Slow cooker Cincinnati chili is a thin, cinnamon-scented meat sauce poured over spaghetti, and it only tastes right when the raw beef is stirred into cold liquid and cooked for hours on LOW instead of being browned first in a skillet.
Below are 10 ways to make it for a family dinner, from the classic three-way to a lentil version, each with the one detail that decides how it comes out. The usual complaint is a pot of clumped beef, or a sauce that tastes like plain taco meat instead of Cincinnati chili. This page gives you the order of steps, the timing and the fixes, so you know what to do when the pot looks wrong.
Pick one in a minute from the table, and if you want other chili ideas afterward, the crockpot chili recipe is a good next stop.
Break raw ground beef apart in cold broth, cook it 6 to 8 hours on LOW, and serve the thin sauce over separately cooked spaghetti with finely shredded cheddar.
Quick answer
For a first try, make the classic three-way (1) or the make-ahead batch (7). Both cook on LOW, forgive a late dinner and need no browning. Break the raw beef apart in the cold broth and the sauce stays smooth.
What is slow cooker Cincinnati chili?
Slow cooker Cincinnati chili is a fine-textured beef sauce seasoned with cinnamon, allspice, cocoa and cumin, simmered 6 to 8 hours and served over spaghetti. It is not a bowl of chunky chili with beans. The sauce is thin on purpose, so it coats the noodles, and you put the cheese on top by the handful.
A “way” is the order of toppings: three-way adds shredded cheese, four-way adds onions or beans, and five-way adds both. For a heartier pot, see these ground beef comfort food recipes.
Pick the right Cincinnati chili in one minute
| Preview | Idea | Best for | Hands-on time | Avoid if | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Classic Three-Way | A first Cincinnati chili | Low · 6-8 h | You want a chunky chili | Jump to recipe |
 | 2. Four-Way With Onions | Anyone who likes a sharp bite | Low · 6-8 h | Onions bother your family | Jump to recipe |
 | 3. Five-Way With Beans | Feeding a hungry crowd | Low · 6-8 h | Someone dislikes beans | Jump to recipe |
 | 4. Cocoa and Allspice Version | Deeper, darker flavor | Low · 6-8 h | You dislike warm spices in savory food | Jump to recipe |
 | 5. Ground Turkey Version | A lighter dinner | Low · 5-6 h | You want a rich, fatty sauce | Jump to recipe |
 | 6. Cincinnati Coneys | Game day and kids | Low · 4-6 h | You want spaghetti | Jump to recipe |
 | 7. Make-Ahead Freezer Batch | Busy weeks and meal prep | Low · 6-8 h | You have no freezer space | Jump to recipe |
 | 8. Workday Hands-Off Pot | Leaving the house at 8 a.m. | Low · 8 h | Your cooker has no warm setting | Jump to recipe |
 | 9. Cincinnati Chili Mac | Using leftover chili | High · 30 min | You dislike mixed-up dishes | Jump to recipe |
 | 10. Lentil Cincinnati Chili | A meatless night | Low · 7-8 h | You expect the beef texture | Jump to recipe |
For a first try, make the classic three-way (1) or the make-ahead batch (7). Both cook on LOW, forgive a late dinner and need no browning. Break the raw beef apart in the cold broth and the sauce stays smooth.
An instant-read thermometer settles the 160°F question in five seconds for every beef version below.
How do you choose a slow cooker Cincinnati chili?
- Which beef survives 8 hours: 85/15 ground beef gives you the classic texture, while 93/7 turns dry and mealy. Skip the browning, because browned beef sets into crumbles and your sauce loses its smooth coat.
- How much liquid: use about 3 cups of broth or water for 2 lb of beef. Your sauce should pour, and it thickens as it cools.
- What to add at the end: add vinegar, Worcestershire and extra cinnamon during the last 30 minutes, because long cooking dulls them. You should cook the spaghetti separately.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: the Base Method
Start with cold broth and raw beef
Pour cold broth into the pot first, then add the raw beef and break it apart right away. Cold liquid keeps the meat from seizing into clumps, so the sauce stays fine and smooth.
Set the time for your day
Most recipes here take 6 to 8 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH. LOW gives the smoothest sauce, so use HIGH only when dinner is close.
Cook the spaghetti separately
Boil the pasta on the stove just before serving. Noodles left in the pot go soft and cloud the sauce.
