Cincinnati Five-Way Chili

Cincinnati five-way chili is a unique dish that blends savory, spicy chili with a variety of toppings and served over a bed of spaghetti. Accordingly, the “five-way” refers to the five key components that make up the dish. It starts with a base of finely ground, seasoned beef chili. Hence, it’s different from typical chili because it’s flavored with a mix of spices like cinnamon, cloves, and chocolate. It gives it a rich, slightly sweet undertone. The dish includes:

1. Spaghetti – The chili is poured over a mound of al dente spaghetti noodles.
2. Chili – The signature Cincinnati-style chili is spread over the pasta, which is much thinner and spicier than typical Texas-style chili.
3. Beans – A layer of kidney beans adds some texture and heartiness to the dish.
4. Onions – Finely chopped onions provide a sharp, fresh contrast to the rich chili.
5. Shredded Cheddar Cheese – The dish is topped with a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese, which melts beautifully over the warm chili and pasta.

Cincinnati five way chili is usually served with oyster crackers on the side for a crunchy bite. Some people like to add hot sauce or extra cheese for even more flavor. It’s a beloved regional dish, with a distinct flavor profile. It’s both comforting and a little different from traditional chili.

Cincinnati Five Way Chili

Cincinnati chili is a unique type of chili that's flavored with not just chili powder but lots of other spices, including cinnamon, allspice, chocolate, and cloves.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Servings: 8 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 Lbs. Ground Beef Lean
• 2 Onions Medium chopped for browning with meat.
• 20 Ounces Tomato Sauce
• 2 Tbl. Vinegar
• 4 Cloves Garlic Minced
• 2 Tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Ounce Chocolate Unsweetened
• 1/4 Cup Chili Powder
• 1 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tsp. Cumin
• 1 Tsp. Cinnamon Ground
• 3/4 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 5 Cloves Whole
• 5 Allspice Berries Whole
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Tsp. Paprika Sweet
• 1/4 Tsp Nutmeg Grated
• 1 Tbl. Brown Sugar Light & Packed
• 1 16Ounce Can Kidney Beans
• 2 Tbl. Ketchup
• 1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce Sweet & non-smokey
• 1 Lb. Spaghetti Thick
• 1 Tbl. Canola Oil
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Sweet Onion Finely Chopped for topping the spaghetti.
• 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded

Method

 

1. In a small bowl combine chili powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cloves, paprika and nutmeg.
   
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add ground beef to the pot; cook until meat is browned, breaking up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon.
   
4. When the beef is browned, add in chopped onion, garlic, spice mix; stir/sauté 1 minute.
5. Add in tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, water, BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, chocolate, and bay leaf.
6. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
7. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hour. It should look more like a thick sauce than the chili most people are used to.
8. Remove bay leaf.
9. While mixture cooks, prepare spaghetti. Distribute between 8 bowls.
10. Spoon chili over spaghetti.
11. Top chili with cheddar cheese, finely chopped onion, and kidney beans. This is then five-way chili.

Notes

Created in 1922 by a northern Greek immigrant who wanted to put some of the Old Country spices into chili. This chili can be eaten several ways. One-way chili: spiced chili alone. Two-way chili: chili on top of spaghetti. Three-way chili: chili on top of spaghetti, topped with shredded cheese. Four-way chili: chili on top of spaghetti, topped with shredded cheese and chopped onion. Five-way chili: chili on top of spaghetti, topped with shredded cheese, chopped onion, and beans. In five-way chili, the cheese should be on top of the beans and the onion on top of the cheese.