Cincinnati Chili Recipe
by Sommer Collier — on Sep 16, 2026 Yes, I put chocolate in my Cincinnati Chili, and once you taste it, you’ll understand why! I stick close to the classic Skyline-style recipe, simmering juicy ground beef and tomato sauce with warm baking spices and a bit of chocolate for that signature deep, savory, slightly sweet flavor. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and I love serving this iconic American dinner over spaghetti with plenty of shredded cheese and onions.
I love all-American fusion food, and I find that one-pot chilis and stews are among the best vehicles for making hearty dishes that combine great bits of ingredients and styles from different regions. Like my creamy white chicken chili recipe, Cincinnati chili is a classic mish-mash recipe beloved here in the states. You may know it as “that sweeter chili that people serve on spaghetti with a pile of cheese.” Or it’s often referred to as Skyline Chili, in honor of the restaurant in Cincinnati that made it famous. Whatever you call it, the recipe starts with a meaty, tomato-y base and seasonings, and then adds bittersweet chocolate to finish. This ultra rich and luxurious combination of savory flavors, and what I consider baking spices, give it a tantalizing flavor that’s more intense than classic American-style chilis. That’s probably why it’s traditionally served over spaghetti! (Then plenty of cheese and onion on top, please!)
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Familiar, But Unique – Cincinnati chili is a true melting pot of flavors with classic Central American flavors from chili powder and even a little bit of chocolate (like a molé) yet there are also Middle Eastern flavors included, with the note of cinnamon and clove. They work together beautifually!
All About the Accents – The meaty, savory chili has incredible flavor on its own. But what makes Cincinnati chili something truly special is how it’s served: Piled high on a bed of freshly cooked spaghetti with an enormous amount (some might say an ostentatious amount) of shredded cheddar cheese over the top, and then finished with diced fresh white onion.
Make Ahead Marvel – The chili itself is fabulous to make ahead and keep in the fridge and/or freeze. Like my green chili recipe and other chilis and stews, the flavors intensify as time goes on and the ingredients really meld together. Then just boil up fresh spaghetti and shred some cheese when you’re ready to serve!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Ground beef – Personally, I like to go all in and use a ground beef with a higher fat content. I use an 80/20 ratio to make the chili extra meaty.
- Olive oil – This is my favorite oil for high-heat cooking. Feel free to use any mellow-tasting high-heat oil you prefer, like avocado oil or canola oil.
- Veggies – Classic Cinncinanti chili is made with the same veggies you find in most chilis: sweet onion, green bell pepper, and fresh garlic.
- Seasonings – Again, the heart of the chili sticks to the familiar seasoning combination that includes chili powder, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and clove (or allspice).
- Base – I’m using traditional ingredients to make the broth of my copycat Skyline chili recipe: Tomato sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Chocolate – Here is where the magic happens! I use bittersweet or dark chocolate, both of which have a more mellow sweetness and more of a deep, earthy taste. This balances the richness of the other chili ingredients and makes the savory flavors pop. Don’t skip it!
- Red beans (optional) – However, you can skip these if you like. For a heartier chili, and one that has more protein and fiber, add a can of drained red beans to the mix along with the other base ingredients.
For Serving:
Typically I list these options down in the Serving Suggestions section of the post. But including at least one of these 3 ingredients is pretty mandatory. Oh, and one of those ingredients has to be pasta.
- Pasta – Hands-down spaghetti is THE best pasta for Cincinnati chili.
- Cheese – A handful of shredded cheddar cheeses is traditional because it adds and amazing melty-cheesy factor, and of course you want that to be part of any tradition.
- Onions – Use your choice of diced sweet onion or white onion. I like white onion for a nice sharp bite to bring out the sweeter meaty flavors of the chili.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep the Veggies – I start by getting out my cutting board and use a sharp knife to dice the onion and bell pepper into small, evenly-sized pieces. Then I finely mince the garlic, and set the board to the side. Having these ready to go will make the cooking process much faster and keep the meat from getting overcooked.
Brown the Beef & Veggies – Next, I get out a large heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop and turn on the heat to medium. Then I pour in the olive oil, let it get hot for a few seconds, and add the ground beef. Use a spatula to break any chunks apart and keeping stirring frequently as you add half of the onion, all of the bell pepper, and the minced garlic. I sauté the meat and veggies together for about 10 minutes, until the ground beef is no longer pink and the peppers and onion are just starting to soften.
Season & Sauce – Now I sprinkle in the spices and stir to get the meat and veggies evenly coated. Then I stir in the can of tomato sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. This is also when you will add drained red beans if you’re using them.