1. Classic Three-Way
Classic three-way is the baseline every other recipe in this list bends away from: spaghetti, a thin finely textured chili, and a snowdrift of mild cheddar. The beef goes in raw and cold, which is the whole trick, because the proteins never seize into clumps and the sauce ends up loose and almost silky rather than chunky.
The flavor is warm, not hot. Cinnamon, allspice and a little cocoa sit behind the tomato, and a splash of cider vinegar at the end wakes everything up. It suits anyone who has only ever had Texas-style chili and wants to see why Ohio does it differently.
The one catch is skipping the whisking step. If you leave the beef in lumps, you get meatballs floating in sauce, so break it apart in the cold broth before the heat is ever turned on.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Classic Three-Way
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes8
hoursClassic Ohio-style Cincinnati chili built from raw beef stirred into cold broth, cooked low and slow until the sauce is fine and silky. Serve it over spaghetti with a pile of finely shredded cheddar for the three-way.
Ingredients
2 lb 85/15 ground beef, raw
3 cups cold beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 lb spaghetti, cooked separately
3 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- Pour the cold broth into the slow cooker first, before anything else goes in. Starting cold is what keeps the beef from clumping later.
- Whisk in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion and garlic until the paste dissolves. The liquid should look evenly orange with no red streaks.
- Add the cocoa, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt. Whisk for a full minute so the cocoa has no dry pockets floating on top.
- Crumble the raw beef into the pot and break it apart with a potato masher or whisk. Keep going until no piece is larger than a pea, about 3 minutes.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first hour, because the pot needs to come up to temperature undisturbed.
- Stir once at the 30 minute mark and once more near the end. The chili is ready when the beef is no longer pink, the sauce coats the back of a spoon and a thin film of fat shimmers on top.
- Skim the surface fat with a spoon, then stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire. Taste and add salt a pinch at a time, because the cheese will add more.
- Cook the spaghetti separately in well-salted water until just tender, about 9 minutes. Drain it but do not rinse, so the sauce clings.
- Pile spaghetti on each plate, ladle the chili over it and finish with a heap of fine cheddar that melts into the sauce. Serve right away.
Notes
- Do not brown the beef; raw beef in cold broth is what gives the smooth, fine texture. Swap 85/15 for 90/10 beef if you prefer less fat, but add a tablespoon of oil so the spices still bloom. The chili keeps 4 days in the fridge and tastes better on day two, and it freezes for 3 months in flat bags. Reheat gently with a splash of broth and cook fresh spaghetti each time.
Stainless potato masher
Breaks the raw beef apart in the cold broth so the chili stays fine, not chunky.
Fat separator
Lets you pour off the orange fat after the long cook without losing the sauce.
Instant-read thermometer
A quick check that the beef reached a safe temperature before you serve.
2. Four-Way With Onions
Four-way adds a scoop of raw chopped onion between the chili and the cheese. It looks like a small change, but the sharp crunch cuts straight through the warm spices and the fat, and it turns a soft, sweet plate into something with real contrast.
Here the chili itself is a touch brighter than the classic, with a little more vinegar and a pinch of cayenne, because the onion needs a sauce that can stand up to it. It suits people who find three-way a bit one-note and want texture without adding beans.
The catch is the onion cut. Dice it about 1/4 inch and keep it dry, or it slides off the cheese and waters down the first bites.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Four-Way With Onions
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes8
hoursCincinnati chili with a layer of raw diced onion between the sauce and the cheese for crunch and bite. The sauce is slightly sharper than the classic so it holds up to the onion.
Ingredients
2 lb 85/15 ground beef, raw
3 cups cold beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced for the sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lb spaghetti, cooked separately
2 large white onions, diced 1/4 inch, for topping
3 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- Pour the cold broth into the slow cooker and whisk in the tomato sauce and tomato paste until smooth. Cold liquid keeps the beef loose later.
- Stir in the diced sauce onion, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne and salt. Whisk until no dry cocoa remains on the surface.
- Add the raw beef and mash it apart with a potato masher until the pieces are pea-sized or smaller. This takes about 3 minutes and is worth doing thoroughly.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Resist lifting the lid in the first hour.
