If you think chocolate is only for desserts—think again! Surprise your taste buds (and any special person in your life) with these unexpected savoury chocolate recipes made with love.
For the month of love, chocolate is inescapable. Come V-day (or let’s be honest, really any day) you can’t go wrong adding some chocolate to the mix. Although chocolate is known as a key ingredient for sweet and decadent treats, you shouldn’t limit it to the end of the meal: when incorporated judiciously into recipes, the various guises of cacao lend a rich complexity to a myriad of savoury dishes. And if you needed another reason to embrace your inner Willy Wonka, modern research demonstrates that the correct type of cacao may bring on a number of impressive health perks. From a deeply flavoured soup to a plant-based twist on taco night, these recipes turn cacao into way more than just candy in a heart-shaped box; they prove it’s a savoury, sophisticated culinary weapon. Time to see the food of the gods in a whole new light.
Cocoa versus cacao: what’s the difference?
If you shop for chocolate products, you’ve likely noticed that some labels say they contain cacao while others say cocoa. The various types of chocolate are made from fermented and dried cacao beans from the Theobroma cacao tree. While there’s not a universal agreement on when manufacturers will use the terms cacao and cocoa, in general, the term “cacao” is reserved for less processed forms of cacao bean such as cacao nibs (simply smashed-up roasted cacao beans) and natural or “raw” cacao powder. Dark chocolate bars seem to waver between using the two terms. Generally, for a bar to be considered “dark” it should contain at least 60 percent cacao.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
Stephanie MacDonald
Heidi Fritz, MA, ND
Carime Lane
Joshua Duvauchelle