Cincinnati Chili
Aug 28, 2025 04:20 PM
Cincinnati Chili – a saucy, spiced beef chili poured over spaghetti and smothered in cheddar. Weird? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely.
When I first told my husband I was making chili… over spaghetti… with cinnamon in it… he looked at me like I’d finally lost it. “That’s not chili,” he said. And to be fair, it’s not the chili you grew up with. But it is the kind that once you try it, you’ll catch yourself craving out of nowhere on a Tuesday.
This is Cincinnati Chili, meaty, spiced, cozy, and completely different from the chunky, beany stuff most of us are used to. It’s got warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, no beans (unless you want them), and it’s traditionally served over spaghetti and topped with a mountain of shredded cheddar.
My husband is now a full convert. He asks for it by name. Or sometimes just says, “Hey, are you making that pasta chili again?”
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
For Serving
- cooked spaghetti
- cheddar cheese (shredded)
- onions (chopped)
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
135 minutes
Total Time:
145 minutes
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