Sneak Preview: Chocolate Chili is a recipe for beefy chili with chocolate added. No one will gauge the secret ingredient that smooths out the flavors and adds depth.

bowl of chili with chocolate and cheese on top.

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My younger sister told her future husband she was stirring up some chili. He was surprised to run across macaroni in the chili just similar my mom made it.

Of form, future-hubby informs my sister that she was serving chili-mac, not chili. And so I made a mental notation: "Never add macaroni to my chili—or kidney beans."

Only chocolate? Simply say yes.

If you tell your family that you're serving Chocolate Chili for dinner, they might be skeptical. So don't tell them. It's not much. Keep reading to find out why adding chocolate is a great idea.

Ingredients and substitutions:

ingredients for chocolate chili

Vegetable Oil:

Use olive oil, corn oil, canola oil, or avocado oil. If your meat contains a lot of fat yous may not need much.

Meat:

Freshly ground meat is always the best if yous tin get information technology. No surprise at that place.

For me, chili is a chance to make clean out the freezer. Also ground beefiness, try adding leftover beefiness roast or grilled meat basis up in the food processor.

Basis turkey will substitute for the pork.

Have some frozen pork chops or loin chops on hand? Barely thaw them, cut them into i-inch chunks and utilize your food processor to process them into ground pork.

I don't have a hunter in my family, but ground deer or venison is a viable option when available.

Onions:

Substitute frozen onions for fresh onions if you are sensitive to fresh onions. If I'm in a bustle, using frozen onions is a timesaver. Also, they've never made me weep.

Spices:

Since this recipe was outset published, I've changed the way I put this chili recipe together. Add the spices after softening the onions in oil, but earlier calculation the meat. Hot oil gives the spices a chance to "bloom" and intensifies the flavor.

Tomatoes:

My favorite tomatoes are the Red Golden Brand. Employ your favorite. I use one tin of crushed tomatoes and one can of diced tomatoes. Adapt yourself or use what you take in the pantry.

Corn Masa:

If you don't take corn masa hanging around the house and don't want to purchase a whole pocketbook for two tablespoons, yous can substitute flour or fifty-fifty leave information technology out.

Chocolate:

This recipe for chocolate in chili calls for semi-sugariness baking chocolate. If you prefer, employ bittersweet or dark chocolate for less sugar.

Unsweetened cocoa powder is a possible substitute for solid chocolate. Use about two tablespoons.

Accept you always tried the Chocolate Hummus sold at Trader Joe'south? (I meet that other stores have versions of this product, simply I haven't tried them, so I tin can't recommend them from personal feel.)

chocolate hummus

This idea may sound crazy but instead of hummus and corn masa, dump a container of chocolate hummus into your chili. It is the Bomb! I'm telling y'all. Stir it in. It couldn't exist easier.

The flavor is indescribable. The velvety smooth beans in the hummus requite the chili body and thickness, while the chocolate smooths out the flavors and ties it all up with a bow on top.

Variations:

  • Add more tomatoes for a chili that feels lighter on your tummy.
  • Make Texas chili and pace up the heat. Add together hot sauce, chopped jalapenos, or some chopped chipotles.
  • Add pinto beans to your chili. Some would scoff, just they probably wouldn't add together tomatoes either.
  • In instance y'all missed it higher up, substitute Chocolate Hummus for the corn masa and semi-sugariness chocolate.
  • Keto follower's favorite: Add together more veggies by filling your bowl with a couple of scoops of mashed cauliflower before you lot add the chili. Yous are using the chili every bit gravy.

This makes a lot! What else tin can I do with this chili recipe?

  • Endeavour adding warm chili to a lettuce salad with a piffling cheese and a few tomatoes.
  • Pour over a hot dog or hamburger. Add together shredded cheese and mustard, if desired.
  • Make breakfast for dinner by adding some chili to your fried eggs and eating with a tortilla.
  • Make chili enchiladas. Make full corn tortillas with chopped onions and Cheddar cheese and roll. Line up enchiladas in a goulash dish. Cover with chili and lots more cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F until the whole thing is hot and melty. Please invite me for dinner.

What goes well with chili?

  • Saltines are traditional.
  • Cornbread is my choice. Hither's my favorite Cornbread recipe.
  • If you like Mexican food, try topping your soup with sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, corn chips, jalapeños, guacamole, greenish onions, fresh chopped tomatoes, or cilantro. A combination of any or all of these things makes an instant party.

