Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the beef and onion
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef with the onion until the beef is no longer pink, stirring as it cooks (about 8-10 minutes). You should see browned crumbles and softened onion pieces.
Simmer the chili sauce
- Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, cocoa powder, and cinnamon to the pot, then stir to combine (1-2 minutes). Bring it to a simmer until the mixture looks cohesive and dark red-brown.
- Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken slightly and smell like warm spices.
Cook the spaghetti in the pot
- Stir in the broken spaghetti and continue simmering until tender, about 8-10 minutes. The spaghetti should be cooked through and the sauce should coat it like a thick chili.
Finish with cheddar
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the top. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts into a gooey layer.
Notes
Pro tip: break the spaghetti into smaller pieces so it cooks evenly in the chili without clumping. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is yes—freeze up to 2 months, then thaw and reheat gently. For a lower-fat option, use 90% lean or extra-lean ground beef and slightly reduce the cheese amount.