One of my favorite meals to serve for a fall dinner party is Cincinnati Chili also known as Skyline Chili Cincinnati. It’s a rich beefy bean-less chili with a unique blend of Mediterranean spices. It is an easy meal that can be made ahead and it always gets rave reviews!
Are you wanting more recipes that are perfect for fall or anytime? You may enjoy one of my Delicious Fall Soup Recipes. For when you have a craving for something sweet, try one of my favorite Fall Dessert Recipes. Baked sweet bread, cheesecake, and more – Yum!
Thank you for stopping by today. Please check out more delicious recipes, comment and let me know how your family liked this one!
I am really excited to share this recipe with you because it is such a great party food. What makes it the ideal party food – or game day food – is that you can serve it in so many ways. Try it like the locals eat it, served on spaghetti with shredded cheddar cheese.
This picture doesn’t do it justice. There is a nice broth that coats the noodles and we load the top with shredded cheese. You can even add a little crunch with corn chips and spice it up with chopped onions on top!
What is different about Cincinnati Chili?
So you may be wondering what the difference between chili or chili con carne versus Cincinnati Chili. The difference is that it is a bean-less meat sauce that uses a unique blend of spices. You eat it on top of pasta versus serving it as a bowl of soup.
Tom and John Kiradjief first made Cincinnati Chili in the early 1920s at their chili parlor in Cincinnati. They wanted to cater to the immigrant population and the working-class people around them. So they created what is known as Cincinnati chili. Their chili was actually a modified Greek stew served on top of spaghetti.
You may ask – why serve it on spaghetti? Meals during that time were focused on providing starch-based and filling foods. The brothers blended several immigrant cultures and voila you have a hearty meat sauce “chili” served on spaghetti.
The biggest difference is the addition of unsweetened chocolate and allspice. Some more traditional versions call for cinnamon and Worcestershire Sauce. Feel free to add these ingredients if you want to test out different flavor profiles.
When simmering Cincinnatti Chili you want it to be about the consistency of a spaghetti meat sauce. You want to be able to toss the spaghetti and get chili all over the noodles. While normal chili you want it a bit thicker.
Control the thickness of the sauce by adding more liquid to thin or simmer longer to thicken.
How do you Make Cincinnati Chili from Scratch?
So if you can’t make it to the original Skyline restaurant you can make your own! The preparation process is simple. Just follow along with the recipe to make an awesome Cincinnati style chili. Trust me this is a great recipe.
Here’s what you will nEEd
- 4 medium onions, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves (optional), finely minced
- 4 pounds lean ground beef
- 8 cups beef broth
- 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 bay leaf
- 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- salt (this will be added to taste)
- 2 boxes spaghetti noodles or rotini pasta
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (use in the Chili Paste Spice Mixture)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use in the Chili Paste Spice Mixture)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (use in the Chili Paste Spice Mixture)
- 1 teaspoon flour (use in the Chili Paste Spice Mixture)
- 2 tablespoons of water (use in the Chili Paste Spice Mixture)
Equipment
- Large pot (affiliate link)
- Large spoon
preparing Cincinnati Chili Recipe
Begin by preparing the Chili Paste Spice Mixture. Mix the three tablespoons of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, one teaspoon of ground cumin, one teaspoon of flour, and two tablespoons of water together. Once mixed sit aside.
Then, in a large pot brown hamburger, add in onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent. Drain any fat from the meat mixture.
Next, add the beef broth, tomato sauce, and allspice. Cook over low heat for about 1/2 hour. Stir in the chili paste mixture. Add bay leaves, ground cloves, vinegar, chocolate, and salt, to taste.
After mixing all of the ingredients together, cover and cook over low heat for about an hour. I like to let it simmer for about 3 hours. Don’t let it get too thick. More broth can be added.
Prepare the spaghetti noodles when there are approximately 20 minutes remaining in the chili’s cook time. When the chili and spaghetti are done, serve the chili ladled over the spaghetti.
While the spaghetti is cooking you can prepare a topping tray. Toppings typically include cheddar cheese, cooked kidney beans, chopped onion, and oyster crackers. This is when your family and friends can make it their own and enjoy it however they like.
