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(Cilantro) Black Bean and Lime Chili

Written by Christine Miksis

Whether you’re a cilantro lover or a cilantro hater, you’ll appreciate this warm and filling black bean chili. Adding cilantro to finish the dish is up to you!

Who knew the question “Do you like cilantro?” would stir up such a commotion? Certainly not a cilantro lover like me.

“Ugh, it tastes like soap. Please don’t put it anywhere near me, let alone in the chili!” one friend sneered upon answering the question.

After this open declaration of repulsion towards the Chinese parsley, I started to frequently notice more and more haters.

Black bean chili with cilantro brings a summery dimension to the fall/winter comfort staple, but can be made without the herb for cilantro haters.
Photo: Casey Barber

I was intrigued, and so I Googled. What I found was that the cilantro segregation was much greater than what I had actually suspected.

To my surprise, writers from the Wall Street Journal, NPR, and the New York Times were also intrigued.

They all covered the controversial topic fairly recently due to findings at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, where scientific research on smell and taste is conducted.

Scientists there began a study on the smell and taste of cilantro to figure out why there’s such a fuss over the herb.

Black bean chili with cilantro brings a summery dimension to the fall/winter comfort staple, but can be made without the herb for cilantro haters.
Photo: Casey Barber

They were able to separate the different scent components of cilantro for study participants to smell individually, and found that people who dislike cilantro are unable to detect the “pleasant” scent component that those who love cilantro can sniff.

However, people who like cilantro are still able to smell the “soapy, unpleasant” scent component, yet still have an affinity towards the herb.

The study concluded that generally the smell determines whether we like or dislike the herb.

Specifically, the inability to detect the pleasant scent component of cilantro and only detect the unpleasant soapy one is the reason why certain individuals dislike it.

Black bean chili with cilantro brings a summery dimension to the fall/winter comfort staple, but can be made without the herb for cilantro haters.
Photo: Casey Barber

Whether you’re averse or not, cilantro is a common ingredient on menus in Latin America and Asia.

In the U.S., it is usually associated with Mexican and Southwestern dishes enjoyed in the summer with margaritas.

However, I’m happy to pack up the cilantro and transition it over to Snuggie season this November, as I’ve recently discovered it also goes quite well with black bean chili.

My chili recipe has been tweaked and edited over the past two years, but I just recently discovered the addition of cilantro made it perfect.

Black Bean Chili with Cilantro

However, this black bean chili can certainly stand alone for those who are anti-cilantro.

If you really like the herb, the ingredient combined with a squeeze of lime juice lends a summery dimension to the fall and winter comfort staple, not to mention a pretty pop of color for presentation as well.

Black bean chili with cilantro brings a summery dimension to the fall/winter comfort staple, but can be made without the herb for cilantro haters.

(Cilantro) Black Bean Chili

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Black bean chili with cilantro brings a summery dimension to the fall/winter comfort staple, but can be made without the herb for cilantro haters.

Ingredients

Chili

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • 2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • 1 pound ground beef or turkey
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup stout or porter beer, or beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped

For Garnish

  • cilantro, whole or chopped
  • lime wedges
  • plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • shredded Cheddar, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not browned.  
  3. Stir in the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and salt and cook for 2 more minutes.
  4. Add the beef or turkey and cook, stirring to break the meat into smaller pieces, until most of the pink is no longer visible.
  5. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, beer, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and jalapeño pepper.
  6. Cover and bring to a simmer.
  7. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
  8. Divide between bowls and garnish with a handful of cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice per serving. 
  9. If you wish, add a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream and shredded cheese of your choice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 578Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 1069mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 11gSugar: 13gProtein: 42g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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7 Comments

  1. I don’t go a week without it. I try to grow it but fail miserably, so I rely on the supermarket. I find the international markets have the best quality and the best price, but I’ll take it wherever I can get it and for all kinds of dishes — from just about any continent. Since I began reading about the love-hate relationship with the herb I have noticed a soapy kind of aroma, but it doesn’t offend me.

    I probably notice it because it’s made so much press in recent months. Otherwise I probably never would have taken notice.

    The chili recipe looks darn good!

  2. Cilantro and coriander are from the same plant. In the US, cilantro is the word used for the leaves and coriander for the seeds. Here in New Zealand, they call all of it coriander, which confused me no end my first few months here. I love a good hit, whatever you call it.

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