This Chili Spaghetti recipe falls into the category of tummy filling meals that won't break the bank. The simple ingredients start with lean ground beef and light red kidney beans all smothered in a robust homemade chili sauce. After cooking until the flavors have perfectly married, the chili is then tossed with steamy al dente spaghetti. Top it off with a heaping helping of cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and for the finishing touch a sprinkling of sliced green onion for crunch.
Easy Chili Spaghetti Recipe
This chili spaghetti is one I serve when I have a crew to fill-up on a dime, or on a day when my boys are watching sports and entertaining. It's a tasty, albeit subtle, change to a straight-up bowl of chili. When you have growing sons, keeping them full can be a challenge, and there's nothing I love more than a house full of them and their friends wanting something to eat. Hungry eaters are my favorite kind of people to have around the kitchen table, I'm always delighted to oblige.
How to Make the Best Chili Spaghetti Recipe
This recipe for Chili spaghetti is sometimes referred to as Cincinnati spaghetti. It's the same concept, just with a few ingredient twists straight from my kitchen to yours.
- Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Chili Spaghetti recipe: Olive oil, poblano peppers, diced onion, lean ground beef, garlic cloves, dark chili powder, Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce to enhance the flavor of the beef, light red kidney beans, ground cumin, garlic salt, lemon pepper and cooked spaghetti.
- To save time, the chili sauce can be made in advance then warmed and tossed with the cooked spaghetti just before serving. You can also freeze the chili sauce for up to 2 months. It's a great way to have ingredients ready to go on busy days.
- You could adapt the chili sauce recipe using ground chicken or ground turkey.
- To get everyone involved, set-up a toppings bar for serving. Stock it with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onion, pickled jalapenos, cilantro and sliced black olives then let everyone build their own personal masterpiece.
- Store leftover chili spaghetti in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in single portions in the microwave.
- This dish is delicious served with a side of crackers like it's Cincinnati cousin or for us, apiece of warm buttered Green Chile Cheddar Cornbread or sweet Skillet Honey Cornbread seals the deal.
More Southern Style Chili Recipes to Make
Serve this kicking spaghetti on game day or any day that you need delicious family friendly eats. You may also like to try these chili inspired recipes:
- For game day or casual meals with the family, you'll love my smothered Chili Cheese Cornbread Muffins.
- Chili Cheese Frito Pie is ideal for dinner any day of the week.
- Pull out those pressure cookers and make Instant Pot Beef and Bean Chili in no time flat.
- Cozy up to a big bowl of Texas Style Chili where no beans are allowed.
- White Chicken Chili is milder but not lacking in flavor.
- Slow Cooker Chili Verde from The Magical Slow Cooker.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Chili Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium poblano pepper seeded and diced
- Olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely diced
- 2 lb lean ground beef
- 2 10 oz cans Rotel Chili Fixin's seasoned tomatoes
- 1 16 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 16 oz can light red kidney beans, drained
- 2 tablespoon dark chili powder
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic salt add more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 lb spaghetti cooked
- Assorted toppings: shredded cheddar cheese sour cream, sliced green onion, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, sliced black olives
Instructions
- Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil. Add the diced onion and poblano pepper. cooking over medium-high heat until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic cooking for 1 minute longer.
- Add the ground beef to the pan. Continue to cook over medium-high until browned and no pink remains. Drain all excess fat from the pan.
- To the skillet add the seasoned tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, garlic salt and lemon pepper with the cooked beef. Stir well.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- To serve, toss half of the chili with the cooked spaghetti. Divide into serving bowls and top with additional chili then finish with your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
Jen
Top this with a fried egg...
Michelle
Too funny that we both posted chili spaghetti recipes around the same time! Great minds definitely do think alike! Lol. It's a big family favorite in our house, I'm going to have to try your version too!
Melissa
It's true Michelle, great minds. ☺ We're both feeding families and this one goes a long way with my boys. Yours looks amazing, too!
Katherine
Chili spaghetti? Sounds incredible! Love economical meals.
Melissa
It's a fun dish!
Ron
I experienced Chili Spaghetti in Cincinnati some years back and have been a fan ever since. Haven't had it for awhile, but have a bunch coming over for Soccer Sunday and this will be the main.
Melissa
Perfect game day eats, Ron.