Coffee Chili Recipe - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

How much coffee should you put in chili? ›

Add a tablespoon or two of instant coffee to your favorite chili. You will get a depth of flavor you didn't think possible. For the same reason, add some to a tomato- or red wine-based beef stew. Coffee plays so well with the savory meat and acidic-sweet tomatoes.

A moderate amount of bitter, roasty espresso, strong-brewed black coffee, or instant coffee granules will beef up the deep, complex flavors of chili, and work well alone or in concert with a little chocolate.

Though it may be an unusual choice, coffee adds an earthy richness to the existing flavors and plays well with spices like cumin and cayenne pepper. Plus, it's a flexible ingredient – while we typically reach for instant espresso powder, you can also add in brewed coffee, making this dish the perfect use for leftovers.

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

A general guideline is called the "Golden Ratio" - one to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water. This can be adjusted to suit individual taste preferences. Check the cup lines or indicators on your specific brewer to see how they actually measure.

A cup of strong, brewed coffee will work wonders for your pot of chili, imparting a deep, roasted flavor that will make the chili taste like it simmered away all day long. For maximum flavor, reduce the coffee along with a blend of tomato paste, aromatic veggies and spices like we do in our Spicy Vegetarian Chili.

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

Try a little fenugreek, turmeric, garam masala, or sumac to layer in more complex flavors. Smoky paprika is my own personal favorite. Squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato: Traditionalists would scoff, but soft chunks of slightly sweet butternut squash or sweet potato are delicious in a smoky chili.

Mix a 1 ½ tsp (3 g) of instant coffee with ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of hot water. Heat the water in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to warm it up and make the coffee easier to dissolve. Add the instant coffee, and stir it up until the coffee granules are completely dissolved.

Is 1 teaspoon of instant coffee enough? ›

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. How much coffee do you use for instant coffee? We'd recommend 1 teaspoon (3 grams) of NESCAFÉ Red Mug instant coffee, but you might prefer it a different level of intensity. An easy way to find your perfect flavour is to try using different amounts of water in your NESCAFÉ coffee.

Adding a small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate help offset the acidity of the tomatoes and peppers and enhances the chili's overall flavor profile by giving it rich, earthy tones. This is also why some people think of chocolate as “the secret ingredient” in the best chili recipes.

For those without a scale, using tablespoons and ounces to measure coffee or water, follow the ratio of 1:4. Use 1 tablespoon of coffee for every 4 ounces of water. A scale will be much more precise and your results will be more consistent.

The standard ratio for brewing coffee is 1-2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 ounces of water – 1 tablespoon for lighter coffee and 2 for stronger coffee. That 6-ounce measure is equivalent to one “cup” in a standard coffeemaker, but keep in mind that the standard mug size is closer to 12 ounces or larger.

To brew a cup in a coffee maker it's about 1 tablespoon more or less depending upon how strong you like your coffee and how your coffee maker brews. Most coffee makers come with a measuring spoon. If your asking about instant coffee, that would be 1 tsp per cup (again, more or less depending upon your taste.

For the optimum flavour from our flavoured instant coffees, we suggest a ratio of 2g (roughly one heaped teaspoon) of instant coffee granules for every 200ml of hot water.