Gomen (Ethiopian collard greens)

Name: Gomen (Ethiopian collard greens)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Ethiopia
Ingredients: 600 g collard greens or curly kale; 2 onions, finely sliced; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 cm fresh ginger, grated; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 or 2 green chillies, split lengthways; 4 tbsp neutral oil; 150 ml water; 1 tsp salt; Black pepper; Optional: 1 tsp vegan niter kibbeh or spiced oil

Local name: ጎመን

Collard greens simmered with onion, garlic, ginger and turmeric, brightened with a split green chilli. The gentle, fragrant side for injera.

Published on 19 November 2025·Updated on 26 September 2026

VeganGluten-free#greens#ginger#turmeric#injera#side

Method

Strip the tough stems from the greens, roll the leaves and slice them into thin ribbons. Wash and drain.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and cook the onions over medium heat for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
Add the garlic, ginger and turmeric. Stir for 1 minute to release their aroma.
Add the greens a handful at a time, tossing to coat them in the oil. Pour in the water, add the salt and cover.
Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the leaves are fully tender and the water has almost evaporated.
Add the split chillies for the last 5 minutes. Season with pepper, taste and adjust the salt.
Serve hot on 100% teff injera or with rice, as part of a spread of several dishes.

Gomen is a staple of Ethiopian Orthodox fasting days, when no animal products are eaten. It nearly always shares the injera with misir wat and atakilt wat.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.
Reduce
Uncovered, water leaves and flavour concentrates. It is done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Frequently asked questions

Why strip the ribs out of the collard leaves?

They are far thicker than the leaf and would still be tough after the 20-minute braise. Removing them, then rolling the leaves and slicing them thin, brings everything tender at the same moment.

My gomen is too wet at the end. What do I do?

Take the lid off and let it evaporate for a few minutes. The recipe uses only 150 ml of water and the greens release more; by the end the water should be almost gone and the leaves glossy with oil.

Which chilli, and when does it go in?

One or two green chillies split in half, added only for the last five minutes. Gomen is the mild dish that offsets the berbere-based ones, so the chilli should perfume rather than dominate.

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Gomen (Ethiopian collard greens)

Method

The techniques this recipe uses

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Nutrition per serving

Frequently asked questions

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