Ethiopian Meal Plan for Weight Gain: Calorie-Rich Dishes and a Sample Day
Gaining weight means eating a little more energy than you burn, every day, and getting enough protein so more of it becomes muscle. Many people find it hard to simply eat more, so the trick is choosing dishes that pack more energy into each plate and adding a snack or two.
A sample day of about 2,850 calories
Weight-gain day
- BreakfastKinche564 kcal
- SnackBesso Juice495 kcal
- LunchDoro Wat, Injera ×2728 kcal
- DinnerKitfo, Injera815 kcal
- SnackDabo270 kcal
Total for the day2,872 kcal · 126 g protein
The most energy-rich Ethiopian dishes
| Dish | Serving | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasta Be'timatim Segoፓስታ በቲማቲም ስጎ | 1 serving (≈325 g) | 748 | 11 g | 68.9 g | 46.2 g |
| Chukame Be'siga ena Be'gomenጩካሜ በስጋ እና በጎመን | 1 serving (≈240 g) | 746 | 12.5 g | 65.5 g | 46.6 g |
| Chukame Be'adenguare ena Be'gomenጩካሜ በአደንጓሬ እና በጎመን | 1 serving (≈340 g) | 745 | 9.5 g | 66 g | 46.2 g |
| Ye'teff Chechebsaየጤፍ ጨጨብሳ | 1 serving (≈220 g) | 744 | 14.5 g | 89.1 g | 33.7 g |
| Ye'bekolo ena Ye'furno Duket Genfo Be'kibeየበቆሎ እና የፉርኖ ዱቄት ገንፎ በቂቤ | 1 serving (≈395 g) | 743 | 15 g | 105.9 g | 26.5 g |
| Pasta al Fornoፓስታ አልፉርኖ | 1 serving (≈285 g) | 741 | 35.6 g | 91.2 g | 27.1 g |
| Tihilloጥህሎ | 1 serving (≈380 g) | 741 | 37.6 g | 58.1 g | 36.1 g |
| Burusameቡርሳሜ | 1 serving (≈150 g) | 732 | 1.8 g | 62.4 g | 51.8 g |
Protein-rich choices
| Dish | Serving | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duletዱለት | 1 serving (≈230 g) | 699 | 53.4 g | 10.4 g | 48.5 g |
| Ye'beg Siga Kikilየበግ ስጋ ቅቅል | 1 serving (≈350 g) | 648 | 53.2 g | 7.4 g | 44.8 g |
| Kitfoክትፎ | 1 serving (≈298 g) | 641 | 50.1 g | 3 g | 47.4 g |
| Doro Arustoዶሮ አሩስቶ | 1 serving (≈170 g) | 729 | 45.7 g | 7.3 g | 57.1 g |
| Ye'fiyel Siga Tibsየፍየል ስጋ ጥብስ | 1 serving (≈267 g) | 689 | 38.4 g | 9.3 g | 53.9 g |
| Tihilloጥህሎ | 1 serving (≈380 g) | 741 | 37.6 g | 58.1 g | 36.1 g |
| Ye'begi Siga Tibsየበግ ስጋ ጥብስ | 1 serving (≈215 g) | 452 | 36.8 g | 6.7 g | 30.1 g |
| Milas Semberምላስ ሰምበር | 1 serving (≈204 g) | 614 | 36.7 g | 12.9 g | 45.1 g |
- Eat every three to four hours; a snack like dabo, besso or kolo between meals adds up.
- Add an extra injera or a spoon of niter kibbeh to wots you already enjoy.
- Include meat, eggs, ayib or legumes at most meals for protein.
- Drink calories: milk, besso and fruit smoothies are easier than another plate.
- Pair eating more with strength exercise, so the extra weight is muscle.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, are pregnant, or take regular medication, talk to a doctor or dietitian before changing how you eat.
Get a plan like this, sized for you
EatSmart works out your own calorie target and builds a week of Ethiopian meals around it, with your favourite dishes, your allergies and the fasting days if you keep them.