Dark Chocolate Beef and Black Bean Chili
A rich one-pot dark chocolate chili with lean beef, black beans, chipotle, cumin and cocoa. About 5 mg of iron and 35g of protein a bowl.
The short answer
This dark chocolate chili tastes like a mole-inspired bowl of comfort: lean beef, black beans, chipotle, cumin and a spoon of cocoa that makes it deep and glossy. One bowl brings around 5 mg of iron, mostly the heme kind your body absorbs easily, plus about 35g of protein. It takes 45 minutes in one pot.
On this page
It’s cold, it’s dark at 5:30, and everybody wants something warm. A pot of chili bubbling on the stove is the answer, and the square of chocolate stirred in at the end is the part nobody will guess.
It’s one of the meals from our guide to iron rich foods that taste like dessert, and it’s built the Clean Fit Fab way: real food, big flavor, and no seed oils.
Why this dark chocolate chili works on tired nights
- Beef brings heme iron. Three ounces of lean ground beef has around 2.5 mg, and it helps your body absorb the plant iron in the beans too.
- Black beans add more. About 1.8 mg per half cup, plus fiber that keeps you full.
- Cocoa and dark chocolate are iron-rich. A tablespoon of cocoa adds roughly 0.7 mg and a glossy, savory depth.
- Tomatoes bring vitamin C. That helps your body take up the non-heme iron in the pot.
Heme iron from meat is absorbed at a much higher rate than plant iron, and eating the two together helps. The NIH iron fact sheet covers how much women need and which foods deliver it.
The flavor: what makes it taste so good
Chocolate in chili is an old Mexican idea, the same logic as mole. The cocoa isn’t sweet. Instead, it rounds out the chiles, deepens the color and makes the broth taste like it simmered all day.
- Chipotle in adobo for smoke and heat
- Cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and cinnamon toasted in the pot
- Unsweetened cocoa plus one ounce of 70 percent dark chocolate
- Lime and cilantro at the end to lift it all
What you need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Ingredients: avocado oil, lean ground beef, yellow onion, red bell pepper, garlic cloves, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, sea salt, chipotle peppers in adobo, crushed tomatoes, black beans, beef or chicken bone broth, unsweetened cocoa powder, 70 percent dark chocolate, lime, fresh cilantro
Also, a note on fat: we cook with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee. They taste better, and they’re real food.
How to make dark chocolate chili
First, brown the beef hard in avocado oil so it gets crusty edges. Then cook the onion, garlic and spices in the drippings. Add tomatoes, beans, broth and chipotle and simmer 30 minutes. Finally, stir in the cocoa and chocolate. The full recipe card is below.
American · Mexican · Main Course
Dark Chocolate Beef and Black Bean Chili
One-pot chili with lean beef, black beans, chipotle, cumin and a spoon of cocoa. About 5 mg of iron and 35g of protein a bowl.
Prep
10 minCook
40 minTotal
50 minservings
5Vegan version. Brown lentils and toasted walnuts replace the beef, and the broth switches to vegetable broth. Lentils are one of the best plant sources of iron, so the bowl stays mineral-rich.
Ingredients
Method · tap a step to mark it done
Heat the avocado oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and let it sit for 3 minutes before breaking it up, so it browns. Cook 6 to 7 minutes until crusty, then move it to a plate.
Start 3 min timerAdd the onion and bell pepper to the drippings and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cinnamon and salt and toast for 1 minute.
Start 5 min timerAdd the chipotles and adobo, crushed tomatoes, black beans, broth and the beef. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring now and then.
Start 30 min timerStir in the cocoa powder and chopped chocolate until the chili turns glossy. Simmer 3 more minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the lime juice and cilantro, and taste for salt. Serve with avocado, jalapeno and more lime.
Heat the avocado oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Toast the walnuts for 2 minutes until fragrant, then scoop them out.
Start 2 min timerCook the onion and bell pepper in the same pot for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and all the spices and salt, and toast for 1 minute.
Start 5 min timerAdd the chipotles and adobo, crushed tomatoes, lentils, black beans and broth. Simmer, partly covered, for 35 to 40 minutes until the lentils are tender, adding a splash of water if it gets thick.
Start 40 min timerStir in the walnuts, cocoa and chocolate until glossy and simmer 3 more minutes.
Finish with lime juice and cilantro. Taste for salt and serve with avocado and jalapeno.
Calories
470Protein
36gCarbs
40gFat
18gFiber
13gCalories
460Protein
20gCarbs
52gFat
21gFiber
18gNutrition is per serving and estimated.
Serving ideas
Ladle it into bowls and top with diced avocado, sliced jalapeno, cilantro and a big squeeze of lime. Serve with a side of sliced orange or a crunchy cabbage slaw for even more vitamin C, which helps the iron land.
Nutrition at a glance: each serving has about 470 calories, 36g protein, 40g carbs and 13g fiber. Numbers are estimates and change with your exact ingredients.
Swaps and variations
- Use ground bison or dark turkey meat instead of beef.
- Swap black beans for kidney or pinto beans.
- Stir in a cup of diced sweet potato with the tomatoes for a sweeter, heartier pot.
- For a thicker chili, mash a cup of the beans against the side of the pot before serving.
Make-ahead and storage tips
Chili keeps in the fridge for 4 days and tastes better on day two. Freeze portions for up to 3 months, then warm them gently in a pot with a splash of broth. This dark chocolate chili also makes a great topping for baked potatoes later in the week.
Frequently asked questions
Does dark chocolate chili taste sweet?
No. Unsweetened cocoa and 70 percent dark chocolate add bitterness and depth, not sugar. It tastes richer and smokier, closer to a mole sauce than a dessert.
How much iron is in a bowl?
Around 5 mg per serving from the beef, beans, tomatoes and cocoa together. Exact numbers change with your brands and portion size.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and cook the onion and spices on the stove first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker for 6 hours on low. Stir in the chocolate at the end.
Is it spicy?
Medium. Use one chipotle for mild and three for hot. The adobo sauce carries most of the smoke, so keep that even if you cut the peppers.
Save this one for your next long day. Want more? Try our baked spinach artichoke dip next.
This article is for general information and is not medical or nutrition advice.
Free dinner list
The drained-day dinner list
Thirty dinners for your worst days, plus one new recipe every week. Free, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Comment TIRED on any of our Instagram posts and we'll send it to you.
