Cincinnati Chili Recipe (2024)

This recipe is: dairy free egg free nut free

Have you ever tried Cincinnati Chili? It’s seasoned with a unique blend of spices and chocolate, then served over spaghetti! Make it a “five-way” and top with beans, onions and dairy free cheese. This is great for serving a crowd or enjoying chili like a local Ohioan.

Jump to Recipe

Seasoned with spices and chocolate, this Cincinnati chili recipe has a unique taste that’s unlike any other style of chili. It’s served over spaghetti and topped with beans, onions and cheese.

The cheese is easily swapped to make it dairy free. Cincinnati chili is a great meal for serving a crowd, and can be individualized to each person’s taste.

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

What I love about Cincinnati chili

Whenever I am day dreaming of fall and cold weather I make do by making soups, stews, pumpkin and – of course – chili! Chili is probably one of my favorite things to eat. I like almost all kind of chili and am rarely disappointed with nice big bowl of spicy meat (and beans sometimes).

My favorite of favorites though is for sure Cincinnati style. When I was in high school, our neighbors (and really great friends) were from just outside of Cincinnati and would bring us seasoning packs to make it, but the packs aren’t available around here, so I’ve learned to make it from scratch.

If you love Cincinnati chili, check out my recipe for Skyline chili dip.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

Large stockpot

How to make Cincinnati Chili

Combine dry ingredients. Mix the spices together in a small bowl or jar. Set aside.

Sauté the onions and garlic. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and garlic. Let them cook, stirring as needed, until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the spice mixture and stir to coat the onions.

Brown the beef. Next, add the meat and let it brown, breaking it into small pieces as it’s cooked through (no longer pink).

Simmer the chili. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Let it cook down until it gets a bit thicker. This is usually when I cook the pasta.

Serve the chili. I like to add my beans into the chili because we all like beans in our house, but traditionally they’re served as a topping.

How to serve Cincinnati chili

Cincinnati chili is traditionally served with several options for toppings. The more toppings, the more “way” you choose. I like all of the toppings so I like mine “five-way” and even though I’m not supposed to, I put the beans in when I’m cooking the chili.

You can obviously leave them out and use them as a topping if you prefer. You can read more about the different ways to pile the chili on your plate here, but the layers include chili, spaghetti, beans, onions and cheese.

FAQS and tips for making Cincinnati Chili

What is different about Cincinnati chili?

Traditional Cincinnati chili is made with chocolate and cinnamon, which aren’t included in other versions of chili. It’s served over spaghetti and topped with beans, onions and cheese.

What kind of meat is in Skyline Chili?

Skyline chili, and other Cincinnati chili recipes are made with ground beef.

What is a Cincinnati three way?

This game day recipes

More chili recipes you’ll love

Cincinnati Chili

Print Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

4 from 1 review

Have you ever tried Cincinnati Chili? It’s seasoned with a unique blend of spices and chocolate, then served over spaghetti! Make it a “five-way” and top with beans, onions and cheese. This is great for serving a crowd or enjoying chili like a local Ohioan.

Author: Melissa Belanger
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Yield: 8 1x
Category: Main Course
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground all-spice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 bay leaf
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound package spaghetti
1 medium onion, diced
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or vegan cheese shreds)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Combine the chili powder, paprika, cumin, all spice, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Sauté the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes.
Add the spice mixture and coat the onions, cooking until fragrant.
Add the ground beef, cooking until no longer pink and breaking the meat into small pieces.
Add salt, tomato sauce, tomatoes, bay leaf, chocolate, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
Simmer for about 30 minutes or until thick. (Cook pasta while waiting for the chili to simmer)
Add beans 5-10 minutes before serving.
Strain pasta, top with chili and serve with cheese and extra onions.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 469
Sugar: 4.9 g
Sodium: 858.3 mg
Fat: 25.7 g
Saturated Fat: 12.4 g
Carbohydrates: 25.3 g
Fiber: 5.2 g
Protein: 35.1 g
Cholesterol: 99.9 mg

Published: October 16, 2012. Updated: October 3, 2023.

Melissa Belanger

Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another co*cktail Blog, a co*cktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.