You can also make perfect coney hot dogs smothered in Cincinnati Chili. Who wants all the toppings?
This amount will feed about 15 (or more).
If you have a large crowd to feed we are huge fans of the walking taco!
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CINCINNATI CHILI AKA SKYLINE CHILI COPYCAT RECIPE
Ingredients
Meat and Spice Mixture
- 4 medium onions finely chipped
- 8 cloves garlic optional, finely minced
- 4 pounds lean ground beef
- 8 cups beef broth
- 2 can 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Chili Spice Paste Mixture
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 2 tablespoons water
Pasta
- 2 boxes spaghetti noodles or rotini
Instructions
- In large pot brown hamburger, add in onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Drain any fat.
- Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, and allspice. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Add bay leaves, ground cloves, vinegar, chocolate, and salt, to taste.
- Stir in the chili paste mixture.
- Cover and cook over low heat for about an hour. I like to let it simmer for about 3 hours. Don't let it get too thick. Add more broth if needed.
- Prepare the spaghetti noodles when there are approximately 20 minutes remaining in the chili's cook time. When the chili and spaghetti are done, serve the chili ladled over the spaghetti.
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To all you commenters who question Cincinnati Chili. Born and raise west coaster here who lived in Cincinnati (the ‘natti) for a summer, interning at P & G. I shook my head at the thought of this chili on spaghetti thing- but TRY IT. It’s DANG good! Put away prejudices and call it something other than “chili” if you have to (that’s what I did!). It’s like a crazy-good hearty non-tomato marinara.
To cindylouh- I can’t wait to try this recipe. It seems like each one is just a tiny bit different.
Thanks!
Oh my goodness! I LOVE cincy chili! Unfortunately, many of the people around here don’t have the proper respect for its goodness. (I still make it anyway; hello Coney Dog!)
Oh my gosh, I love Cincinnati Chil!!! I am pinning this on Pinterest for you!
What have y’all been smokin? lol Chocolate in Chili??? Sounds like someone was pregnant when they came up with this. It is so different I have to try it. I don’t think I will tell anyone what is in it until after they eat it. We have pot luck at church once a month, this will be something different.
I’m from Cincinnati too, and it always cracks me up to hear people talk about how strange this chili seems to them. It is as normal as meat and potatoes around here! I prefer Gold Star to Skyline, but it’s all good! I’ve actually never made it myself though, so I’ll have to try it.
I just made Cincinnati Chili last week…..very similar recipe. It is my favorite chili……alone or over pasta or rice.
Mmmm looks good! This is going on the menu plan for next week!
I think this would be a great one to freeze too! As we have a baby on the way, and I want to build up my freezer meal stash.
I first saw the photo and thought, “Chili over pasta???” But from the other comments I read, I take it that it must be pretty darn good! 🙂 I will have to give it a try! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It sounds delicious, and that is what my children go for! I’ll give it a try.
As a Cincinnati resident I feel compelled to post 🙂 This chili is definitely not your standard “texas” chili. It does not have a strong tomato flavor. If you eat it expecting typical chili, you won’t get what you are expecting. It has a very unique flavor. I grew up in the south and when I moved here it took me a little while to aquire a taste for Cincy style chili. Now I am HOOKED! Try it over spagetti noodles topped with lots of cheddar (3-way) or add beans (4-way) Some locals like it 5-way with onions, beans and cheese.
Thank you! I think you have solved a huge problem for me!!! This looks like something my whole family might eat when they come from Christmas!! Yay!
We’ve been to Cincinnati 4 times now for medical treatment for my son and we always see the signs for the chili restaurants. I just can’t bring myself to try it. For some reason it grosses me out. The last time we were there my husband decided he was going to try it and he said it was pretty good. We go back next week for my son and maybe I’ll give it a go this time.
OMG! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I love Skyline Chili and I’m bettting this will taste exactly the same. I’ve been craving the stuff!!!!!
does this taste similar to regular chili with beans? And how best would I scale this down? I have been looking for years for a beanless meat chili recipe, since my husband is allergic. And I miss chili so much I have been begging my dad to make a batch to share with me.