- Stir at 30 minutes to catch any clumps the masher missed. By the end the beef should be fully gray-brown and the sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire in the last 20 minutes, then taste. Add salt only if the sauce tastes flat, since cheese is salty.
- Dice the topping onions while the chili finishes and keep them in a bowl in the fridge. Cold, crisp onion is the point of this recipe.
- Cook the spaghetti separately until just tender, about 9 minutes, and drain without rinsing. Divide it among warm plates.
- Ladle chili over each plate, add a generous scoop of the raw onion, then finish with a thick layer of cheddar. Serve immediately so the onion stays crisp.
Notes
- Use a sweet or white onion for topping if raw yellow onion is too sharp for your family. Soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes and pat dry to mellow it. The chili base can be made two days ahead, but dice the topping onion on the day you serve. Leftover sauce freezes for 3 months; leftover onion does not freeze well, so buy only what you need.
Box grater with container
Catches the mountain of cheddar and keeps the counter clean.
3. Five-Way With Beans
Five-way is the full plate: spaghetti, chili, kidney beans, onions and cheese, stacked in that order. It is the version that feeds a hungry table on a small budget, because a can or two of beans stretches the pot a long way and adds fiber.
The texture is the big difference. The chili stays fine and loose, while the beans stay whole and creamy on top, so every forkful has soft and firm parts. Flavor is the same warm spice base as the others, with a little extra tomato to balance the beans.
The catch is the beans. Add them to the pot for 8 hours and they collapse into paste and cloud the sauce, so warm them separately and spoon them on at the table.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Five-Way With Beans
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes8
hoursThe full Cincinnati plate: spaghetti, fine chili, whole kidney beans, onion and cheddar. The beans are warmed separately so they stay intact.
Ingredients
2 lb 85/15 ground beef, raw
3 cups cold beef broth
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb spaghetti, cooked separately
1 cup finely diced onion for topping
3 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- Pour the cold broth into the slow cooker and whisk in the tomato sauce and paste until fully blended.
- Add the diced onion, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Whisk for a minute so the spices disperse evenly.
- Crumble in the raw beef and break it up with a potato masher until no piece is larger than a pea. Do this before the heat is on.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Stir once near the 30 minute mark.
- Check the chili at the end: the sauce should coat the back of a spoon and the beef should be completely cooked through with no pink.
- Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire, then taste and adjust salt. Keep the pot on WARM while you finish the sides.
- Rinse the kidney beans well to remove the canning liquid, then warm them in a small saucepan for 5 minutes with a splash of broth. They should be hot but still hold their skins.
- Cook the spaghetti separately until just tender, about 9 minutes, then drain without rinsing.
- Build each plate in order: spaghetti, chili, a scoop of beans, diced onion, then a heap of cheddar. Serve at once while the beans are still warm.
Notes
- Keep the beans out of the slow cooker, because long cooking turns them to mush. Pinto or black beans work if you prefer them to kidney beans. Store the chili, beans and spaghetti in separate containers for up to 4 days so nothing goes soggy. The chili alone freezes for 3 months. Serve with oyster crackers on the side, as is traditional.
4. Cocoa and Allspice Version
This is the darker, deeper Cincinnati chili. It uses 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa, a full teaspoon of allspice and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon for 2 lb of beef, which is roughly double the classic spice load.
The cocoa never tastes like dessert. It gives the sauce a bitter, roasted depth similar to a mole, while the allspice adds a clove-and-pepper warmth. The color goes from brick red to nearly brown, and the sauce turns glossy.
It suits cooks who liked the classic but wanted more going on. The catch is old spices: ground cinnamon and allspice that have sat in the cupboard for years taste like dust here, so use jars opened within the last year.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Cocoa and Allspice Version
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes8
hoursA darker, spice-forward Cincinnati chili with double cocoa, extra cinnamon and a full teaspoon of allspice. The result is deep and glossy like a mole, not sweet.
Ingredients
2 lb 85/15 ground beef, raw
3 cups cold beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp packed brown sugar, to balance the cocoa
1 lb spaghetti, cooked separately
3 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- Pour the cold broth into the slow cooker and whisk in the tomato sauce and tomato paste until no streaks remain.
- Sift or press the cocoa through a small sieve into the pot, then add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Whisk hard for a full minute, because cocoa clumps easily.
- Add the onion, garlic, salt and brown sugar and stir to combine.
