Cincinnati chili may seem like a head-scratcher of a dish: Is it a chili or is it a pasta? The answer is both. This iconic combination of spaghetti topped with a hearty, spiced chili, and often a pile of brightly colored, shredded cheddar cheese, hails from the Midwest. It may seem sacrilegious to those with other notions of chili, but this is definitely worth a try. Plus, it makes for a quick and filling weeknight dinner.
What Is Cincinnati Chili?
Cincinnati chili was created in immigrant restaurants in the Midwest in the 1920s. It’s ground beef simmered in a sauce filled with Mediterranean spices. There are two key ingredients in Cincinnati chili that differentiate it from other kinds of chili: ground cinnamon and dark chocolate. The final chili is more sauce-like in texture, and not as thick as a chili normally eaten with a spoon. It’s similar to Greek pasta sauces or the type of chili that’s served on chili dogs.Cincinnati chili is often served layered in an oval dish: cooked spaghetti, chili, and optional toppings of shredded cheddar cheese, kidney or chili beans, and minced onion.
Main Ingredients in Cincinnati Chili
- Ground beef: Get lean ground beef if you can, or drain off any excess grease from the pan before you add the spices. A lot of traditional Cincinnati chilis just boil or simmer the beef without browning, but we like the deeper flavors that browning first adds.
- Aromatics: Like most good chilis, this one starts with sautéed garlic and onions.
- Spices: One surprising ingredient is the large quantity of ground cinnamon, a spice usually found in sweets. Cinnamon adds a warm note to the spice blend that also contains chili powder, allspice, and cumin. While Cincinnati chili is normally not spicy, you can also add some cayenne for a kick.
- Cocoa: Cocoa or unsweetened baking chocolate is the other key ingredient in Cincinnati chili—it adds deeper background flavors. I like to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder over baking chocolate since it’s easier to find and I always have some in my pantry.
- Liquids: The chili is simmered in a sauce made with tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar.
- Toppings: Cooked kidney or chili beans, minced onions, and shredded cheddar cheese are the traditional toppings for Cincinnati chili. Orange cheddar is the most traditional. Shred it very finely so it tops the chili in a brightly colored, fluffy cloud.
How to Serve Cincinnati Chili
Cincinnati chili is not meant to be eaten by itself, and it’s always served over spaghetti (although you could go rogue and serve it over hot dogs for a killer chili dog). To truly experience Cincinnati chili though, you should try it with toppings. Here’s the lingo you need to know on how to order it properly:- Two-way: Spaghetti topped with chili (the basics).
- Three-way: Spaghetti, chili, and finely grated cheddar cheese (lots of it!).
- Four-way: Spaghetti, chili, minced onion, and cheese on top.
- Five-way: Spaghetti, chili, minced onions, kidney or chili beans, and cheese on top.
