Quick answer: Cooking with coffee adds a roasted, bittersweet depth to food. Use ground coffee in dry rubs for steak, pork and burgers, brewed coffee in place of some water or stock in stews, chili and barbecue sauce, and instant espresso powder in chocolate desserts, where it deepens the chocolate flavor. Use it sparingly so it stays in the background.
Coffee isn’t just for drinking. More home cooks and chefs are using it as an ingredient for its roasted, bittersweet flavor, which can make savory dishes deeper and chocolate desserts richer. Here is why it works and how to start.
In this guide 4 sections
Why cook with coffee?
It deepens chocolate flavor
Add coffee to chocolate recipes and the chocolate tastes stronger and a little less sweet. That makes it easy to make rich chocolate desserts that aren’t cloying.
It adds depth to savory food
Most dishes lean on sweet or salty tastes. Coffee adds a bitter, roasted note that rounds out soups, stews and marinades. Black coffee pairs especially well with citrus, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, pepper, garlic and salt.
It works well with meat
Coffee pairs well with beef, pork, chicken and even fish. Many chefs use ground coffee in dry rubs for steak because it adds an earthy flavor.
How do you use coffee in cooking?
As a rub for meat
Mix finely ground coffee with salt, pepper and other spices and coat the meat before cooking. It works well on steak, beef short ribs and pork.
Brewed, in place of liquid
Some cooks swap part of the stock or water in stews, sauces, chili and even baked beans for brewed coffee. Brewed coffee blends smoothly into a sauce, with none of the grittiness of grounds. A splash of coffee is also a classic addition to barbecue sauce.
At breakfast
Mix a little coffee into the butter for your pancakes, or use it in a gravy or a sauce for fried eggs.
In desserts
For desserts, use instant espresso powder; it dissolves completely, so you won’t get gritty bits. Aim for coffee as an undertone and use it sparingly, since it is strong.
Experiment, but keep it in a supporting role
There are no hard rules for cooking with coffee, so adjust the amount until it tastes right to you. Flavored coffees work best in foods with matching flavors. Whatever you make, coffee works best as a supporting ingredient rather than the star. Better-quality beans generally give a cleaner flavor, just as they do in the cup.
What dishes can you make with coffee?
Coffee granola
Mix some ground coffee into the oats before baking your granola. Add a little cocoa powder too for a mocha flavor.
Coffee burger rub
A coffee rub that works on steak works on burgers too, including turkey, chicken and veggie burgers.
Chocolate desserts
Chocolate pudding, chocolate cake, chocolate sauce and brownies all benefit from a little coffee to strengthen the chocolate and tone down the sweetness. For a dessert where coffee is the star, try Japanese coffee jelly or an affogato, espresso poured over ice cream.
Frequently asked questions
Does cooking with coffee make food taste like coffee?
Not if you use a small amount. In rubs, stews and chocolate desserts, a little coffee adds depth and bitterness without an obvious coffee flavor. Use more only if you want the coffee to stand out.
Should I use ground, brewed or instant coffee for cooking?
Use finely ground coffee for dry rubs, brewed coffee for liquids like stews and sauces, and instant espresso powder for baking and desserts, because it dissolves completely.
Can you cook with used coffee grounds?
Used grounds have lost much of their flavor, so fresh grounds are better for cooking. For other ways to put spent grounds to work, see our guide to used coffee grounds, including a homemade coffee scrub.
For coffee as a drink, explore our guide to the different types of coffee, or see which foods pair best with coffee.
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