- Crumble in the raw beef and mash it apart until it is pea-sized or smaller. Smooth sauce depends on this step.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first hour.
- Stir once after the first 30 minutes to break up any remaining clumps, then leave it alone.
- When done, the chili should look dark mahogany, with a glossy surface and a sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Skim off the visible fat.
- Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire, then taste. If it tastes bitter, add another pinch of brown sugar; if flat, add salt.
- Cook the spaghetti separately until just tender and drain it. Serve the chili over the pasta and top with plenty of cheddar.
Notes
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa, not hot chocolate mix. If you cannot find allspice, use a pinch of nutmeg plus a pinch of black pepper. This version is even better on day two, when the spices have settled. It keeps 5 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Serve with a spoon of sour cream for a mole-style finish.
Large 13×21 slow cooker liners
The cocoa sauce is dark and sticky, so liners make cleanup easy.
5. Ground Turkey Version
Ground turkey makes a lighter Cincinnati chili, but it is not a simple swap. Turkey has far less fat to carry the spices, so this recipe adds a spoon of olive oil and a little extra broth, and the sauce stays fine instead of going dry and crumbly.
The taste is cleaner and a little sweeter than beef, so the cinnamon and cocoa come forward more. The texture is softer and the finished sauce is paler. It suits families who eat less red meat, and it cooks faster, in 5 to 6 hours on LOW.
The main catch is safety and doneness: turkey needs 165°F in the middle, which is higher than beef, so check with a thermometer rather than by color.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Ground Turkey Version
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes6
hoursA lighter Cincinnati chili made with ground turkey, extra oil and broth so it stays silky. It cooks in 5 to 6 hours on LOW and is done at 165°F.
Ingredients
2 lb ground turkey, 93% lean, raw
3 1/2 cups cold chicken or turkey broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 lb spaghetti, cooked separately
3 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- Pour the cold broth and the olive oil into the slow cooker and whisk in the tomato sauce and tomato paste. The oil replaces the fat that beef would have given.
- Add the onion, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, paprika and salt. Whisk for a minute so the spices dissolve.
- Crumble in the raw turkey and break it apart with a potato masher until it is as fine as you can get it. Turkey clumps more than beef, so be thorough.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Stir once at 30 minutes.
- At the 5 hour mark, insert an instant-read thermometer into a thick part of the sauce. The turkey is done at 165°F, and there should be no pink anywhere.
- If the sauce looks thick, stir in a splash of hot broth. It should coat the back of a spoon without being pasty.
- Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire, then taste and adjust salt. Turkey needs a little more seasoning than beef.
- Cook the spaghetti separately until just tender, about 9 minutes, and drain it.
- Serve the chili over the spaghetti and finish with a generous handful of cheddar.
Notes
- Use 93% lean turkey; 99% lean turkey turns grainy even with added oil. Ground chicken works the same way. Do not leave turkey chili on WARM for more than 2 hours. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Add a squeeze of lemon at the table if the flavor seems flat.
6. Cincinnati Coneys
A Cincinnati coney swaps spaghetti for a hot dog in a soft bun, topped with the same fine chili, a line of yellow mustard, diced onion and a pile of cheddar. It is a handheld version of the dish and the one people actually eat at game day and ballpark stands.
The chili for coneys is thicker than the spaghetti version. This recipe uses about 2 cups of liquid per 2 lb of beef so the sauce stays on the bun instead of running down your wrist. The flavor is meaty and mildly spiced, with the mustard supplying the tang.
It suits a crowd and a long hold on WARM. The catch is the thickness: if the chili is runny, simmer it uncovered on HIGH for 20 minutes before serving.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Cincinnati Coneys
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes5
hoursA thicker Cincinnati chili built to stay on a hot dog bun, served with mustard, onion and cheddar. It holds for hours on WARM for game days and crowds.
Ingredients
2 lb 85/15 ground beef, raw
2 cups cold beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
10 all-beef hot dogs
10 soft hot dog buns
Yellow mustard, for serving
1/2 cup finely diced onion, for topping
2 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- Pour the cold broth into the slow cooker and whisk in the tomato sauce and tomato paste. This batch uses less liquid than the spaghetti version, so measure carefully.
- Add the onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice and salt, and whisk until smooth.
