Vegetarian Cincinnati Chili (5-Way)

Total time1 hr 20 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time1 hr

Layered spaghetti, warm kidney beans, and a deeply spiced, cinnamon-and-chocolate-tinged sauce come together in this Cincinnati classic, all finished with piles of finely shredded cheddar and crisp raw onion. The sauce gets its signature depth from an unusual sweet-spice blend—cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and a touch of dark chocolate—simmered down until it's thick enough to coat a spoon. Every bowl is built the traditional way, stacked layer by layer so each bite carries a little of everything: tender noodles, hearty beans, rich sauce, and that final cheesy crown. Oyster crackers on the side add the perfect crunch to round things out. This version comes together as a satisfying vegetarian option, so you get all that iconic Cincinnati flavor without missing a beat. It's a fun, comforting weeknight project that rewards the low simmer with real complexity in every forkful.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chili

1 lb lean ground beef
Gardein Ultimate Plant Based Frozen Ground Be'f - 13.7 Oz Impossible Foods Ground Beef Meat from Plants - 12 oz Beyond Meat Beyond Beef Plant Based Ground Beef - 16 Oz MorningStar Farms Crumbles Plant Based Protein Vegan Meat Grillers - 12 Oz Lightlife Smart Ground Original Plant-Based Crumbles
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Chef's tip
Pick the form that matches the recipe - a raw, moldable ground for patties, meatballs, or meatloaf; crumbles only for loose browned meat. Cook it in the recipe like the meat, checking doneness against the package guidance.
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
Chef's tip
Use the same amount of low-sodium vegetable broth. The dish will taste lighter and less meaty; a mushroom-rich vegetable broth gives the closest beefy flavor.
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate, finely chopped

For serving

12 oz spaghetti
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 cups cheddar cheese, finely shredded
Chef's tip
Shred it and warm it gently; dairy-free cheddar melts best baked into a dish.
oyster crackers, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Add the ground beef, finely diced onion (for the chili), and minced garlic to a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, breaking the beef into very fine crumbles with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is softened, about 8–10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
2
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.

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