Cincinnati Chili

Name: Cincinnati Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef; 2 cups water; 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce; 1 onion, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp chili powder; 1 tbsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp allspice; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp cocoa powder; 2 tbsp cider vinegar; 1 lb spaghetti, cooked; Shredded cheddar and diced onion, for serving

6 servings15 min prep60 min cookMedium United States

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Cincinnati Chili

Story updated September 17, 2026

Cincinnati chili was created in 1922 by Macedonian immigrant brothers Tom and John Kiradjieff at their Empress Chili restaurant, who spiced a thin meat sauce with Mediterranean notes of cinnamon and clove and ladled it over spaghetti. Ordering it "ways" (3-way, 4-way, 5-way) became a beloved local ritual.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

2 lbs ground beef
2 cups water
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 lb spaghetti, cooked
Shredded cheddar and diced onion, for serving

Instructions

1Combine ground beef and water in a pot and break up the meat with a spoon as it simmers.
2Stir in tomato sauce, onion, garlic, and all the spices.
3Simmer uncovered 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened into a smooth sauce.
4Stir in the cider vinegar during the last 5 minutes.
5Serve the chili ladled over spaghetti ("three-way").
6Top with shredded cheddar and diced onion.

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