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This Cincinnati chili is comfort food at its best! It’s loaded with ground beef, onions, spices, cheddar cheese, and spaghetti. An easy recipe that the entire family will love!
I love serving it with a side salad and cheesy garlic bread on the side.
WHAT IS CINCINNATI CHILI?
Cincinnati chili is a unique chili style from Ohio, featuring ground meat with spices like cinnamon and chocolate. It’s commonly served over spaghetti and topped with cheese, beans, and onions. I just know you’re going to love it as much as my family and I do!
For more delicious spaghetti recipes, check out this cowboy spaghetti and baked spaghetti.
INGREDIENT NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Ground Beef – I used 90/10 ground beef but feel free to use any type of ground meat such as ground turkey or chicken.
- Cheese – I highly recommend using freshly grated yellow cheddar cheese for best results!
- Water – If you omit the water, your chili will turn out super dry. Feel free to use chicken stock, if you wish.
- Pasta – Although spaghetti is what is normally used, feel free any type of pasta you have on hand.
- Cinnamon – Adds great flavor, do not omit it!
- Chocolate – Make sure it’s unsweetened chocolate. Any type of unsweetened chocolate will work for this recipe.
TOP TIPS
- If your chili thickens too much, add some of the pasta water and simmer it for a few extra minutes.
- Make sure to season the chili generously with salt and pepper once it’s done cooking.
- If you want it extra spicy, add more chili powder and a dash of cayenne pepper.
- I highly recommend cooking the spaghetti until it’s al dente.
HOW TO SERVE IT
There are several ways of serving Cincinnati chili…
- 2-way: Chili-topped.
- 3-way: Chili and shredded cheese on top.
- 4-way onion: Chili, shredded cheese, chopped onions on top.
- 4-way bean: Chili, shredded cheese, and beans on top.
- 5-way: The works! Chili, shredded cheese, chopped onions, and beans on top.
LEFTOVERS
Place any leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Simply reheat on the stovetop or microwave until heated through.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Cincinnati Chili
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 lb spaghetti, cooked al dente
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste , season generously
- Cheddar cheese, for serving
- Raw onions, for serving
- kidney beans or chili beans, for serving
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet, break it up, and cook it until completely browned. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in the onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 1 hour.
- Once the hour is up, season the chili generously with salt and pepper. Make sure to taste it before serving.
- Serve the chili over al-dente spaghetti, top it off with cheddar cheese, raw onions, and beans, and enjoy!
Notes
- If your chili thickens too much, add some of the pasta water and simmer it for a few extra minutes.
- Make sure to season the chili generously with salt and pepper once it’s done cooking.
- If you want it extra spicy, add more chili powder and a dash of cayenne pepper.
- I highly recommend cooking the spaghetti until it’s al dente.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
