You’re probably familiar with traditional chili — a big bowl of red bursting with beef, vegetables, beans and spices that’ll make you sweat.
But you might not know Cincinnati chili. It’s a whole different beast.
It’s soupy, dotted with tiny grains of meat and onions, and infused with a savory-sweet-not-too-hot spice blend redolent of cinnamon and cocoa. Plus, it’s traditionally served over spaghetti.
For those in the know, Cincinnati chili is positively addictive.
This traditionally beef-based dish is gaining an even wider audience as chili houses along the Ohio-Kentucky border develop excellent vegetarian and vegan versions.
“Cincinnati is a big Catholic town,” says Charlie Howard, vice president of marketing for Gold Star Chili. “Lent is a big deal.”
So the big chili chain developed a veggie- and bean-filled vegan version of its popular Cincinnati chili a few years back.
“I wouldn’t say it’s an exact taste profile, but it’s very close,” Howard says. “It still has that same Cincinnati spice palate.”
At Melt, a cozy vegan-friendly diner in Cincinnati’s eclectic Northside neighborhood, a pot of meat-free Cincinnati chili starts with local, organic vegetables like onions, peppers and tomatoes, along with textured vegetable protein — a meat substitute — that has been bloomed in Bragg Liquid Aminos to soften it and give it a flavor boost. Melt’s version has beans and plenty of that cinnamon-cocoa spice blend to give it an authentic zip, says diner employee Adam Fights.
Vegans, who eat no animal products, can order the chili topped with a tangy cheese substitute made from roasted garlic, cashews and tofu.
At Gold Star, vegan diners have even been known to BYOC (Bring Your Own Cheese) to top their meat-free chili, Howard says.
But the key to Cincinnati chili, whether it has meat or not, is the spice blend.
Colonel De Stewart (a Kentucky colonel, like Colonel Sanders of KFC fame, is an honorary designation bestowed on people who have done exemplary deeds for the Commonwealth of Kentucky) founded his Colonel De spice company nearly a decade ago. He sells more than 400 spices and blends — including seven chili seasonings — but his Cincinnati chili blend is consistently a good seller.
“It’s very unique,” Stewart says. “Most people around here think it’s Greek. But (Cincinnati chili) actually comes from Macedonia, where they don’t mind cinnamon on their protein. It’s the cinnamon and the cocoa that sets it apart from other chilies.”
Stewart’s blend also includes chili powder, sea salt, cayenne, cumin, allspice, cloves, bay leaf and vegetarian Worcestershire powder.
He recommends a tablespoon or so of spice blend per 1 to 2 pounds of meat or meat substitute.
But, Stewart adds, “It’s all a matter of taste.”
Vegetarian/vegan Cincinnati chili
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Makes: 4-6 servings
Heather Lalley developed this chili from versions tasted in Cincinnati and from the Colonel De recipe. As with most chilis, it’s even better the next day.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (reserve half for serving)
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, wiped clean and very finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced, about 1 tablespoon
8 ounces ground seitan (such as Upton’s Naturals), or soy crumbles (such as Gardein)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups water
2 to 3 tablespoons commercial chili spice blend (or homemade spice blend, see recipe)
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground seitan or soy crumbles. Cook for several minutes, stirring frequently.
2 Add wine and 1/2 cup water. Use a potato masher or the back of a spatula to break meat substitute into fine bits. Add 1 tablespoon chili spice blend. Stir well. Add remaining water, tomato sauce and apple cider vinegar (chili will be soupy).
3 Turn heat to low; simmer, about 45 minutes. Add another tablespoon of chili spice blend; stir well. Simmer, 15-20 minutes; taste and adjust seasonings.
4 Serve over spaghetti, with loads of shredded cheese (vegan or dairy), reserved chopped onion, and/or small red beans, and plenty of oyster crackers.
Nutrition information per serving (for 6 servings): 136 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 681 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Cincinnati chili spice blend
Adapted from Saveur Magazine
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Combine all spices in a small bowl. Add to chili as directed in above recipe. You may not use all of the spice mix, depending on your taste.
Have it your way
Cincinnati chili is ordered based on how one tops it. Here’s how to decode the ways:
Two-way: Chili atop spaghetti
Three-way: Chili on spaghetti with shredded cheddar
Four-way: Chili, spaghetti, shredded cheddar, onions
Five-way: Chili, spaghetti, shredded cheddar, onions, beans
Also popular is the four-way bean, with beans subbing in for onions.
To order Cincinnati chili spice blend, go to colonelde.com or call 513-421-4800.
