Chunky Espresso Chili
This espresso chili may be untraditional, but it’s also one of the most delicious I have ever eaten. And this is coming from someone who LOVES chili!
My recipe actually came about by accident. I was making a meal for the following day, because it was going to be hectic.
In the midst of making pasta sauce, I all of a sudden had a craving for chili instead.
Luckily I’m the cook. haha
The kicker was that I had already sautéed Italian sausage, onions, and green pepper. Plus added the pasta sauce.
Nope, that didn’t stop me. I just added cumin, espresso powder, chili powder, and beans to the mix.
Yeah, I really do things like this. ha Fortunately for me (and my family) these wild experiments tend to turn out great.
After cooking and cooling it, I stored it in the refrigerator for the next day. And wowzer, the taste was (and is) amazing!
The next day I put it into my Instant Pot on the “Slow Cook” setting. It really is that easy, and ok, unusual- but very YUM!
Let’s get started making chunky espresso chili…
First up is the vegan meat. I used Italian sausage. (You can substitute it with chopped mushrooms.)
These are the two brands I use:
Impossible Sausage (I prefer the savory for this espresso chili)
I used the sweet Italian sausage above. It’s by Beyond Meat.
Feel free to use your favorites, or you can also make the sausage from scratch:
This next recipe looks pretty amazing. They are Vegan Sausage Links.
(Note: I just posted the recipe for the Pickled Onions above.)
Use marinara sauce, because it’s thinner and doesn’t have all the added ingredients that most pasta sauces do.
This is basically a more flavorful replacement for the tomato sauce you normally add to chili.
As for the espresso, it adds a richer, deeper level of taste. So don’t skip it.
Fluffy Cornbread is perfect with chili
If possible, make it the day before. It tastes amazing the same day, but it is ultra delicious when the flavors have time to meld.
Really the hardest part is trying to decide how you want to eat it… maybe over pasta, or rice. My fave way.
My husband prefers tater tots. Actually he drowns the tots in the chili. Yeah, they’re under it in that photo above. lol
Whichever way you serve it, I hope you’ll love this espresso chili as much as we do. Enjoy!
In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon oil and the sausages (or mushrooms). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, drain and set aside. In a large pot, over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onions, and green pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the sausage, and cook for 3 minutes, chopping the meat up even more with your spoon or spatula. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer, or until fragrant. Mix in 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon espresso powder, and oregano; stir until combined. Stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, and beans, and then stir in the water (or beer or hard cider). Add more liquid if needed. Taste and add additional chili powder, cumin, espresso, or brown sugar to suit your taste. Add in salt and pepper to your preference. ***Cover the pot and lower the heat to medium-low to low. Simmer for about 25 minutes; stirring occasionally. When the chili is almost done, taste again and make any adjustments to seasonings. Once the chili is ready, remove from the burner, and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving. You can top with minced red onion, scallions, non-dairy shredded cheese, vegan sour cream, avocados or guacamole, pickled jalepenos, or whatever you like. *or substitute 8 ounces of mushrooms, chopped up, for the sausage.
**I use a total of 3 (15 ounce) cans, because I like chunkier chili ***If you are going to be serving it later, instead of immediately, cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir constantly to make sure the bottom doesn't burn. Remove from heat and cool. Once cooled, remove to a lidded container and put in the refrigerator. The next day, add the chili to an Instant pot or slow cooker. Set on low (if serving for dinner), or medium heat (if serving for lunch). Note: choose the "Slow Cook" setting on your Instant Pot.Chunky Vegan Espresso Chili
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