Recipes Dinner Chili Cincinnati Chili 4.0 (2) 2 Reviews Cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg spice up this Cincinnati Chili recipe, which has plenty of toppings, including cheddar cheese, red kidney beans, and onions. By Adam Dolge Updated on January 29, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 25 mins Refrigerate Time: 12 hrs Total Time: 14 hrs 25 mins Servings: 6 Cincinnati chili is not your average bowl of chili. As Food & Wine executive features editor Kat Kinsman explains, there's a certain structure to how to order it: Two-Way (or just chili spaghetti), Three-Way (chili, spaghetti, and shredded cheddar cheese), and Four-Way (chili, spaghetti, cheddar cheese, and onions or beans). It's also served over hot dogs and in sandwiches. The chili gets depth from plenty of spices, such as cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, with a light kick from cayenne. We've opted to add unsweetened cocoa powder as well, which melts right into the sauce and makes it even richer (although Kinsman points out that chocolate in Cincinnati chili might not be quite as classic as believed). We went all-out and included yellow onion, red kidney beans, and cheddar cheese topping options to complement the luscious chili; pick your favorite options for a choose-your-own-chili adventure. It's key to let the chili refrigerate for at least 12 hours so the flavors can meld. Once reheated, all that's left is assembling your masterpiece. Add a little orange zest on top for an extra-bright finish. Ingredients 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef 2 cups beef broth 2 cups water 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 3 cups yellow onions (from 2 small [7 ounces each] onions), finely chopped, plus more for serving if desired 2 tablespoons minced garlic (from 6 large garlic cloves) 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 12 ounces uncooked spaghetti, cooked according to package directions 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional) 4 ounces cheddar cheese (about 1 cup), shredded (optional) 2 teaspoons orange zest (from 1 orange), grated (optional) Directions Place ground beef, broth, and water in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high. Using a wooden spoon, break beef up into small pieces. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low. Stir tomato sauce, onions, garlic, chili powder, cocoa, Worcestershire sauce, salt, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, black pepper, nutmeg, and cloves into beef mixture in pot. Return to a simmer over medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until beef is very tender and mixture reduces to a thick consistency, about 1 hour. Remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until flavors have melded, at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. Skim fat from chili, and discard. Bring chili to a simmer over medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Season with additional salt to taste. Spoon chili over cooked spaghetti. If desired, top with beans, cheddar, and orange zest; garnish with additional onions. Rate it Print