Cincinnati Chili

5 from 5

Classic Cincinnati Chili is a unique comfort food classic. It’s slow simmered and then served 1 of 5 ways. A midwestern favorite in a bowl, over spaghetti, or on top of a hot dog. Great lunch or dinner!

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cincinnati Chili recipe

Servings:

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 quart water , or amount to cover
2 small sweet onions , finely diced
4 cloves garlic , minced
15 ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
For serving: cooked spaghetti, shredded cheddar cheese, diced onions, and chili beans

Instructions

Place ground beef in a large pan, cover with the water and bring to a boil; stirring and breaking up the beef with a fork into a fine texture. Gently simmer until thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and place pan in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, skim off the solid fat from the top of the pan and discard.
Place beef mixture over medium heat and stir in all the other ingredients; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours to absorb all the flavors and thicken. (Add a little water, if necessary, to avoid chili from sticking to the pan and/or burning.)
Discard the bay leaf and cloves (if you can find them!)
Serve 1 of 5 ways (see below notes) and enjoy!
Note: calorie count does not include serving/topping suggestions.

Video

Notes

2-Way: Chili served over spaghetti.

3-Way: Chili served over spaghetti with shredded cheddar cheese.

4-Way: Chili served over spaghetti with diced raw onions and shredded cheddar cheese.

5-Way: Chili served over spaghetti with warmed canned red kidney beans, diced raw onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Nutrition