Ethiopian Midwest American Hotdish

Our Ethiopian hot dish combines Ethiopian cooking with classic Minnesota Midwest casserole meal.

The hot dish’s origins are a product of immigrant traditions in Midwest America dating back to the early 20th century.

A hot-dish or casserole is a one-pan meal that traditionally includes a combination of starch like potatoes, pasta, or rice, ground meat, vegetables, and a creamy canned soup base, all topped with crunchy goodness like breadcrumbs or tater tots.

The concept of hot dish became popular in the Upper Midwest, particularly in states like Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, in the 1930s and 1940s. This period was marked by economic challenges, including the Great Depression.

The need for economical and filling meals led to the creation of dishes that could be stretched to feed many people using simple, affordable ingredients.

Hot dishes became synonymous with potlucks, church suppers, and social gatherings. These events were central to rural and small-town communities, where sharing meals was a way to bond.

The Upper Midwest was settled by a mix of Scandinavian, German, and other Northern European settlers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These settlers brought with them food traditions centered around hearty, one-pot meals that could endure long winters and use preserved foods.

This tradition melded with the American availability of canned goods, creating a unique Midwestern culinary staple. African settlers, like earlier European settlers, have found ways to adapt their traditional dishes to locally available ingredients.

In many cases, this means incorporating staple Midwestern ingredients like potatoes, rice, ground meat, and creamy soupy canned goods into their recipes, similar to the hot dish’s development.

The concept of the one dish meal is familiar in many African cuisines, making it a natural adaptation to embrace the practicality of the Midwest hot dish.

Ethiopian settlers in the American Midwest particularly Minnesota have creatively adapted traditional hot dishes by incorporating ingredients and spices from their homeland, resulting in a delicious fusion of Ethiopian and Midwestern flavors.

Chickpeas and legumes, staples in Ethiopian cuisine are often featured in these dishes as a vegetarian substitute for meat.

They serve as the hearty base, soaking up the vibrant flavors of berbere, a key Ethiopian spice blend. also, the addition of the Ethiopian staple and injera bread, add a complexity to Midwestern hot dishes.

The result is a spicy, comforting hot dish that highlights the rich tastes of Ethiopian cuisine while honoring the Midwest’s can do attitude and hot dish meal traditions.

Vegetarian hot dish

Minnesota-Ethiopian Hot Dish

Our recipe blends Ethiopian cooking with the comfort of a classic Minnesota Midwestern casserole that incorporates chickpeas, hearty vegetables, and Ethiopian spices, all topped with a crunchy finish.

Ingredients

1 can of cream of mushroom soup - 14 ounces

2 tablespoons olive oil or niter kibbeh Ethiopian spiced butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

2 tablespoons berbere spice blend

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 can diced tomatoes - 14 ounces

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed - 14 ounces

1 cup green lentils, rinsed - fresh lentils do not take long to cook :-)

3 cups vegetable broth

1 can diced canned carrots - 14 ounces

1 can diced canned potatoes - 14 ounces

1 cup chopped spinach

1/2 can of green peas - 14 ounces

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or crushed crackers

2 tablespoons niter kibbeh or olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). 2. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil or niter kibbeh over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and ginger, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the berbere spice blend, cumin, and paprika, mixing well to coat the onions. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to toast the spices.

Add the diced tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, vegetable broth, carrots, and potatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Stir in the chopped spinach and frozen peas along with the cream of mushroom soup.

Cook for another 5 minutes until the greens are wilted and the mixture is thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Making the topping

In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the melted butter or olive oil. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the hot dish.

Transfer the skillet or Dutch oven to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden and crispy.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm, with injera bread or a side salad.