The Tasty Way To Use Up Spent Coffee Grounds
When I make coffee, I try to reduce waste as much as possible. I shop for pre-ground coffee in aluminum tins and whole beans in recyclable paper bags, so as to reduce my plastic usage. I avoid the paper filters that go straight in the trash, opting instead for reusable mesh baskets. I even reheat yesterday's brew the next morning, if there's enough left. But one thing I haven't figured out is what to do with the soaked grounds left behind.
I'm ashamed to admit I often just throw them out — they are biodegradable, after all, and can be used for compost and a nutritious natural fertilizer. Just about anything is better than dumping them down the drain, but if you're wondering if your grounds have a use inside your kitchen rather than out in the garden, TikTok user Carleigh Bodrug has a delicious idea.
@plantyou Coffee Ground Granola, page 28 of the Scrappy Cookbook 🌱🥹💖 #granola #vegan #wfpb #plantbased #plantbaseddiet #plantbasedrecipe #healthy #healthyrecipe #plantbasedfood #breakfast #breakfastrecipe #healthydiet #healthyeating #eatmoreplants #whatveganseat #healthyfood #quickrecipe #quickrecipes
Bodrug shared a recipe for coffee ground granola which is pretty easy to make. After brewing a fresh pot, combine your used grounds with oats, cocoa powder, ground flax, and chopped nuts. Then, mix in maple syrup, tahini, and the coffee you brewed to make a tasty chocolatey granola you can bake and store for use in cereal, yogurt, or a bit of snacking.
Other ways to use old coffee grounds
You can make a lot with leftover coffee grounds, including other baked goods like chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and scones. In general, grounds are good for bringing out chocolate flavors in your recipes. But the bitterness of coffee is also good for roasting vegetables and certain meats — it can be used as a rub for a pork roast or steak, or even mixed with some beer for a hearty beef stew. Coffee has all sorts of amazing powers, so why not conjure up some of that magic in every meal?
Maybe you've got so much leftover coffee grounds that you can't possibly cook with it all. While you probably can't make them into sneakers on your own, you can use grounds around the house by turning them into bath soap or using them to clean stubborn grime off your dishes. You can even use a coffee scrub as an exfoliant — just add coconut oil, rolled oats, and sugar or salt and lather up.