- Crumble in the raw beef and mash it until the pieces are very fine. Fine texture matters more here because the chili has to sit on a bun.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 3 1/2 hours. Stir at the 30 minute mark.
- Check the thickness at the end. If it runs off the spoon, uncover the pot and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes until it mounds slightly.
- Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire and taste for salt. Switch the pot to WARM.
- Heat the hot dogs by simmering them in a pot of water for 6 minutes or until hot through. Warm the buns in a low oven for a few minutes.
- Set a hot dog in each bun, stripe it with mustard, then spoon on a generous layer of chili.
- Top with diced onion and a heap of cheddar. Serve right away, with extra chili in the pot for refills.
Notes
- Use natural-casing all-beef hot dogs for the best snap. The chili will thicken further on WARM, so loosen it with a splash of broth if needed. It holds for 4 hours on WARM with the lid on. Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours, store up to 4 days, and freeze in flat bags for 3 months.
7. Make-Ahead Freezer Batch
The freezer batch doubles the recipe to 4 lb of beef in a 7-quart slow cooker and is designed for the freezer, not for the table that night. You cook once, portion it, and have six dinners of Cincinnati chili ready on a rushed weeknight.
The sauce is slightly thicker than the other versions, since freezing and reheating adds moisture back, and the spice is a touch bolder so it survives the freeze. Flavor is classic: cinnamon, cocoa, allspice, tomato. It suits busy households, new parents and anyone cooking ahead.
The catch is cooling. Do not bag hot chili: let it sit for 2 hours on the counter, then chill it, or it will warm the freezer and form ice crystals. More recipes like this are in the freezer meals list.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Make-Ahead Freezer Batch
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy12
servings20
minutes8
hoursA double batch of Cincinnati chili cooked in a 7-quart slow cooker and frozen flat in portions. Cool it fully first, and you have a dozen servings ready for busy nights.
Ingredients
4 lb 85/15 ground beef, raw
6 cups cold beef broth
2 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 large yellow onions, finely diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp chili powder
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 lb spaghetti per meal, cooked fresh at serving time
Directions
- Pour the cold broth into a 7-quart slow cooker and whisk in the tomato sauce and tomato paste until smooth.
- Add the onions, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt, and whisk for a full minute.
- Crumble in the raw beef in handfuls, mashing each handful apart before adding the next. A double batch clumps easily, so take your time.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 9 hours or HIGH for 5 hours. Stir at 30 minutes and again at 2 hours on LOW.
- The chili is ready when the beef is fully cooked and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire, then taste for salt.
- Turn the cooker off and let the chili cool uncovered for 2 hours. Skim the fat from the top with a spoon.
- Label the freezer bags with the date and portion. Ladle about 2 cups into each bag, squeeze out the air and seal.
- Lay the bags flat on a baking sheet in the freezer for 3 hours until solid, then stack them upright like files. Flat bags thaw in about 20 minutes in a bowl of cool water.
- To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge, heat in a saucepan with a splash of broth and cook fresh spaghetti. Top with cheddar.
Notes
- Freeze portions of 2 cups so each bag feeds two people. Chili keeps for 3 months in the freezer before the spices fade. Thaw in the fridge, never on the counter, and reheat until steaming hot. Leave the pasta and cheese out of the bags, as they freeze poorly. A 6-quart cooker can handle 3 lb of beef if you do not have a 7-quart.
8. Workday Hands-Off Pot
The workday pot is the version for people who leave the house at 8 and return at 6. It runs 8 hours on LOW, then holds on WARM, so dinner is waiting and the house smells like cinnamon when you walk in.
To make this safe and good, a few details matter: a cold pot, cold broth, a slightly thicker sauce so extra hold time does not thin it out, and no stirring while you are gone. The flavor is a mild classic, a little less vinegar than the others since the acid fades over a long hold.
The catch is the clock. LOW for 8 hours and then WARM for 2 hours is the safe ceiling, so if you will be gone longer than 10 hours, use a programmable cooker or a plug-in timer.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Workday Hands-Off Pot
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes9
hoursA set-it-and-leave-it Cincinnati chili that cooks 8 hours on LOW and holds on WARM until you return. A cold start and a thicker sauce keep it safe and silky.
