Cincinnati Skyline Chili Recipe

Cincinnati style chili is a Midwestern specialty out of Ohio that will completely change what you think chili can be! Our version delivers bold, unexpected flavors from warm spices like cinnamon and chocolate combined with savory beef, creating a sauce so unique and delicious you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried this sooner. Served over spaghetti with your choice of toppings, this recipe brings authentic Cincinnati flavor to your kitchen.

My husband and I were introduced to this style of chili in college, where a go-to late night spot on campus served their own version of this dish. I’ll be honest, he loved it way more than I did at first. But after extensive research into authentic Cincinnati chili recipes and making this dish at home dozens of times over the past 15+ years, we’ve fine-tuned the sauce to flavor-packed perfection. We’ve tested both the traditional boiling method and the browning method, experimented with different spice ratios, and even tried versions with and without chocolate to determine what creates the most delicious taste. Through all this testing, we’ve determined that browning the meat first creates significantly more depth of flavor than the traditional boiling method, even if it’s not completely authentic.

What makes our version special is that we’ve taken the best of both worlds: the authentic spice profile that makes Cincinnati chili unique, combined with technique improvements that enhance the flavor without losing what makes this dish a beloved regional specialty. I’m happy to say that after perfecting this recipe, I’ve been completely swayed to the skyline side.

Skyline Chili Recipe Ingredients

• Beef broth. This is one of the main bases of our sauce, adding rich and savory flavor to our dish.
• Tomato paste. The other base of our sauce, tomato paste adds a rich burst of meaty ‘umami’ flavor, mild acidity, and a touch of sweetness while also acting as a natural thickener due to it’s concentrated nature.
• Unsweetened baking chocolate. While skyline purists may debate if chocolate is added in the original’s sauce (this is a highly contested topic), using just 1 ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate in our sauce adds depth and richness to our dish and helps your homemade version taste like the classic.
• Lots of spices! Including chili powder, ground cinnamon, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, allspice, dried sage (or ground cloves), chipotle flakes, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. We weren’t kidding about this sauce being flavor-packed! The cinnamon, allspice, and cloves are classic skyline ingredients, however we’ve come to prefer using dried sage in place of ground cloves. Give whichever one you prefer a try!
• Granulated sugar. We use just a little bit of sugar to help create a wonderfully balanced sauce.
• Apple cider vinegar. Adds the perfect pop of tang, acidity, and a little bit of natural sweetness to our sauce’s flavor profile.
• Lean ground beef. Beef, it’s what’s for dinner! But really, ground beef is the classic meat used for Cincinnati style chili. We like to use a 96/4 lean ground beef to reduce/minimize the need for skimming off fat (and for a healthier option too).
• Spaghetti noodles for serving. Skyline chili is served over spaghetti… it’s just a thing! You can use regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free noodles.

Get ingredient measurements and full recipe directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

How to Make Cincinnati Style Chili (Skyline Chili)

In a large skillet, brown the beef over medium-high heat (about 7-10 minutes).

Add the spices and sugar to the skillet and cook until fragrant (about 30-seconds).

Stir in the tomato paste and unsweetened baking chocolate, scraping the bottom of the pan to release anything that’s stuck on.

Add the apple cider vinegar and beef broth to the pan, stirring to combine.

Allow the mixture to simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, until the sauce has thickened quite a lot.

Serve the chili whichever “way” you’d like (see the ‘How to Serve Cincinnati Skyline Chili’ section below for how to do so!).

Cincinnati Chili Recipe Variations

Boil the meat in the sauce without browning it first. This is the more traditional way of making this style of chili, but we’ve found it’s simply more flavorful and extra delicious when you brown the meat first. If you choose to do this, mix up your sauce first, then crumble the raw ground beef into the sauce. Then use a potato masher, whisk, or fork to break up the meat into very fine pieces.

How to Store this Cincinnati Chili Recipe

Store fully-cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. To do so, portion it out into freezer safe zip-top bags, labeled and dated. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.