When I first moved to the mid-west I had no clue what Indiana chili was. And when I found out what it was, I was confused. Isn’t pasta in chili sorta kinda the same as spaghetti meat sauce? Well, no, no it’s not. It’s actually pretty darned good. I admit it, I’ve come around to the idea and on a cold, windy winter day, it’s the perfect dish for warming you up and recharging you. Hey, you need all the energy you can get when shoveling your driveway!
You can make this Indiana chili Cincinnati-ish by adding a pinch of cinnamon. That was another twist that was new to me when I moved here. Adding cinnamon to a chili is another thing that has grown on me. It has to be subtle, but I love the flavor in a great chili like this one.
Speaking of Cincinnati (and the surrounding areas), stop by a Skyline Chili when you’re in the area and order some Indiana chili. They do know how to make chili!
Also try my Texas-style chili. It’s definitely a different take on chili than this mid-west favorite!
Indiana Chili
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 15 ounce cans chili beans undrained
- 2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
- 60 ounces water beef broth can be substituted
- 1 packet chili seasoning mix or more!
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- dried red pepper flakes to taste
- 8 ounces spaghetti or your favorite pasta
Instructions
- Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Brown in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the onion and cook until just softened. Drain. Remove to a bowl.
- Add the beans, tomato sauce and 4 cans of water to the large pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the chili seasoning, chili powder, sugar, and pepper flakes. Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil.
- Add the browned ground beef and onion. Stir.
- Bring to a slow boil and let simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente (generally 2 minutes less than the time stated on the box). Drain.
- Once the chili is done stir in the pasta and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.