Ingredients
2 lb 85/15 ground beef, raw
2 3/4 cups cold beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, added at the end
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 lb spaghetti, cooked fresh at serving time
3 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- The night before, dice the onion, mince the garlic and measure the spices into a small bowl. Store the onion and garlic in a covered container in the fridge.
- In the morning, use a cold slow cooker insert straight from the cupboard. Pour in the cold broth, tomato sauce and tomato paste and whisk until smooth.
- Add the onion, garlic and the spice bowl and whisk for a minute. Hand-stirring now means you do not need to lift the lid later.
- Crumble in the raw beef and mash it until no piece is larger than a pea. This takes about 3 minutes and it is the only real work of the day.
- Cover, set the cooker to LOW for 8 hours, then to WARM if your model switches automatically. If it does not, use a plug-in timer.
- Do not open the lid while you are away. Every peek adds 15 to 20 minutes to the cook time.
- When you return, stir the chili. It should be dark and thick, with the beef fully cooked and the sauce coating the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire, then taste and adjust salt. Cook the spaghetti in 10 minutes while the chili rests.
- Serve over spaghetti with plenty of cheddar. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Hold on WARM for no more than 2 hours after cooking. Do not use a frozen starting pot or frozen meat, because it spends too long in the unsafe zone. If your cooker runs hot, 7 hours on LOW is enough. The chili keeps for 4 days and freezes for 3 months.
Two-probe thermometer
Lets you check the pot stays hot enough on WARM while you are at work.
9. Cincinnati Chili Mac
Cincinnati chili mac turns a leftover pot into a different dinner. You stir cooked elbow macaroni and cheese into the chili with an extra splash of broth, and heat it for 20 to 30 minutes on HIGH until creamy. Pasta timing is covered in add the noodles in the last hour.
The texture is closer to a baked pasta than to chili over spaghetti: thick, cheesy and spoonable, with the cinnamon warmth underneath. It suits children and picky eaters who like mac and cheese more than traditional Cincinnati plates.
The catch is the macaroni. Elbows keep drinking sauce while they sit, so cook them 1 minute short of tender, and keep a cup of extra broth ready to loosen the pot.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Cincinnati Chili Mac
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes1
hourA cheesy skillet-style dinner made by stirring cooked macaroni and cheddar into leftover Cincinnati chili. It takes about an hour and uses one slow cooker.
Ingredients
4 cups leftover Cincinnati chili
1 cup beef broth, plus more to loosen
8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked 1 minute short of tender
2 cups finely shredded mild cheddar, divided
1 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup finely diced onion, for topping
Oyster crackers, for serving
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
Directions
- Spoon the leftover chili into the slow cooker and pour in the broth. Break up any cold lumps with a spoon.
- Cover and heat on HIGH for 15 minutes until the chili is hot and steaming at the edges.
- Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in well-salted water until 1 minute short of the package time. Drain it well and toss with the butter so it does not stick.
- Stir the hot macaroni into the chili along with 1 cup of the cheddar, the cinnamon, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until the cheese has fully melted into the sauce.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes. The dish is ready when the sauce clings to the macaroni and bubbles gently around the edge.
- Check the consistency halfway through. If the macaroni has soaked up the sauce, stir in 1/4 cup of hot broth at a time until it is creamy again.
- If using peas, stir them in for the final 5 minutes so they stay bright green.
- Scatter the remaining cheddar over the top, cover for 3 minutes until melted, and turn off the heat.
- Serve in bowls topped with diced onion and oyster crackers.
Notes
- Use leftover chili that has been refrigerated for no more than 4 days. Small shells or rotini work in place of elbows. Make this on HIGH only; LOW is too gentle to heat the pasta through. Leftover chili mac reheats well with a splash of broth for 3 days. It does not freeze well once the pasta is added.
10. Lentil Cincinnati Chili
Lentil Cincinnati chili replaces the beef with 1 1/2 cups of brown lentils and 4 cups of vegetable broth, and keeps the full spice mix. It is the meatless version, and it is hearty enough that people who usually want meat do not feel the gap.
The texture is soft but intact: brown lentils hold their shape over 7 to 8 hours on LOW and become creamy at the edges, so the sauce thickens by itself. The flavor is earthier than beef, with the cocoa and cinnamon more noticeable, and a bit of soy sauce adds the savory depth that meat would have given.
