Hearty and rich Instant Pot Cincinnati chili meat sauce is great over spaghetti or linguine pasta and topped with grated cheese and raw onions (or lightly pickled in our case). It's an iconic American-European fusion dish that will quickly become a family favorite.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, Chili, Ground Beef
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Calories 726kcal
Ingredients
Part 1: Cooking the sauce
1tablespoonolive oil
1onionmedium, finely diced
5clovesgarlicfinely diced
6oz.tomato paste170 g
2cupswater500 ml
1cupdiced tomatoestinned/canned
2lbs.ground beef1 kg
1teaspoonchilli powder
1teaspooncinnamon
½teaspoonallspice
½teaspooncumin
¼teaspoonclovesoptional
2teaspoonssalt
2tablespoonsWorcestershire sauce
Part 2: Thickening the sauce
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
1oz.dark chocolate25 g, chopped (we love 70% cocoa content rather than 100% for some extra sweetness)
1tablespoonplain flour or cornstarch for thickening
To serve the sauce:
Cooked spaghetti or linguine
Finely diced red onions or pickled red onionssee notes below
Grated cheesewe used a mix of Cheddar and Parmesan
Optional: cooked red beanscan be out of a can
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot on and press the Saute function. Once hot, add the olive oil and onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Turn the Saute function off.
Add the beef, all spices, salt, tomato paste, tinned tomatoes and water and stir everything through really well. Pop the lid on top, lock and make sure the top valve is set to Sealing.
Pres the Meat Stew Button, which will set the Instant Pot for 35 minutes of cooking at HIGH pressure. Alternatively, press Manual/Pressure Cook and adjust the timer to 35 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and the timer will begin. Once done, allow the pressure to release naturally, about 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the sides and pickled onions, if using (see notes).
Once the pressure is released, open the lid and stir the sauce. It will seem a little watery at this stage but we're not done yet. Press the Saute function again. Add the apple cider vinegar and chopped chocolate and stir to incorporate. Cook for 12-15 minutes, cooking frequently, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate and the sauce to thicken and infuse with chocolate and vinegar.
Press Cancel to stop the Saute function. Mix a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch with a tablespoon or so of water into a slurry and stir into the sauce for the final thickening magic. You can leave the sauce to sit while you cook the pasta or you can do that during the final Sauteing stage.
Serve the Cincinnati chili meat sauce over cooked spaghetti or linguine with a generous sprinkle of grated cheese and diced onions. You can also add some cooked beans on top.
Video
Notes
Pickled red onions: Combine 1 finely diced red onion with 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, a pinch of salt and sugar and set aside to pickle for 10-15 minutes or while the sauce is cooking.Nutritional information is calculated including 16 oz. of (uncooked) spaghetti and 1 cup of cheese to serve.