Ethiopian cuisine is perfect for those interested in vegan and vegetarian cuisine and want to try out something new. Thankfully, Ethiopian dishes are becoming quite popular in the United States, and there are plenty of restaurants in urban environments where you can dine in or order food online. Find a local Ethiopian restaurant near you and give one of these mouthwatering dishes a try.

Atkilt Wot

Atkilt wot, much like many other Ethiopian dishes, can be enjoyed with a group of friends and family, or simply as a dish made for one. Atkilt wot is a healthy combination of carrots, potatoes, and cabbage that are simmered in a light sauce and served on top of the sponge-like injera bread. The bread serves to soak up the juices of the sauce and allow the veggies to adhere to it, so you can pick up the dish with your fingers and dig right in. In addition to the sauces in which the veggies are simmered, the dish is often served with a small amount of dipping sauces that are placed right on top of the injera, as well.

Sambusa

Although Ethiopian cuisine is largely known for being a vegetarian delight, there are also a few meat based dishes that are quite scrumptious, as well. A sambusa is a bit of fried dough that is usually shaped much like an egg roll, that is filled to the brim with meat and lentil. The dish is traditionally served with two dipping sauces. One is a refreshing, eggplant based white sauce, while the other is a tomato puree sauce combined with various herbs and spices, which gives it a flavor that is not entirely dissimilar to sweet and sour sauce that is served at many Chinese-American restaurants.

Azifa

Although azifa is usually referred to as a "salad," the dish is far more complex than that. Azifa is a combination of sauteed and lightly marinated lentils and spinach leaves, combined with a variety of beans and veggies, including carrots, green peppers, potatoes, and asparagus. Although azifa can be served as a traditional salad, it can also be served "deconstructed" – with each set of ingredients occupying its own area on top of an Ethiopian favorite – injera bread.

Ethiopian food is both varied and delicious. With Ethiopian food becoming increasingly popular throughout the United States, there are few excuses to try out one of these amazing dishes as soon as you can.