The catch is the lentil type. Red and yellow lentils dissolve into mush in a slow cooker, so use brown or green lentils and rinse them well.
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili: Lentil Cincinnati Chili
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes8
hoursA meatless Cincinnati chili with brown lentils, vegetable broth and the same warm spices as the classic. The lentils hold their shape and thicken the sauce on their own.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
4 cups cold vegetable broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lb spaghetti, cooked separately
3 cups finely shredded mild cheddar
Directions
- Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water and pick out any small stones or shriveled lentils.
- Pour the cold vegetable broth into the slow cooker and whisk in the tomato sauce and tomato paste until smooth.
- Add the onion, carrot, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Whisk for a minute so the cocoa disperses.
- Stir in the rinsed lentils. No browning is needed, but make sure all of them are submerged in the liquid.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Stir once at 30 minutes.
- Check the lentils at 7 hours: they should be tender all the way through with no hard center, and the chili should be thick and stew-like.
- If the chili is too thin, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes. If too thick, stir in 1/4 cup of hot broth.
- Stir in the soy sauce and vinegar, then taste and add salt as needed. Mash a few lentils against the side with a spoon for a thicker sauce.
- Cook the spaghetti separately until just tender, drain it, and top with the lentil chili and a heap of cheddar.
Notes
- Use brown or green lentils; red lentils turn to mush. For a vegan plate, skip the cheddar and top with nutritional yeast or a vegan shred. Do not add salt at the start, since salt can toughen lentil skins. The chili keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months. Add a spoonful of cooked rice if you want it heartier.
If it goes wrong
- Clumped beef: the beef went into hot liquid or was browned first. Next time stir it into cold broth, and break it apart with a potato masher in the first 30 minutes.
- Greasy top: chill the pot and lift the fat off, or skim it with a spoon before you serve.
- Too thin or too thick: thin is correct for this chili. For a thicker pot, leave the lid ajar for the last hour; if it is too thick, stir in 1/2 cup of hot broth.
- Tastes flat: if you taste it and it is flat, add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in the last 30 minutes.
- Soggy spaghetti: cook the pasta separately and serve it only when your chili is ready.
How to Store and Freeze Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili
Cool the chili for 2 hours, then refrigerate it for up to 4 days. For longer storage, pack it flat in zip bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F. The sauce thickens as it cools, so stir in a splash of broth when you warm it.
Key takeaways
- Stir raw beef into cold broth and skip browning, because that keeps the sauce smooth.
- Cook beef to 160°F and turkey to 165°F, and check with a thermometer.
- Use about 3 cups of liquid for 2 lb of beef, since you want this chili thin on purpose.
- Add vinegar, cinnamon and Worcestershire in the last 30 minutes.
- Cook your spaghetti separately and add the toppings at the table.
- Make a double batch and freeze half flat in bags for a night with no cooking.
When the free version isn’t enough
A recipe gives you the order of steps, but it cannot tell you when your beef has reached a safe temperature. If you guess by color, you either overcook the pot or worry about it.
Common questions
Do you brown the beef for slow cooker Cincinnati chili?
No. Traditional Cincinnati chili is made by breaking raw beef apart in cold liquid, which keeps the texture fine and the sauce smooth. Browned beef sets into crumbles and the chili turns into a regular meat sauce.
How long does Cincinnati chili take in a crockpot?
Cincinnati chili takes 6 to 8 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH. Turkey and lentil versions are ready in about 5 to 8 hours. Beef is safe at 160°F.
What is the difference between three-way and five-way chili?
A three-way is spaghetti, chili and shredded cheese. A four-way adds onions or beans, and a five-way adds both. Each extra “way” is a topping, not a different recipe.
Why is Cincinnati chili cooked with cinnamon and cocoa?
The cinnamon, allspice and cocoa give the sauce its Mediterranean-style warmth, which is what separates it from Texas or taco-style chili. They add depth, not sweetness, when used in small amounts.
Can you freeze slow cooker Cincinnati chili?
Yes. Cool it for 2 hours, pack it flat in zip bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then heat it until it reaches 165°F.
What cheese goes on Cincinnati chili?
Mild cheddar, shredded very fine so it melts into a fluffy pile. Shred it yourself, because bagged cheese is coated and melts less smoothly. An instant-read thermometer helps you check the chili is hot enough to melt it.
