Moka Pot Coffee

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Recipe Intro From lisathompson

Learning how to make moka pot coffee is a valuable skill when it comes to brewing a delicious cup of coffee at home. It delivers a strong coffee flavor similar to espresso and it’s low-waste—no pods, no plastic! You can compost coffee grounds or repurpose them in DIY beauty products or for gardening.

Recipe Description

Since its invention in 1933, the moka pot has continued to be a favorite among household coffee makers. I have always wanted to learn how to use a moka pot to brew coffee, and it turns out it is much simpler than I initially thought! Once you get the hang of it, you can brew reliably delicious coffee in less than 10 minutes. Moka pots are sold in a variety of sizes to suit your needs, whether that’s an afternoon pick-me-up for one, or an entire pot to accompany dessert for a group. You can find the moka pot I used here.

Jump to Section
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Test Kitchen Notes
  • FAQs
  • Recipe Card

Ingredient Notes

  • Coffee

    Coffee is, of course, the main ingredient to make moka pot coffee! You’ll need to grind the coffee slightly finer than what you might use for drip coffee. But always air on the side of coarse, too fine a grind will clog the holes in the filter and brew coffee incorrectly (if at all).

  • Water

    Water is the only other raw ingredient necessary for making moka pot coffee. Follow the instructions according to the manufacturers of your moka pot. I use a Bialetti brand pot, which suggests that you start with cold or room-temperature water. Some coffee experts insist you start with boiling water to speed up the stovetop heating process and apply less heat to the coffee grinds. I found that the boiling water method did not work well for my moka pot

  • Quality of Ingredients

    The quantity of ingredients will vary based on what size moka pot you are using. For my Bialetti 3-cup moka pot, the manufacturer suggests 18g of coffee to 150g water (which should hit just below the pressure release valve).

Test Kitchen Notes

  • Use A Scale

    A kitchen scale is one of the smartest purchases you can make for your kitchen to help weigh a variety of items like vegetables, flour for baking, and of course, coffee! The measurements listed for this recipe are in grams. 

     

  • Don't Rush It

    Moka pot coffee should be made over medium heat (about a 5 on an electric stove) and takes about just under 10 minutes from start to finish. Don’t rush this step of the process or you risk overheating the coffee grinds and producing bitter-tasting coffee.

  • Espresso? More like Espress-no

    Contrary to popular belief, moka pots do not actually brew espresso. It doesn’t even matter if you use beans that are labeled “espresso”. True espresso is produced in a machine that creates at least 9 bars of pressure. A moka pot can only produce between 1-2 bars of pressure. For this reason, moka pots won’t produce a rich layer of crema on top the way a true espresso machine can.

  • Pressure Release Valve

    Moka pots have a pressure release valve built into the bottom water tank. This prevents excess pressure from building up inside the moka pot and becoming dangerous. Most of the time, you don’t need to pay any attention to it and it will do its thing on its own. However, you must always ensure that the water level doesn’t exceed the bottom edge of the pressure release valve.

  • Skip The Soap

    Many coffee purists and baristas would warn against using soap or dishwashing detergent to clean anything your coffee touches. Some believe the soap leaves a residue that will leave your coffee tasting, well, soapy. Others believe the detergents can discolor moka pots and ultimately affect the way they work over time. Bialetti recommends rinsing each part of the moka pot with hot water before drying each part separately. If your moka pot needs a deeper cleaning, run a batch of boiling water with a little vinegar through the machine, then rinse well with water and dry completely.

FAQs

What kind of coffee do you use in a moka pot?

Can you drink moka pot coffee straight?

Do you fill moka pot with hot water?

How long does it take a moka to make coffee?

Prep time: 2mins
Cook time: 7mins
Serves or Makes: 2 servings

Recipe Card

ingredients

MOKA POT COFFEE FOR A 3-CUP MOKA POT

  • 145 -150g room temperature water
  • 18 g medium-fine ground coffee

Method

  • Step 1

    (If you’re starting with a brand new moka pot, you’ll first need to brew a batch of coffee to discard.)

  • Step 2

    Unscrew the moka pot and pour the water into the bottom tank, stopping just below the pressure release valve.

  • Step 3

    Place the metal filter into the water tank, then add the ground coffee. Be careful not to pack down the grounds into the filter or it may not brew properly. Clear away any grounds that are in the treads of the base so that the moka pot can seal fully.

  • Step 4

    Screw the top on tightly and set on the stove over medium heat with the lid open. Note: if you are using a gas stove, make sure the flames never extend up around the sides of the moka pot, which can cause the plastic handle to melt!

  • Step 5

    Let coffee brew just until it starts to bubble and lighten in color, then close the top and remove from the heat.

  • Step 6

    If this is your first introduction to moka pot coffee, it’s best to taste the coffee black before adding any sugar or dairy to it so that you can gauge how robust the flavor is. You may choose to dilute it with a little hot water or adjust the amount of sugar or dairy you add to your preference. My favorite way to drink moka pot coffee is with water (hot or iced) to create a version of an americano.