A hearty, simple chili made with beans, tomatoes, and a carefully balanced blend of spices, with one surprising ingredient… coffee. This chili is rich, filling, and deeply flavorful, using everyday pantry ingredients to create something that tastes like it took much longer than it did.
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 242kcal
Author Jennifer
Cost $4
Equipment
1 large pot
Ingredients
4-5cupscooked beans, drained and rinsed(pinto, kidney, or black beans are all good -- canned or cooked is also fine)
1½teaspoonschili powder(increase if you want more heat)
1teaspooncumin
¾teaspoonpaprika
¼teaspoonoregano
¼teaspoonblack pepper
⅛teaspooncinnamon
1teaspoonsaltto taste
1bay leaf
1chopped chili pepper(optional, if you want heat)
1/2teaspooncrushed red pepper(optional, if you want heat)
Instructions
Build the baseIn a pot: Melt butter and cook onion for 5–7 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
Bloom the spicesAdd all spices and stir for 1–2 minutes. This step matters as it wakes everything up
Add everything elseStir in: cooked beans, tomatoes, broth, coffee, ketchup, and a bay leaf.
SimmerLet simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can continue cooking for 60 minutes total if you get busy. Mash a few beans if you want it thicker.
Taste and adjustNeeds depth → tiny bit more coffeeToo acidic → pinch of sugarToo thick → add waterToo thin → simmer longer