Lemon juice – Swap vinegar with lemon juice for a similar flavor.
- Spices – Add cumin or coriander for an aromatic twist.
- Gluten-free – Use gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Teff flour – To make a traditional Injera, swap both the all-purpose flour and buckwheat flour with teff flour Just keep in mind that teff flour is hard to find.
How To Make Ethiopian Bread
Injera at Ethiopian restaurants is made as large pizza-sized circular crepes. At home, you can make it in any good nonstick skillet you have available. Just mix the ingredients for the batter, cook it up and then roll the crepes into your final dish!
Find the full Ethiopian Bread recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftover Ethiopian bread in an airtight container and in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – Place cooked Injera stacked on top of one another between parchment paper. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 months.
- Reheating Leftovers – I recommend warming these up in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
Ethiopian “Queen” Platters are a great idea for your adventurous dinner guest’s menu. There’s nothing like sitting around a large colorful platter of exotic dishes, scooping them up with your hands. Oh, the memories you will make!
Serve fresh-made Injera Bread with any of the below Ethiopian stews!
- Chicken Doro Wat (a chicken stew made in the slow cooker)
- Kitfo Ethiopian Beef Tartare or Tere Siga (minced raw meat)
- Mesir Wat Red Lentil Stew
- Ayib Cheese
- Yellow Peas like Daal
- Collards or other wilted greens (Gomen)
- Tomato Salad if you like.
- Smeared with Niter Kibbeh (a spiced clarified butter)
- Fenugreek Stew by Eat Smarter
Most of these dishes can be made ahead of time if needed.
(PS, the links to yellow peas and collards aren’t technically Ethiopian recipes, but they are similar and VERY delicious!)
Ethiopian Injera Bread
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups club soda
- 1 cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
- Oil for pan
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix both flours, salt, and baking soda together. Whisk in the club soda until smooth. Then add the vinegar and whisk.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour oil on a paper towel and wipe the skillet with the oiled paper towel. This creates a thin fatty layer to make it easier to flip the crepes.
- Using a scoop, pour batter into the skillet creating a 6-inch circle. Quickly and carefully swirl the pan around to thin out the batter until it measures 8- to 9-inches across.
- Cook for 1 minute, then using a large spatula, flip the Injera over and cook another minute. Remove from the skillet and stack on a plate. Repeat with remaining batter. The Injera will seem slightly crisp in the pan, but will soften immediately when placed on the plate. The stacking also helps steam and soften the Injera sourdough crepes.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Teff flour is the flour most commonly used in the traditional Ethiopian Injera recipe. It is light and naturally gluten-free, but not always easy to find. If you do find it, you can use it in this recipe in place of the all-purpose flour and buckwheat flour, 4 cups total to make an amazing Injera batter.
You might have overcooked the bread or stacked it in the wrong way. Make sure to reduce the cooking time then, and stack them up immediately after flipping them!
There are some non-traditional Ethiopian dishes you can pair with this bread which can include vegetables (like green beans, cabbage, potatoes, or carrots). You can focus this platter on a vegan-style dish, or vegetarian dish with more grains, porridge, and chickpeas rather than meats. You could even serve it alongside your favorite fruits, like mango or papaya.
I made several of your Ethiopian recipes tonight to try to duplicate the lovely spread above… WOW – you nailed it!! Thank you so much for this post. I’ve been meaning to try cooking Ethiopian food for awhile, but this was the first time I felt like there was enough comprehensive direction for a full meal. Rave reviews all around from my guests! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
SO glad you liked it Cindy!
One of the reasons that cities have certain populations of immigrants is that they have somehow become friendly to them, usually through a refugee program. In Minneapolis, we have had several waves of Vietnamese refugees, Ethiopian and Somali. Injera bread is sold in my neighborhood store, Everett’s, which is pretty American at first glance. Fortunately, I can skip that cooking step!
Teff flour is easily available through mail order. Most health foods and natural foods stores carry at least teff which can be ground. It takes only 1 day to ferment injera. Mix it in a bowl placed on kitchen counter with a towel over and forget it until dinner time the next day. Berebere paste or dry spice mix can be easily made with ingredients most people already have in their cupboards. Berebere is a must for the true Ethiopian taste.
I say let’s not be afraid of our foods and food prep, lets make it an adventure!
If you want a recipe for berebere, I have a great one!
You do have an injera recipe – found it! I’m going to have to try making my own now.
I also didn’t realize that you are in Asheville. My husband and I try to get there at least once every year. It’s almost hard to believe that there isn’t an Ethiopian restaurant in town considering how many other ethnic cuisines are available. Next time I really want to go to the Nepali restaurant since so many of my clients are from Nepal.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The injera is the best I’ve tried without teff. Thanks so much! Have you had quelulu? I’m looking for a recipe for that as it’s my favorite Ethiopian dish, but can’t find it anywhere.
Oh I’m so glad to hear it! I’ve not heard of quelulu… but I can ask around.
Thanks for the recipes! Incidentally, I think outside of NYC & DC, Minneapolis-St.Paul has the largest population of African-born immigrants, including plenty of Ethiopians, Somalians and Eritreans who all have similar cuisines. We’ve been blessed with East African restaurant choices!
Okay, I definitely need to make this! I’ve only had Ethiopian food once 7 years ago, but it was very good. The injera in particular was very unique and memorable. I don’t have any fenugreek seeds unfortunately and can just about guarantee there isn’t anywhere to be found in my town (middle of Alaska!) but I DID happen to pick up garam masala and ground cardamom last time I was in Seattle. I will probably just try to make this without the fenugreek! Can’t wait, I wonder what my husband will think! I’ll let you know how it turns out :)
Oh man, now I’m REALLY missing Ethiopian food which we don’t have at all here in Bangkok. Makes me long for my days of living in DC (which I believe is the city which the largest Ethiopian population outside of Addis). Your recipes sound great…I love the shortcut injera! And the photo of the platter is just fantastic! I can’t wait to try some of these recipes.
this is all new for me but it still looks like a great and delicious feast
I LOVE Ethiopian food. This looks super tasty. Thanks for sharing!
I love Ethiopian food. Its all I wanted to eat when I was in DC. Luckily, there is a restaurant 20 minutes from my house. The only thing I don’t like about it is that the injera tends to fill me up to quick. I tend to bring a fork with me for when that happens.
This sounds tasty and fun for a dinner gathering! I love your creative take on the injera! That does make it much easier to make. I have all the spices and such in my pantry so this should be easy! Thanks for the inspiration! BTW, what is the vegetable dish, abesha gomen?
Thanks for another wonderful post. I love your blog!!