Cincinnati Chili
This Ohio classic is a warmly spiced meat sauce served over spaghetti, not a bowl of Texas-style chili. Make it a 3-way, 4-way, or 5-way with cheese, onions, and beans at the table.
At a glance
- Total time
- 105 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- American
- Category
- Dinner
Cincinnati chili is its own wonderful thing: a smooth, spoonable beef sauce with tomato, warm spices, and a little tang. It is usually served over spaghetti and finished with a big handful of finely shredded cheddar.
Unlike many chilis, the ground beef is simmered in liquid instead of browned first. That gives the sauce its fine, soft texture. The spice list may look a little longer than usual, but most of the ingredients are pantry staples.
Serve it “2-way” with spaghetti and chili, “3-way” with cheese, “4-way” with onions or beans, or “5-way” with both onions and beans. Oyster crackers and hot sauce belong on the table, too.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
20 items · 6 servings
- 2 pounds ground beef, 80% or 85% lean
- 4 cups cold water
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 small yellow onion, very finely grated or minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound spaghetti, for serving 6 people generously enough that the sauce can top it well with no shortage, cooked just-a
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Break up the beef
Put the ground beef and cold water in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Use clean hands or a sturdy spoon to break the beef into very small pieces. This feels unusual, but it helps create the fine texture Cincinnati chili is known for.
2. Add the sauce ingredients
Stir in the tomato sauce, onion, garlic, chili powder, cocoa, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, oregano, allspice, cloves, cayenne, salt, black pepper, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Mix well so the spices are evenly spread through the liquid.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer
Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring it just to a boil, stirring often. As soon as it bubbles, reduce the heat to low. A simmer means small bubbles rise gently, not a hard boil.
4. Cook the chili slowly
Simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. The sauce should thicken but stay loose enough to spoon over spaghetti. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.
5. Skim if needed
If fat pools on the surface, skim it off with a spoon. For an even cleaner sauce, you can cool the chili and refrigerate it overnight, then lift off the firm fat before reheating.
6. Taste and adjust
Remove the bay leaf. Taste the chili and add more salt, cayenne, vinegar, or Worcestershire sauce if needed. The flavor should be savory, lightly sweet from the warm spices, and a little tangy.
7. Cook the spaghetti
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain well. Do not rinse it unless you need to hold it for a few minutes; the starch helps the chili cling.
8. Build the ways
Divide spaghetti among shallow bowls or plates. Spoon the hot chili over the top. For a 3-way, add a generous mound of finely shredded cheddar. For a 4-way, add diced onion or warm beans. For a 5-way, add both. Serve with oyster crackers and hot sauce.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Cincinnati chili often tastes even better the next day. Cool it quickly, refrigerate it, and reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water if it has thickened.
- Storage: Keep leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store spaghetti and toppings separately for the best texture.
- Freezing: Freeze the chili sauce without pasta for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat until steaming hot.
- Meat swap: Ground turkey works, but the sauce will be lighter. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil if using very lean meat so it does not taste flat.
- Spice control: The cinnamon, allspice, and cloves are traditional, but they should not taste like dessert. If you are unsure, start with a little less clove and cayenne, then adjust after simmering.
- Texture tip: Do not brown the beef if you want the classic fine texture. Simmering the raw beef in water breaks it into tiny pieces and keeps the sauce smooth.
Cook's note
Ingredient note: For the spaghetti, use 1 pound dried spaghetti, cooked until just tender, then drained. For serving, have 3 to 4 cups finely shredded mild cheddar cheese ready, plus optional diced onion, warm kidney beans, oyster crackers, and hot sauce. These toppings are part of the Cincinnati chili experience and let each person choose their “way.”
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
What makes Cincinnati chili different from regular chili?
Cincinnati chili is a spiced meat sauce, usually served over spaghetti. It has warm spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, and it is thinner and smoother than many bean-based chilis.
Do beans go in Cincinnati chili?
Beans are usually a topping, not cooked into the chili. Add them for a 4-way or 5-way serving, depending on whether you are also using onions.
Can I brown the beef first?
You can, and the sauce will still taste good, but it will have a chunkier texture. For a more traditional Cincinnati-style sauce, break the raw beef into cold water and simmer it.
How do I keep the chili from tasting too sweet or too spicy?
The warm spices should be balanced by salt, vinegar, tomato, and Worcestershire sauce. If it tastes too sweet, add a small splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt. If it is too spicy, serve it with extra spaghetti, beans, or cheese.
What cheese should I use for serving?
Use mild cheddar and shred it finely if you can. The fine shreds make the familiar fluffy pile on top and melt slightly from the heat of the chili.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
6 servings
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat30 g
- 39%
- Saturated Fat11 g
- 57%
- Cholesterol107 mg
- 36%
- Sodium877 mg
- 38%
- Total Carbohydrate62 g
- 22%
- Dietary Fiber3.8 g
- 14%
- Total Sugars3.3 g
- Protein36 g
- 73%
- Vitamin D0.2 mcg
- 1%
- Calcium56 mg
- 4%
- Iron5.4 mg
- 30%
- Potassium725 mg
- 15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Values are estimated from the ingredient list; actual amounts vary with brands, portion sizes, and substitutions.
05Keep cooking
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