Original Café Beaujolais Black Bean Chili

Surely no old-time Café Beaujolais preparation is found in more fans’ freezers around the country than this one, a stick-to-your-ribs vegetarian chili so satisfying and easy to make. To my amazement, Julia Child ordered this homey dish when she visited the Beaujolais in the mid-1980s. Topped with grated cheese and served with warmed corn tortillas, it was a healthy, economical meal that we wound up making by the boatload for a very long time once word got out about Julia’s choice.

How to make Original Café Beaujolais Black Bean Chili

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups dried black beans
• 3 cups whole canned tomatoes, crushed
• 2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1½ cups finely chopped green bell peppers
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons Beaujolais Blend Herbs (see below)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1½ tablespoons paprika
• ½ cup finely chopped jalapeño peppers (canned are fine)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ pound cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, grated
• ½ cup finely chopped green onions
• ⅔ cup sour cream
• 8 sprigs fresh cilantro (and if you really like cilantro, then 2 tablespoons more to sprinkle on top)

Directions

1. Sort through the beans and remove the funky ones and the small pebbles. (They’re always there. Our prep cook didn’t like doing it either.) Rinse well. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water until it’s several inches above the top of the beans. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the beans are tender, about 1¾ hours. You will need to add more water if you start to see the beans.
2. When the beans are cooked, reserve 1 cup of cooking water. Drain the beans, then return them to the pot and add back the reserved cooking water.
3. Place the cumin seed and Beaujolais Blend Herbs in a small pan and bake in a 325° for 10 to 12 minutes until the fragrance is toasty.
4. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions, green peppers, and garlic in oil the with cumin seeds and herbs, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt, until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chiles. Add all to the beans and stir well.
5. To serve, place 1-ounce grated cheese, then 1¼ cups hot chili in a heated bowl. Place a spoonful of sour cream on top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon green onions and place a sprig of cilantro or about ½ tsp chopped cilantro on the sour cream. Serve warm.

Beaujolais Blend Herbs (

Makes about 2 tablespoons)

• 2 generous pinches dried basil
• 2 generous pinches dried oregano
• 2 generous pinches dried thyme
• 1 generous pinch dried tarragon
• 1 generous pinch dried rosemary

Mix the herbs together and put in an airtight jar.

Recipe reprinted with permission from The New Café Beaujolais Cookbook by Julian Lopez,

February 2026 /The Collective Book Studio