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.
Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Amazing Skyline Chili. If you like this style, you’ll LOVE this recipe.” – Danny
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.
What is Skyline Chili?
Skyline chili, which has become almost synonymous with Cincinnati chili, hails from the Midwestern city of Cincinnati, Ohio nearly 100 years ago. In short, you can liken it to “chili spaghetti” with a unique sauce flavored with spices like clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. It was created by immigrants to the area and became a local specialty / novelty that folks from Cincinnati continue to rave about. You can get more in-depth details about Cincinnati chili in this great article from Food & Wine magazine, written by a local.
I’ll be the first to tell you, this dish isn’t for everyone. It’s unique sauce, serving it over spaghetti, and ways of serving it (see more details in the ‘How to Serve Cincinnati Chili’ section below) are not what most people think of when they hear chili. BUT, if you’re ready for a fun flavor experience and trying something new, give this skyline chili recipe a try!
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 Serve Cincinnati Skyline Chili
Keeping things authentic, you can order (and serve) your Cincinnati style chili from 2 to 5 “ways”:
Two-Ways: chili served over spaghetti… aka chili spaghetti.
Three-Ways: chili over spaghetti, topped with a hearty portion of finely shredded cheddar cheese.
Four-Ways: chili over spaghetti with cheddar plus either chopped raw onions OR kidney beans.
Five-Ways: also known as “the works” has you enjoying chili over spaghetti with cheddar and chopped raw onions AND kidney beans.
Topping your skyline chili off with some oyster crackers is also acceptable and encouraged (although it doesn’t get added to the official “ways” you can order your chili).
Serve it Over a Hot Dog to Make a ‘Coney’
Thought this chili was unique already? While, take it to the next level and make a Coney! Similar to a chili dog, this Cincinnati style hotdog is a treat.
A standard Coney is served by topping an all-beef hotdog on a plain bun with yellow mustard, skyline chili, and diced onions. Make it a cheese Coney by adding a mound of shredded cheddar too!
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.
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Copycat Skyline Chili (Cincinnati Style Chili)
Ingredients
Skyline Chili Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (96% / 4% blend recommended)
- ¼ Cup chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground all-spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage (or ground clove)
- ½ teaspoon chipotle flakes
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 , 6 ounce can tomato paste
- ½ ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 Cups beef broth
Ingredients for Serving
- cooked spaghetti
- shredded cheddar cheese
- optional: diced onion, kidney beans, oyster crackers
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it down into small crumbles while doing so (about 7-10 minutes).*
- One the meat is browned, drain or spoon off any excess fat.*
- Add all of the spices and the sugar (chili powder, cinnamon, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, all-spice, sage, chipotle flakes, cayenne, black pepper, salt, and sugar) and cook until fragrant (about 30-seconds) to open up the spices.
- Add the tomato paste and unsweetened baking chocolate, stirring to break down and melt, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any bits that may have stuck.
- Pour in the apple cider vinegar and beef broth, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve over spaghetti (known as "two-ways") or over a hot dog (called a Coney) and enjoy! *See the 'How to Serve Cincinnati Skyline Chili' for more information on how to serve this dish "three-ways", "four-ways", or "five-ways" too. Our photos show this dish being served "three-ways" with oyster crackers.
Danny B says
Amazing Skyline Chili. If you like this style, you’ll LOVE this recipe.
Meredith says
🙌 so happy to hear you loved it Danny!
Marge says
Very unique flavor, and super yummy!