Do you go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day or stay at home?
(I usually make Mike and I a romantic meal, like our favorite Spiced Sirloin Roast for Two, but this year I’m on strike…so either he’ll end up cooking or we’ll go out. Because sometimes a girl just needs to go on strike for a night, right, ladies?)
And then there’s the question of what to make if you have kids and are making dinner at home.
Now, of course you could just blow off V-Day entirely (I know not everyone celebrates it!), but if you want to have some fun with it and you’re cooking for your family, my 30-Minute Chocolate Espresso Beef and Black Bean Chili is a fun one to try.
Most of us know about chocolate’s claim to fame as an aphrodisiac, but supposedly coffee and honey are as well (you can read more about their aphrodisiac qualities on PBS). So I guess this chili has it all going on, lol.
If the whole chocolate/coffee thing sounds like a weird combo in chili, I humbly ask you to remember Cincinnati Chili, which also boasts chocolate. Yes, you can very slightly taste the coffee in this dish (I think it perfectly complements the beef and black beans), but for me, the cocoa powder and honey only add to the overall complexity of this chili with additional layers of flavor. I also added another special ingredient here – hickory smoked sea salt – which can just as easily be replaced with smoked sweet paprika if you can’t find it.
The best thing of all though? This one-pot 30-minute meal means mom gets a little time to relax too.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ lbs (680 g) lean ground beef
- 2 medium-large yellow onions, chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 6 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz/794 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 1½ tablespoons pure honey (preferably local)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1¼ teaspoons coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon hickory smoked sea salt (see Note)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (15.5 oz/439 g) cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
- Optional garnishes: avocado, chopped parsley or cilantro, shredded or crumbled cheese, sour cream, etc.
- Heat the oil in a 5-quart pot over high heat; once hot, add the beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover the pot and cook until the meat is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the crushed tomatoes (with juices), water, espresso powder, honey, cocoa powder, chili powder, oregano, coarse salt, smoked salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Cover the pot and bring up to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the beans during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
- Serve topped with any garnishes you like.
Freezer-Friendly: This meal freezes really well! Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Rosa says
February 9, 2015 at 6:39 amThis chili looks extremely good. Lovely flavours!
Cheers,
Rosa
Erica says
February 9, 2015 at 8:05 amheheh. We have an odd Valentine’s day situation because my husband’s birthday is the 12th….so we usually do a dinner in and a dinner out (and this year will be no different!). This chili sounds amazing! I totally want to give it a go.
Becky Winkler says
February 9, 2015 at 10:29 amThis sounds great! I’ve put cocoa in my chili before but never coffee, but I’m sure it benefits from a mocha twist.
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
February 9, 2015 at 11:44 amThis looks so hearty and delicious, Faith – such a creative twist on chili!
Mary B. says
February 9, 2015 at 9:09 pmMan oh man I want to try this…but I’m not sure how it will go down with my picky eaters!!! Hmmm…
JoAn says
February 10, 2015 at 1:39 amLooks really, really good, and something I have wanted to try (black beans instead of kidney beans). Wish I had a bowl right now!
Nicola - Pink Recipe Box says
February 10, 2015 at 2:29 amI’ve never tried introducing espresso powder to a chilli recipe before – I’m very intrigued!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious says
February 10, 2015 at 12:00 pmThis looks absolutely delicious!!
Bren says
February 15, 2015 at 10:49 amYes to everything about this. Love, love.
Audrey says
February 15, 2015 at 8:36 pmDo the crushed tomatoes go in at step 2? It’s not specified.
Faith says
February 16, 2015 at 12:02 pmAudrey, Yes! Sorry about that, I just amended the recipe above. Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try! :)
April says
October 5, 2016 at 12:36 pmcan you use cayenne instead of chili powder?
Faith says
October 6, 2016 at 10:29 amApril, I typically like to use a combo of ancho chili powder and chipotle chili powder when I make chili; I’ve never tried it using just cayenne, but if you want to give it a try, know that cayenne will be quite a bit more spicy-hot than chili powder so you may want to use less (depending on personal preference). Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!