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Slow Cooker Cincinnati-Style Chili

Okay, so this one might seem a little different if you've never had Cincinnati chili before—but trust me, it's incredible! The warm spices like cinnamon and cocoa give it such a unique, complex flavor that'll have everyone asking what your secret ingredient is. Serve it over spaghetti with a mountain of cheese (the traditional "three-way"), and watch it disappear!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound spaghetti cooked
  • Shredded cheddar cheese diced onions, and kidney beans for topping

Method
 

  1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces. Drain fat and transfer to slow cooker.
  2. Add onion, garlic, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, and apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker.
  3. Stir in all the spices: chili powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, allspice, cayenne pepper, and salt. Add bay leaves.
  4. Mix everything together until well combined. The mixture will be fairly thin—that's exactly what you want!
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.
  6. To serve Cincinnati-style: Place a portion of cooked spaghetti in each bowl, ladle chili on top, and pile high with shredded cheddar cheese. Add diced onions and warm kidney beans if you want to make it a "five-way"!