Cooking with coffee can be a game-changer for casual home chefs and professionals alike. In a culinary context, everyone’s favorite morning pick-me-up is most commonly used to make coffee-centric desserts. However, adding some savory coffee recipes to your repertoire allows you to fully harness the power of this rich, robust, not-so-secret ingredient.
You might be surprised by how many savory coffee dishes you can create once you start exploring the possibilities. Coffee has a very distinctive flavor profile, but it’s actually quite versatile if you know how to wield it properly. From chocolatey and fruity to smoky and earthy, there’s a vast spectrum of flavors available, many that are otherwise impossible to capture.
There’s so much more to cooking with coffee than just adding a splash here and there and hoping for the best! Choosing the right type of coffee and understanding how and why it interacts with food is the key to successful results. Here’s what you need to know to start thinking beyond the cup!
Start With the Right Coffee Variety
Before you start getting crafty in the kitchen, take the time to get to know your options. Just like fine wine, there are many coffee bean varieties available, each one bringing its own flavors and aromas to the table. For example, Arabica and Robusta are the two most common varieties, and they both have signature tasting notes that will come through when cooking with coffee.
- Arabica coffees are a great starting point, as they typically have the quintessential flavor that most people in the West associate with coffee. The taste is well-rounded with notes of caramel, chocolate, nuts, and fruit.
- Robusta coffees are deeper, darker, earthier, and more complex. They tend to work especially well with savory coffee recipes because they have rich, robust, and savory notes of their own. However, that bolder flavor can also be overpowering if you’re not careful.
Choose a Complementary Roast Style
In addition to choosing a complementary variety, you also need to consider the coffee’s roasting style.
- Light roasts are brighter and more acidic, like our Black Honey coffee. They often have fruity and floral notes that pair well with delicate dishes and sauces, like seafood or vinaigrettes.
- Medium roasts provide an excellent balance and are a versatile choice for cooking with coffee. The flavors are prominent without being overpowering, and our El Salvador coffee is a perfect example.
- Dark roasts, like our Brazil Stout coffee beans, are ideal when you’re aiming for savory coffee dishes with big, bold, robust flavors and lots of umami, such as chili or barbecue.
Don’t Overlook the Coffee’s Form
Beyond choosing the right variety and roast, you’ll need to consider the form of the coffee. Whole beans can be used to infuse coffee flavor into oil or butter. Ground coffee beans can be added to spice mixes and dry rubs. Brewed coffee can be poured into sauces, marinades, soups, and stews.
Savory Coffee Recipes and Ideas
There are no rules when it comes to cooking with coffee! Sometimes the best dishes are the result of experimentation. At the same time, working with such a potent ingredient can be risky for the uninitiated. Follow this cheat sheet as you test the waters. Once you know the basic rules, you can start breaking them!
1. Chilis and Stews
Coffee has long been the secret ingredient in countless award-winning chilis. For beginners, it’s the perfect place to start. Simply make your usual chili recipe, and add a dash of brewed coffee at the beginning. After simmering for a few hours, the coffee flavor fades into the background, creating a rich umami bomb.
Pro Tip: A little goes a long way when cooking with coffee, so start small. If the coffee flavor is too intense, let it simmer longer.
2. Dry Rubs and Marinades
Coffee works beautifully when used to season meat before cooking it. There are two main schools of thought: dry rubs and marinades.
- Dry rubs are spice mixes that are applied to the exterior of the meat to create a flavorful crust.
- Marinades are liquids that penetrate deep into the meat, infusing it with flavor throughout. The coffee’s acidity can also help to tenderize the meat.
3. Sauces and Gravies
When it comes to savory coffee recipes, a cup of Joe doesn’t always need to be the star of the show! A sauce or gravy is perfect for bringing subtle coffee flavor without making it obvious that you’re cooking with coffee. Plus, sauces and gravies are optional accouterments, so they’re perfect for picky guests who may not have the most adventurous palates.
While you can simply stir in a dash of coffee, we recommend simmering everything for at least an hour or so to tame the coffee flavor and allow it to meld with the other flavors. Typically, the goal is to add umami, not make the sauce or gravy taste like coffee. Here are some sauces and gravies that pair especially well with coffee:
- Red wine reduction
- Mushroom and beef gravies
- BBQ sauce
- Steak sauce
- Mole sauce
Make World-Class Dishes With Specialty Coffees
Like any ingredient, in order to achieve the best possible results when cooking with coffee, you need to start with high-quality coffee. Savory coffee dishes can be absolutely mouthwatering, but they can easily go in the other direction if you’re not careful.
Whether you’re drinking or cooking, our specialty coffee beans will instantly elevate the experience. Here at Ebru Coffee, we offer sustainable, single-origin coffees sourced ethically from all over the world. Our farm-to-cup approach ensures that you can feel good about your purchase while enjoying some of the world’s best coffees.
Not sure where to begin? Our Bourbon and Stout coffees are super popular among people who enjoy cooking with coffee. Both boast rich, deep flavors that really bring that umami punch to the front.
Find more culinary inspiration here: Coffee Pairings: Foods That Complement Your Brew. Shop handpicked coffee for your savory coffee recipes!
