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    Home / Dinner / Cincinnati Chili

    Cincinnati Chili

    A uniquely spiced, cinnamon-touched meat sauce served over spaghetti and topped with shredded cheddar and onion.

    ⏱ 15 minPrep time
    🔥 90 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Cincinnati chili over spaghetti topped with cheddar, onions and beans

    A uniquely spiced, cinnamon-touched meat sauce served over spaghetti and topped with shredded cheddar and onion.

    Skyline-style, five ways

    Greek immigrants made chili their own in Cincinnati — thin, aromatic, and sweet-spiced, ladled over spaghetti and buried in cheese.

    Midwest recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Crumble the ground beef into a large pot with the onion and garlic; cook over medium heat, breaking it up, until no longer pink.
    2. Add the tomato sauce, water, chili powder, tomato paste, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, and salt.
    3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
    4. Serve Cincinnati-style over cooked spaghetti, topped with shredded cheddar, chopped onion, and oyster crackers.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    The spices are the soul of this chili — cinnamon, allspice, and cloves make it unmistakable. Cincinnati chili is meant to be thin; don't thicken it.

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    Recipe details

    Prep15 min
    Cook90 min
    Servings6
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 16, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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