How to make Chili with Chocolate:

browning onions

#1 Add oil to a big Dutch oven. When information technology glistens, add together onions and melt for 2-iii minutes. Next, add garlic and cook for another infinitesimal.

adding spices to the onion

#two Add spices and proceed stirring to bloom the flavors.

browning ground beef

#iii Add raw meat to spices and chocolate-brown in the pot.

adding tomatoes and bay leaf

#4 Add tomatoes and bay leaves. Stir. Melt for i hour. 2 hours is even ameliorate.

adding masa and chocolate

#5 Add corn masa and dark chocolate. Stir until polish.

cooked chili

#6 Don't forget to remove the bay leaves earlier serving.

Oft Asked Questions:

Why add chocolate to chili?

The taste will be unrecognizable. But somehow, the chocolate mysteriously adds depth and smoothness to chili. Of course, calculation cheese, sour foam, and cilantro doesn't hurt the flavor either.

Can I freeze chili?

Yeah. Carve up chili into smaller packets and store them in the freezer. Making chili ahead is just one of the methods I employ to make homemade food user-friendly.

Store frozen chili for up to six months.

Can I make chocolate chili alee of time?

Yes. Making chili a day ahead of fourth dimension helps the flavors marry, resulting in a richer taste.

What does calculation a spoonful of vinegar practice for chili?

According to the Kitchn website: Stirred into the pot right earlier serving, a spoonful of vinegar brightens up the finished product and gives it that total, rounded sense of taste that was missing.

I like anile balsamic vinegar the best. Scarlet wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar would also work.

Sometimes I yet like to make Chili-Mac for one-time-times-sake. But I never call information technology chili, and I always add a footling chocolate. 😉

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What would you like to serve with your chili?

  • Cornmeal Dinner Rolls
  • Spicy Cowboy Sparkle Dust
  • Broiled Corn Dogs or Cornbread Twists
  • Jalapeño Cheese Cornbread

Did y'all enjoy this recipe? If then, exit a rating 🤩 within the recipe below. No annotate required. If yous take whatsoever questions or suggestions, electronic mail me privately: Paula at saladinajar.com. Hope to meet you lot again presently! Paula

bowl of chocolate chili with tortilla chips on the side

Chocolate Chili Recipe

You will love this classic chili with chocolate added. You tin't taste it, but the chocolate mysteriously adds depth and smoothness to the flavor.

Prep Fourth dimension 10 mins

Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins

Total Time 1 hr twenty mins

  • three tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped onions - one medium onion
  • 2 teaspoons table or sea salt - divided
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 4 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 6 tablespoons chili powder
  • four cloves garlic - minced
  • 3 pounds ground beef
  • one pound basis pork
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • two 28-oz cans peeled and diced tomatoes
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons corn masa - "Masa Harina de maiz"
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking bar
  • Freshly ground pepper to gustation
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar - balsamic or apple cider (optional)

Forbid your screen from going dark

  • Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions. Melt until softened for two-3 minutes.

  • Add coriander, cumin, common salt, oregano, and chili powder. Cook until the spices are fragrant. Stir often so they won't burn.

  • Add garlic and melt for one more minute.

  • Turn upward the heat to medium and add meat to the pot and brown. Season with the remaining teaspoon of salt and freshly footing black pepper.

  • Add tomatoes and bay leaves. If you want the tomatoes to disappear into the chili, crush them with your hands or utilise a irish potato masher. Or put them in the blender for a few seconds.

  • Simmer chili for 1 60 minutes. Two hours is even meliorate.

  • Remove bay leaves and stir in corn masa until smooth; then add chocolate.

  • Optional: Add together 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

  • Continue simmering for 10 more minutes to combine flavors.

  • Freezes well.

  • If y'all don't accept corn masa hanging around the house and don't want to buy information technology for just two tablespoons, you can substitute flour or even exit it out. Add together flour along with the spices before the hour-long simmer.
  • Fresh onions can be substituted for the frozen. I adopt frozen because they are milder and easier on the digestive system later the freezing procedure-and they've never made me cry.
  • Footstep up the heat past adding hot sauce, chopped jalapenos, or some chopped chipotles.
  • I like to add together beans to my chili when eating it straight in a bowl. Some would scoff, only they probably wouldn't add tomatoes either.
  • This chili is even better the next day which will as well give y'all a run a risk to remove whatever congealed fatty off the tiptop that you don't desire.
  • If this chili is also rich for you, add 2-3 cups of h2o or more tomatoes. It volition exist more similar "Wendy'southward chili" if you've e'er tried that.
  • Substitute 8 ounces of chocolate hummus for the masa and chocolate bar.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Chili Recipe

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percentage Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chocolate chili, Why put chocolate in chili