Cincinnati-Style Chili
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All you need is 5 ingredients to make my Southern version of easy Cincinnati-style chili recipe. It’s the perfect blend of spicy and savory flavors, served traditionally on a bed of spaghetti.
This is my Southern take on a traditional Cincinnati chili recipe (hence the word “style” in the title). I may have tweaked the flavors just a bit (the authentic version uses a lot of spices), but I’m serving it the traditional way on spaghetti, so that gets bonus points, right? Authentic Cincinnati chili has a very unique flavor and is unlike anything I have ever tasted before. I can fully see how, if you were raised on this stuff, you’d be left with a craving that only Cincinnati chili would fill.
But today we’re making a Cincinnati-style chili recipe with an Alabama flair. This recipe is ridiculously easy to make. All you need is 5 ingredients: cooked ground beef, tomato sauce, ground cumin, chili powder, and water. The instructions are as simple as mixing the ingredients together and letting them simmer and thicken on the stove for about an hour.
Then we serve a big scoop of the meat sauce on a bed of freshly made spaghetti. Personally, I love how the spaghetti noodles seem to take to the chili sauce perfectly and they are great for balancing out the chili spices. The finishing touch is the toppings of your choice. As you can see, I opted for shredded cheese, but there are other options below.
You’ll also want to keep scrolling to learn more about Cincinnati chili and how to make this recipe work for you. Now I can’t wait until fall gets here so I can have a big chili dinner with friends. Let’s get cooking!
And if you need other Chili ideas try making some of these: White Bean Chili With Chicken, Easy Skillet Chili Bake, Buffalo Chicken Chili, or Crock Pot Chili Recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Tomato sauce
- Ground cumin
- Chili powder
- Cooked ground beef
- Cooked spaghetti for serving
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Cincinnati-Style Chili
Place all of your ingredients into a large pot.
Fill up your tomato sauce can with water and add that as well.
16 ounces equals 2 cups.
Now give all of this a good stir.
Bring this to a very light boil before reducing the heat and cooking, stirring every now and then, for about an hour.
You also want to cook it uncovered like so.
It will look deliciously thick like this when done.
Now add some cooked spaghetti noodles to your plate…
And add a heaping spoonful of the meat sauce on top.
Like this.
Finish your Cincinnati spaghetti with the toppings of your choice like shredded cheddar cheese.
But there are more options below.
Enjoy your chili. Comfort food at its finest!
Storage
- Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop on low until heated through.
- Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat them as above.
Recipe Notes
- This will make enough for two large servings or four smaller ones, so you might want to double it if feeding a whole family. Luckily it’s super easy to double, you just need a big pot!
- Feel free to substitute the ground beef for ground turkey.
- For extra tomato flavor, use 1 can of tomato sauce and 1 can of tomato paste.
- If you want it to taste like traditional Cincinnati chili, you’re going to need to raid your spice cabinet. Along with the chili powder and cumin, you can add:
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
- A pinch of ground cloves and/or ground nutmeg.
- 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you want to add more heat.
- Other seasonings you can add for flavor include 2 minced garlic cloves, a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
- Another way to add flavor is to substitute the water for beef broth.
Recipe FAQs
What are the ingredients in Cincinnati chili?
The main ingredients in Cincinnati chili are ground beef, tomato paste, and spices.
Why do you put chocolate in chili?
Adding a tablespoon of unsweetened chocolate (chopped) or cocoa powder to any chili recipe adds so much richness and depth to the flavor. Feel free to give it a go.
What is different about Cincinnati chili?
There are a few differences when it comes to Cincinnati chili:
- It’s served on spaghetti rather than rice.
- You don’t cook beans in the chili, you add them as a topping.
- The seasonings are different and usually include a combination of ground cumin, chili powder, ground cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ground nutmeg, paprika, and/or dried oregano.
What are the three ways of Cincinnati chili?
So, there are three different ways to serve Cincinnati chili (yeah, they do things differently in the Midwest):
- Three-way: spaghetti, chili, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Four-way: spaghetti, chili, shredded cheddar cheese, and minced raw onion OR warmed canned kidney beans.
- Five-way: spaghetti, chili, shredded cheddar cheese, minced raw onion, AND kidney beans.
What do you eat with Cincinnati chili?
Traditionally you eat Cincinnati-style chili over hot dogs or with spaghetti. If you opt for the hot dog idea, it’s called a Coney Dog. Grab your steamed bun and beef hot dog and top it with chili, diced onion, cheese, and yellow mustard.
You also add the toppings of your choice: shredded cheese, diced onion, kidney beans, and/or oyster crackers.
Can you make Cincinnati-style chili in the slow cooker?
