Cincinnati Chili
Ingredients
- 6 cups water – cold
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion – finely chopped (~2 medium yellow onions)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano – crushed between fingers
- 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper – freshly ground
- 1 ounces unsweetened chocolate – finely chopped (~1 n/a unsweetened chocolate)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar – packed
- 12 ounces spaghetti – cooked al dente (for serving)
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese – finely shredded (for serving)
- 1 cup yellow onion – finely chopped (for serving) (~1 medium yellow onion)
- 15 ounces canned kidney beans – rinsed and warmed (for serving)
- 2 cups oyster crackers – (for serving)
- hot sauce – (for serving)
Instructions
1. Combine the ground beef and cold water in a large pot or Dutch oven, breaking the meat apart with your fingers or a whisk until it is very fine and uniformly dispersed. Add the finely chopped onion (for the sauce) and kosher salt.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam, 10–15 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, minced garlic, chili powder, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground allspice, ground cloves, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, and black pepper until evenly combined.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chili slightly thickens but remains pourable and spoonable, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
5. Stir in the unsweetened chocolate, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer 15 minutes more. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then skim excess fat. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. While the chili finishes, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain well. Warm the canned kidney beans in a small saucepan with a splash of water until heated through.
7. To serve: 2-way = spaghetti topped with chili. 3-way = add a mound of finely shredded cheddar cheese. 4-way = add finely chopped onion. 5-way = add warmed kidney beans. Serve oyster crackers and hot sauce at the table.
Cincinnati Chili is a uniquely spiced, pourable meat sauce with a silky, fine-grained texture and a savory-sweet aroma. Unlike Southwestern chilis, it leans on warm Mediterranean spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, rounded by chocolate and vinegar for depth and brightness. It’s ladled over spaghetti and finished “two-way” through “five-way” with cheddar, onions, and beans, delivering an unusual but irresistibly balanced bowl-and-plate experience.
Born in Ohio’s Queen City, the dish was developed by Greek and Macedonian immigrant restaurateurs in the early 20th century. They adapted familiar meat sauces to American tastes, serving them over spaghetti and hot dogs to create a new regional staple. Today, Cincinnati Chili is a cultural emblem, with iconic parlors and fiercely held preferences about spice profiles, thickness, and the proper “way” to order.