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Cuisine

Injera: How to Make Ethiopia’s Beloved Sourdough Flatbread at Home

  • April 23, 2026
If you want to understand Ethiopian food, start with injera. This spongy, slightly sour flatbread is not just a food — it is the plate, the spoon, and the social glue of every Ethiopian meal. Torn from a communal round and used to scoop up stews and salads, injera represents a philosophy of eating: together, by hand, from a shared source.

The Key Ingredient: Teff

Teff is a tiny grain native to the Ethiopian highlands. It has been cultivated for over 3,000 years and remains the basis of the Ethiopian diet. Its nutritional profile is exceptional: high in iron, calcium, protein, and dietary fiber. When fermented for injera, it becomes probiotic — beneficial bacteria develop in the batter just as they do in yogurt or sourdough bread.

Full Recipe (Makes 6 large injera)

Teff is a tiny grain native to the Ethiopian highlands. It has been cultivated for over 3,000 years and remains the basis of the Ethiopian diet. Its nutritional profile is exceptional: high in iron, calcium, protein, and dietary fiber. When fermented for injera, it becomes probiotic — beneficial bacteria develop in the batter just as they do in yogurt or sourdough bread.
  • Ingredients & Method
  • Day 1-3: Mix 2 cups teff flour + 2.5 cups water. Cover with cloth. Ferment 2–3 days at room temperature until bubbly and sour-smelling.
  • Day of cooking: Stir batter. Add 0.5 cup water + 0.5 tsp salt. Consistency: thinner than pancake batter.
  • Cook: Heat a large non-stick pan on medium-high. Pour a thin layer in a spiral from the outside in. Cover immediately.
  • Done: When holes appear on the surface and edges lift (about 90 seconds). Do NOT flip. Slide onto a clean cloth.
  • Tip: If teff is unavailable, use 50% buckwheat + 50% all-purpose flour as substitute.