Cincinnati Chili is a unique culinary experience that combines ground beef, onions, garlic, tomato sauce, chili powder, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, brown sugar, and vinegar. This unusual chili provides a most enjoyable taste-bud-exploding experience. You don’t need to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to enjoy Cincinnati Skyline Chili.
Cincinnati chili originated with immigrant restaurateurs in the 1920s who were trying to expand their customer base by moving beyond narrowly ethnic cuisine styles. Ingredients for this chili might include ground beef, stock, tomato paste, cinnamon, other Mediterranean spices, and sometimes chocolate in a soup-like consistency. Toppings include cheese, onions, and kidney beans.
This is a weekend meal, as it needs to simmer in the Dutch oven for several hours. However, it is well worth the time and effort. It is just that good! Cincinnati Chili makes for excellent leftovers. It tastes even better the next day, as the flavors have had time to meld. Serve it with corn muffins, Johnny cakes, or sweet potato cornbread.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Ground beef: use ground beef with a bit of fat, like 85/15. Fat gives the beef flavor, but you don’t want so much fat that you spend a lot of time skimming it.
- Spices: chili powder, cocoa powder, ground cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, allspice, and cloves. These spices give Cincinnati chili its unique taste.
- Vinegar: I like the taste of apple cider vinegar in this chili but you can substitute red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar.
- Pasta: I like to serve this over spaghetti, but you can also serve it over macaroni noodles or rice.
How to Make Cincinnati Chili
This chili is so easy to make. First, saute the chopped onion and garlic in a large pot or Dutch Oven. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, cooking for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Then, add your ground beef and beef broth and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer the beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Skim off any fat that floats to the top.
Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, ground cinnamon, ground cayenne pepper, ground cloves, ground allspice, cider vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato paste, and brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for 2-3 hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti with shredded cheddar and chopped onions.
Preparation Tips
- Cook the ground beef over a low simmer, breaking it up with a fork or meat chopper.
- Skim the fat off the top of the pot with a spoon. If you don’t want to waste anything, refrigerate what you skim off while the pot simmers. The fat will solidify and be easy to remove, and you can return the rest of the broth to the pot.
- Simmer the chili uncovered for 2-3 hours for the best flavor and consistency.
Ways To Serve It
- 2-Way Chili – Serve the chili over spaghetti. Yummy!
- 3-Way Chili – Top the chili and spaghetti with shredded cheddar cheese. Super yummy!
- 4-Way Chili – Top the whole caboodle with onions. Oh, my heavens!
- 5-Way Chili – Top the entire kit and caboodle with kidney beans! Heavens to Betsy!
- Coney dog – Top a hot dog in a bun with Cincinnati chili, shredded cheese, diced onions, and a little mustard.
Store and Freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
To freeze, first cool thoroughly. Then, transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat.
More Ground Beef Recipes
Cincinnati Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 8 ounces of spaghetti cooked according to package instructions
- Shredded cheddar optional
- Finely chopped onions optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low the minced garlic.
- Add the ground beef and beef broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the beef, breaking it up as it cooks. This will take 20-30 minutes. Skim off any fat that floats to the top.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, ground cinnamon, ground cayenne pepper, ground allspice, ground cloves, cider vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato paste, and brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for 2-3 hours. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve over cooked spaghetti with shredded cheddar and chopped onions.
Notes
- Cook the ground beef over a low simmer, breaking it up with a fork or meat chopper.
- Skim the fat off the top of the pot with a ladle. If you don’t want to waste anything, refrigerate what you skim off while the pot simmers. The fat will solidify and be easy to remove, and you can return the rest of the broth to the pot.
- Simmer the chili uncovered for 2-3 hours for the best flavor and consistency.
Nutrition
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Sandra
This is seriously comforting! My family loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Sandra!
Erik
It was incredible delicious! My family loved it!
Amanda
Cincinnati chili is so unique and always a huge hit with everyone!
Beth Pierce
I could not agree more!
Marysa
I love the idea of putting chili over pasta! Chili has always been a bit rich for me, and I like having it with something like spaghetti. I’ve never heard of Cincinnati chili but it sounds tasty.
Tammy
I cannot say I’ve ever had Cincinnati Chili but it sounds so delicious and I’m intrigued at the addition of cocoa. What an interesting combination of flavors and spices. Sounds super comforting!
briannemanzb
Making Cincinnati Chili gets me out of my comfort zone but I’m sure the payoff comes when I tuck into a giant plate of grade-A comfort food. Thanks for this Beth. It was delicious.
Beth Pierce
You are more welcome Brianne!
Yeah Lifestyle
This dish was packed full of flavor! I love a good chili recipe and I am definitely going to be making this one again!
Stephanie
Ok, I’ve put sugar in my homemade chili powder before, but I’ve never tried it with cocoa powder! It’s definitely different than the Southern Chili I grew up on, but I like it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Stephanie! It is a tasty change from traditional chili.
Melanie E
Although it does sound different I bet it tastes awesome. I don’t normally add cocoa, cloves, allspice, brown sugar, or vinegar to my chili when I make it. It would be nice to try this different version.
Beth Pierce
Yes it is delicious! You really should give it a try!
Becky, Cuddle Fairy
I adore chili but I’ve never heard of Cincinnati Chili before! The recipe is packed with flavor, I’m so excited to try this! I think I will plan on making it this weekend!
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Enjoy!!
syd
Lived in Cincinnati for quite a few years – and ate gallons of chili – My brother in law even owned a chili restaurant – although it was a franchise and he got his chili premade – I question the allspice and barbecue – when I made it up till now it was the cinnamon and cocoa that made it Cincinnati – everything else sounds reasonable – gonna get the fixins for this recipe and try it – Since *every* recipe can be improved.
Of course, then there is the best of the area – Gold Star Chilli ( the best one of which is actually in Northern KY)… That’s what I am aiming for …
Jessie
Yum! This chili sounds so good and I can think of so many things that this will go amazing with!
Gail Montero
Looks absolutely tasty and my kind of comfort food for chilly/chili nights! Need to try this soon!
Claudia Lamascolo
Oh we love using cinnamon in sauces its kind of a middle eastern flavor never heard it called this name but I really love it a must try with chili
Lindsay
I’ve never had Cincinnati Chili, but it looks amazing! I can’t believe how many different spices are in it – that must be what makes it so good.
Liz
I’m from Ohio but most of my family has moved to Virginia (where I am) and I know they miss this chili! I’m going to share this recipe with all of them!