Absolutely! Instead of placing all of the ingredients in a large pot, put them in the crock pot instead. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. I recommend cooking with the lid on and then removing it halfway through the cooking time. This will allow it to thicken beautifully, as there’s a lotta liquid!
How do you make vegan Cincinnati-style chili?
You have a couple of options for a vegan Cincinnati chili recipe. First, substitute the ground beef for your favorite plant-based ground meat alternative. Second, use a combination (about 2 cups) of cooked lentils and sliced mushrooms.
Check out these other chili recipes:
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
- 16 ounces water (just fill up the empty tomato sauce can)
- 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder or to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a pot and give it a good stir.1 16-ounce can tomato sauce, 16 ounces water, 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 tablespoons chili powder or to taste
- Bring just to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer (uncovered and stirring often) for about an hour.
- Serve over freshly-made spaghetti noodles with the toppings of your choice. Delicious!
“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.”
– Francesca Reigler, artist
Submitted by Jenny
Anyone know how to’ make Dairy Creme’s sauce for hotdogs, I mean footers. Never had them like Portsmouth,Ohio
Hey Christy, next time your in Kentucky you need to try Kentucky chili. It is completely different from alot of places. My daughter’s girls scout leader is from Pennslyvania and she swears we are not right in the head with the way we fix ours since we add spaghetti to the chili and not have it on top.
I have tried Cinncinati Chili a couple times and I guess I am not a clove person, but I do love all the cheese that is on top. Sour cream works go too!
I didnt even know there WAS a Kentucky chili! Oh my!
My husband brought a Cincinnati Chili recipe home from someone at work, I think, and I made it. He liked it, but I didn’t. I just did not like the cloves in it. It was years ago, but I’ve never made it since. I guess if you were raised on it you would like it more. I’ll just stick to plain ole chile. BUT…..having chili with the noodles and cheese and onions and sour cream and beans, that would be just fine. I know we’ve had extremely hot weather here in Alabama, but I could actually go for a bowl of it right now.
I am a native of Cincinnati and you are right about acquiring a taste for our Chili. There are 3 well known Greek families who started our chili tradition. Their recipes differ but all start with traditional chili spices and they added cloves and cinnamon like their own greek stews. 2 way – spaghetti & Chili, 3 way – Spag, chili and cheese, 4 way – Spag, chili, onion and cheese, 5 way – Spag, chili, beans, onion and cheese. Always layered as shown. NEVER mix up the chili and toppings when eating. It changes how the chili tastes. Sorry, I digress. We take our chili seriously here. We have one restaurant that received a John Beard award for regional food. Camp Washington Chili.
Should have said “James Beard” award.
Cicinnati style chili has cinnamon in it. I personally don’t like cinnamon with meat, any meat. I know some foreign foods combine the two, but I stay away. Chili and basketball seasons usually come at the same time for me!
My grandmother adored chili over spaghetti. She called it Chili Mac. It was on the menu at IHOP for years. I do not think it is anymore though.
And I do love Cincy chili. I have eaten it in Cincy at Skyline and have bought the seasoning packet and made it. It has cinnamon, and I am not sure what all in it. I love it, but not every time I make chili. I would definintely recommend trying it!
You really need to try authentic 5 way Cincinnati Chili. This is my recipe for it that was taught to me by a friend from Cincinnati. It is posted in my group Gramma’s Goodies on Mixing Bowl sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens.
Source: A dear friend from Cincinnati, I met while my husband was in the USMC and we were stationed in Japan
A delicious recipe for 5 Way taught to me (a Hoosier) by my Cincinnati BFF
Servings: 8
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 minutes
Total time: 1 hour/50 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 bay leaf
2 (10.5 ounce) cans beef broth
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can light kidney beans
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Barilla regular or thin spaghetti (I only use Barilla pastas)
Some recipes call for chocolate or cocoa, but I think it tastes better without it.
Sometimes I put it the ingredients in a slow cooker to cook slowly on low, rather than in my Dutch Oven, then I just need to prepare the spaghetti when I get home.
It tastes even more delicious the next day.
Directions:
1. Place ground beef in a large pot, and break up with a spoon; cover with hot water and break up the beef into fine pieces as it heats in the water.
2. When ground beef is cooked and in fine pieces; drain.
3. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes.
4. Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, bay leaf, beef broth, tomato sauce, and red pepper.
5. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Prepare spaghetti per package directions; drain.
7. Remove the bay leaf. Serve chili over hot, drained spaghetti. Top with beans, shredded cheddar cheese, and onions.
8. I garnish the tops with green onions, and you can add sour cream; if desired.
I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.
Again- You’re an angel….and I’ve been looking for this for ages!!! The chocolate is the one ingredient I was missing from the other recipes I’ve tried for CC.