YIELD: 4 to 6 servings | PREP TIME: 15 minutes
STOVETOP: about 2 hours | SLOW COOKER: 8 to 10 hours | PRESSURE COOKER: 50 minutes
One of the most loved recipes in The Zenbelly Cookbook is the chili, which is made with ground beef and has a similar flavor profile to this recipe. When re-creating it for this book, I decided to make it more in the style of chili Colorado, which is made with cubes of beef chuck instead of ground beef.
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lard, bacon fat, or avocado oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup (240 ml) brewed coffee
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes or 2 pounds (907 g) fresh tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chipotle paste or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):
• Dairy-Free Sour Cream
• Sliced green onions
• Sliced avocado
1. Heat the lard in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and cinnamon and cook for another minute or two, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
2. Add the beef, coffee, tomatoes, and chipotle paste. Stir, scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
3. Bring the chili to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and cook, partially covered, for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Serve topped with sour cream, green onions, and avocado, if desired.
Slow Cooker Instructions: After completing Step 2, transfer the contents of the pot to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is very tender.
Pressure Cooker Instructions: Use just ½ cup of coffee and drain the juices from the tomatoes. After completing Step 2, transfer the contents of the pot to a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the lid.
Nut-Free Modification: Omit the Dairy-Free Sour Cream.
More Recipes You'll Love
Zenbelly Chili 2.0 goes the chili Colorado route with cubes of beef chuck instead of ground beef, braised until fork-tender in a smoky, coffee-deep sauce. Ancho chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of cinnamon build layers of warmth while chipotle paste adds a slow burn. Two hours of gentle simmering turns humble stew meat into something extraordinary.
Pro Tips
- Cut the beef chuck into even 1-inch cubes and let the pot come to only a bare simmer. A hard boil turns chuck tough long before it becomes tender.
- The brewed coffee adds a deep, roasty backbone that no one will identify but everyone will notice. Strong leftover coffee works perfectly.
- Blooming the tomato paste and spices for a full minute or two before the liquids go in is what gives this chili its layered flavor rather than a raw spice taste.
- Use just 1/2 cup of coffee and drained tomatoes for the pressure cooker version as the recipe directs — too much liquid thins the 35-minute braise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Zenbelly Chili 2.0 in a slow cooker?
Yes — after blooming the spices and browning the base, cook on low for 8-10 hours until the beef chuck shreds at the touch of a fork.
What can I use instead of coffee in this chili?
Beef broth is the easy substitute, though the coffee is what gives the sauce its characteristic dark, roasty depth.
How spicy is this chili?
Smoky and warming rather than fiery — the ancho brings mild heat while the chipotle paste carries most of the burn. Adjust the chipotle to taste.
What toppings go well with this beef chili?
Dairy-free sour cream, sliced green onions, and avocado are the recipe's picks and balance the smoky richness perfectly.
Recipe Card
- One of the most loved recipes in The Zenbelly Cookbook is the chili, which is made with ground beef and has a similar flavor profile to this recipe. When re-creating it for this book, I decided to make it more in the style of chili Colorado, which is made with cubes of beef chuck instead of ground beef.
- 2 tbsp lard, bacon fat, or avocado oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup brewed coffee
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chipotle paste or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Dairy-Free Sour Cream
- Heat the lard in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and cinnamon and cook for another minute or two, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
- Add the beef, coffee, tomatoes, and chipotle paste. Stir, scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Bring the chili to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and cook, partially covered, for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Serve topped with sour cream, green onions, and avocado, if desired.
Sliced green onions
Sliced avocado