Add Chocolate – Lastly, I add the pieces of bittersweet or dark chocolate to the pot. Watch that it melts into the base as you continue to stir. You don’t want it to clump up!
Simmer & Cook Pasta – I bring the chili to a simmer (you might need to adjust the stovetop temp to medium-high or medium-low) and continue to stir every few minutes as it cooks… Make sure you are scraping the bottom to keep the chili from sticking and burning!
The chili will be ready in roughly 30 minutes. About halfway through this timeline, I start to make the pasta so it’s good to go when it’s time to serve the chili Cincinnati-style.
Recipe Variations & Serving Suggestions
Like at the classic Skyline restaurant, in my chili recipe you can make your Cincinnati chili and serve several different ways…
- 3-way is just spaghetti, chili, and a mound of shredded cheddar cheese.
- 4-way adds diced onion or red beans.
- 5-way includes both onions and red beans.
My personal favorite combination is 4-way with the diced onions on top! I have nothing against beans, but they are totally unnecessary here. However, feel free to change things up and choose whichever option floats your boat!
Leaner – Make the chili slightly less fatty but still flavorful by using a 90/10 fat ratio for the ground beef. Or swap it entirely for lean ground turkey.
Spicy – My Mexican street corn white chicken chili is a great example of how to add a kick of heat to this Cincinnati chili recipe! Add a pinch of cayenne powder to the combination of spices, top the chili with shredded pepper jack cheese, and/or dash in your favorite hot sauce before serving.
Storage Notes
Leftover chili is incredible! In fact, if you get the chance I recommend making and refrigerating the chili the night before. The longer the meat, sauce and spices sit together, the more the flavors meld and intensify. So you might also consider making a larger batch to meal prep for the week! However, you definitely want to make the pasta fresh when you’re ready to eat.
Cool the chili completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. And it’s great to freeze for up to 2-3 months. Again, transfer it to an airtight freezer-safe container, then wrap that container in a layer of aluminum foil for extra freezer burn protection. Then just thaw it in the fridge overnight and make fresh spaghetti to serve.
You can reheat leftover chili on the stovetop or in a microwave. But I recommend adding a small splash of beef broth or water to loosen it a bit and keep it saucy when reheated.
Frequently Asked Questions
A “dry” chili that isn’t saucy enough is likely due to using a really lean protein without enough fat to keep the meat juicy. Or it could be that you overcooked the chili, which causes a lot of evaporation and reduces the broth. If that’s the case, try stirring a small amount of beef broth to get it loose again.
Nope, I leave the lid off! This helps the base to cook down and make the veggies (and beans) tender more quickly. Covering the pot will trap in moisture and make the chili too saucy.
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More Soup & Stew Recipes
Cincinnati Chili Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 4 cups chopped sweet onion divided (or white onion)
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground clove or allspice
- 30 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 ounce bittersweet or dark chocolate
- Salt and pepper
For serving –
- 1 pound spaghetti cooked and drained
- 1 pound cheddar cheese shredded
- 30 ounces kidney beans drained (I skip this!)
Instructions
- Set a large 6-8 quart pot over medium heat. Place the olive oil in the pot followed by the ground beef. Brown the beef, breaking it apart into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Once the meat is broken up, add 3 cups of chopped onion (reserving the rest for later), chopped bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Stir and sauté the meat and veggies for 8-10 minutes until the onions are soft. Stir regularly.
- Once the onions are soft and sweet, stir in the tomato sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and bittersweet chocolate. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until the chili is thick, and a dark rich color. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions and drain. Then shred a large amount cheddar cheese. You should have one cup of chopped onion remaining for topping.
- When the chili has simmered for at least 30 minutes, it’s time to serve. Place a mound of spaghetti in each bowl, followed by a big scoop or two of chili, and a big scoop of shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle diced onion over the top and serve.
Hi, do you drain the fat after browning the ground beef? Thank you
It sounds incredible. But if I want to add the beans, when do I do that?
And how much is an ounce? in T. I will use a new cacao powder that has other ingredients, also.
Thank you so much. Will await your reply…
I know its a 5 already before making it. I will be making this by next week. Thank you for this yummy recipe.
I was skeptical about putting chocolate in chili but this recipe completely converted me, the bittersweet chocolate gives the broth the most incredible depth of savory, slightly sweet flavor that I’ve never experienced in any other chili!
Some years back I searched for a good recipe for chilli because some of the questionnable stuff served in various eateries both in the UK and in Asia where I live now. I read a dozen or so and in the end liked the BBC Good Food Guide’s recipe. It is almost the same as yours but no oregano and definitely not served over spaghetti! I just make this now from memory.
I have tried some of your other chilli recipes, green chilli pork, red pepper chicken crock-pot etc. All good!