Chocolate Chili

Deep, delicious flavor comes from the addition of dark chocolate to this addictive chili.

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Ever hear someone say that they could eat chocolate at every meal? Put that position to the test with this absolutely delicious, decadent, decidedly savory chili. The incomparable richness of chocolate is complemented by the tartness of coffee for an effect that’s both satisfying and slightly unexpected. Of course, when cooking with chocolate, you’ll want to go for a bar that’s unsweetened and at least 70-percent cocoa. Aside from the antioxidant boost that dark chocolate gives, one of the other benefits of cooking with unsweetened chocolate is that, unlike with its sweet counterpart, you won’t be tempted to devour the entire bar before you have the chance to add it to your recipe. Just to be safe, you might want to keep a sweetened chocolate chip or two on hand while cooking, in case the idea of sweet chocolate gets to be too much to handle. If you’re serving this chili for guests, dollop the top with vegan sour cream, then sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top, and, for a final flourish, add a pinch or two of grated chocolate.

Serves 4 to 6

What you need:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
  • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
  • 4 cups cooked or 3 (15.5-ounce) cans beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup strong coffee
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

What you do:

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrots, and garlic. Cover and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add tomatoes, chipotles, and chocolate, and stir until well blended.
  3. Add beans, water, and coffee, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chili thickens and flavors have time to develop, about 45 minutes. Add a little more liquid if chili becomes too thick. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds before serving.
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