Made with ground beef, warming spices, and a secret ingredient, this easy Cincinnati chili recipe is hearty and comforting. Serve it over spaghetti and top it with plenty of cheddar cheese, oyster crackers, and onion!
Better Than Skyline? Well, We Think So!
I love how so many states have their own regional dishes. Philly has cheesesteak sandwiches, Chicago has Chicago dogs and deep-dish pizza, Maine has lobster rolls, New Orleans has po boys (and on and on).
I want to share my newest regional food obsession with you — Cincinnati chili. I may not be from the Buckeye state, but I’ve had this chili many times. Locals go nuts over this stuff and with good reason — it’s damn delicious.
Cincinnati chili is in a category all its own. Unlike other chilis, this kind is neither chunky nor spicy. It consists of a thinner ground beef sauce (perfect for topping hot dogs) with a super unique flavor profile featuring warm Mediterranean spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
But there’s also an interesting ingredient you don’t find in other chili recipes—chocolate — which adds a sultry, complex richness. While the original recipe from the 1920s didn’t call for chocolate, it has since become a standard ingredient in most Cincinnati chili recipes since the 1970s.
Another thing that differentiates Cincinnati chili from other chili recipes is how it’s served. It’s pretty uncommon to find chili served over pasta and served with oyster crackers, but for authentic Cincinnati chili, they’re a must.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Cook the spices to deepen their flavor. After adding the blend of spices to the sauteed onion and garlic, let them hang out in the pan for a minute or so to remove their raw bite.
Simmer for at least an hour to reduce. Unlike a classic beef chili, this Cincinnati version is more sauce than soup. Give it an hour or two on the stove to develop the flavors and thicken up.
Strain off the excess oily drippings before serving. If you’re making this chili for the busy week ahead, refrigerate it overnight so the hardened fat rises to the top of the soup. You can remove it with your hands before reheating.
What’s in Cincinnati Chili?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Beef broth — We’re making a super beefy chili, so no other broth will work.
- Ground beef — 80% lean works well in this recipe.
- Onion and garlic — The flavor foundation for most good chili recipe.
- Seasonings — There’s tons of flavor in this simple Cincinnati style chili thanks to the chili powder, cinnamon, allspices, nutmeg, cumins, ground cloves, and bay leaf. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are also a must.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder — No need to use anything fancy, just don’t use dark cocoa powder.
- Tomato sauce — From a can, NOT marinara sauce.
- Spaghetti noodles — If you’re not serving your Cincinnati chili with spaghetti, you’re not doing it right!
Heidi’s Tip: If you want to add a little heat to your chili, feel free to add some cayenne pepper.
How to Make Cincinnati Chili at Home
- Boil your beef. Simmering the ground beef in some broth for about 30 minutes (as opposed to browning it) helps the meat break up into a thinner, finer sauce.
- Sauté the onion and garlic. While the beef is simmering, sauté the onion in a large skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes then stir in your garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.
- Simmer your sauce. Once the remaining ingredients are added to the onion and garlic, bring it to a boil before stirring into the pot of boiled beef. Add the vinegar, cover the pot, and simmer for at least 1 hour.
- Cook the spaghetti separately. While the chili finishes cooking, cook the spaghetti to al dente. To serve, divide the spaghetti into bowls and top with chili and your favorite fixings.
Pile on the Toppings, Please!
Cincinnati chili can be eaten plain or on a hot dog, but the signature way it’s traditionally served is atop spaghetti with the following toppings:
- Dark red kidney beans. Drain and rinse the beans before serving them, or mix them into the beef if you like.
- Chopped raw onion
- Cheddar cheese, very finely shredded. I use my food processor to make thin ribbons.
- Oyster crackers
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Authentic Cincinnati Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 pounds 80% lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 ½ medium yellow onions , finely chopped and divided
- 5 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce (not marinara sauce)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- 4 cups mild or medium yellow cheddar cheese , finely shredded
- 15 ounces canned dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed
- oyster crackers , for serving
Instructions
- Add the beef broth and ground beef to a Dutch oven or stockpot and bring to a boil, using a wooden spatula or spoon to break up the meat into little pieces. Once boiling, cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a separate skillet over medium and add the canola oil. Once the oil is hot, add 1 cup of chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the chili powder, cinnamon, cocoa powder, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, kosher salt, cumin, and pepper, stirring well to evenly combine, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce and bay leaf, stirring well, and bring to a boil then add to the pot with the beef. Stir in the apple cider vinegar then simmer over medium-low for at least 1 hour up to two. Spoon off excess oil as needed.
- You can either eat the chili immediately or refrigerate it. If refrigerating, you can scrape the fat cap off before reheating or leave it as is.
- When ready to serve, or while the chili finishes cooking (during the last 10 minutes), bring a large pot filled with water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water generously (like the sea) and add your spaghetti. Cook until al dente and drain.
- To serve, divide spaghetti into bowls, and top with chili, shredded cheese, beans, reserved chopped onion, and oyster crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Side Dishes to Make This a Meal
Lingo for Ordering Cincinnati Chili
If you’re somewhat familiar with Cincinnati chili, you may have heard of the various ways to order it.
Here’s the breakdown:
- 2-way Cincinnati Chili: Chili and spaghetti
- 3-way Cincinnati Chili: Chili, spaghetti, and plenty of finely shredded yellow cheddar cheese
- 4-way Cincinnati Chili: A 3-way with beans or onions
- 5-way Cincinnati Chili: A 3-way with both beans and onions
More Chili Recipes to Try
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Joshua
There is no cocoa or chocolate of any kind in traditional Cincinnati chili. That’s a myth that’s been thoroughly debunked.
Heidi Larsen
As myths go, everyone has their opinion. Thanks for sharing yours :)
Howard
Why are there so many different AUTHENTIC Cincinnati Chili recipes?
Barbara
We love Cincinnati chili at our house. But I never use tomato sauce. Always use one 6 ounce can tomato paste instead based on a Skyline recipe.
Heidi
Tomato paste would work too Barb. I’d suggest cooking the paste for a bit with the spices before adding any liquid to remove its raw flavor. Thx for the suggestion!