Chocolate for Dinner? Three Recipes That Prove Chocolate can be Sweet AND Savory

 

Chocolate may be known as the world’s greatest dessert (we’re partial here at Delysia), but this cocoa treat can spice up savory dishes, too. Think beyond the dessert plate; a bit of chocolate can be a rich, velvety addition to anything from pasta sauce to salsa, and it’ll make any meal a little extra special. Below we share some recipes that are made even tastier by having “chocolate” on the ingredients list, plus the perfect Delysia chocolate truffle to indulge in after dinner:

Chocolate: it's what's for dinner -- or at least a main ingredient!
Chocolate: it’s what’s for dinner — or at least a main ingredient!

1. Cincinnati Chili: Cincinnatians reportedly eat over 2 million pounds of this beloved regional dish per year. In this chili, beans are optional, but big flavor isn’t – many recipes call for cinnamon, cumin, chili pepper, and, you guessed it, chocolate. Try this version from Faith Durond of The Kitchn for a filling, chocolate-y meal tonight. To really take dinner up a notch, use Delysia’s sweet-and-spicy Ghost Pepper Chocolate Bark in the recipe. Post-dinner, counter all that spice by indulging in one of Delysia’s creamy milk chocolate truffles.

2. Pasta with Dark Chocolate Marinara Sauce: Italians are known for their rich chocolate dessert creations – chocolate gelato, anyone? – but a bit of chocolate adds a whole new depth of flavor to Italy’s traditionally savory dishes, like the classic pasta with marinara sauce. This version, from Gimme Some Oven, calls for a whole ounce of rich dark chocolate. Complete your gustatory tour of Italy with one of Delysia’s Italian truffles; choose from tiramisu, amaretto, and biscotti flavors.

3. Mole-d Beef Tostadas: Perhaps the most “famous” savory sauce to incorporate chocolate is mole, a richly spiced Mexican favorite. These tostadas from Lady and Pups put a spin on traditional mole sauce by using cocoa powder instead of chocolate to spice the beef. The results, though, are just as delicious. For more of a cayenne kick, try spicing up the tostadas with Delysia’s take on Mexican Hot Chocolate. Incorporate some spice into dessert, too, with Delysia’s South of the Border-inspired Latin Truffle Collection, featuring jalapeno, cayenne, and habanero flavors.

Do you have a favorite chocolate-inspired savory dish? Planning on trying one of the recipes above? Let us know in the comments!

Nicole Patel

Nicole Patel is the proprietor of and chocolatier for Delysia Chocolatier. In 2006 while pregnant with her first son, Nicole made a batch of chocolate truffles as holiday gifts. To the delight of friends and family, she continued to create chocolates as a way to relieve stress from her corporate engineering job. In 2008, a chance trip to Becker Vineyards led to Nicole being the first in Texas to make truffles using local wines. Within five years, what started as a hobby turned Delysia into one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in the Americas, as selected by the International Chocolate Salon.