Hillbilly Chili with Cinnamon Rolls
Hillbilly Chili with Cinnamon Rolls is an easy homemade chili spaghetti we suggest serving with classic midwestern cinnamon rolls.
Cinnamon Rolls and Hillbilly Chili Spaghetti
If you’re from the Midwest, you already know that every classic chili in the land is served with a cinnamon roll – all you need is one bite of the combination, and you’ll be hooked.
My whole family loves this Hillbilly Chili that includes spaghetti with a side of these Tik Tok Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream.
At first, I thought spaghetti was an odd ingredient for chili, but we have fallen in love with it.
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Be warned – many people have said they think adding spaghetti is just WRONG.
When you make this chili, you will notice that it has the consistency of soup rather than a thick chili.
This is a good thing because of the spaghetti. Pasta tends to soak up the broth, so this chili lends itself well to the spaghetti.
The combination is pretty yummy with Speedy Cinnamon Rolls and Maple Cinnamon Rolls, too.
What to Love About this Recipe
- This is an easy, tried-and-true recipe that your family will ask for again and again.
- You can use any ground meat to make this chili.
- The addition of spaghetti makes this a fun and extra hardy version of chili.
Ingredients for Hillbilly Chili
- Chili powder: If you’d like to make this chili on the spicy side, use a hot chili powder or just stir in a few red pepper flakes.
- Ground beef: We use ground beef in this chili, but any type of ground meat is delicious, such as ground bison or ground venison.
- Diced onion: Substitute 1 tablespoon of dehydrated onion in place of the diced onions. Or, substitute 1 tsp. onion powder.
- Spaghetti or angel hair pasta: Use what you have on hand. I like the texture of the angel hair pasta in the chili better than spaghetti since it tends to get “fat” as it absorbs liquid.
- Chili beans: I prefer to add the chili beans undrained to get all the big chili flavors. However, you can drain and rinse the chili beans if you prefer.
- Tomato juice: Using tomato juice instead of tomato sauce makes this chili closer to soup in consistency, instead of your typical thick chili with beans. Once the chili simmers a bit and the pasta absorbs some of the tomato juice, everything comes out just right.
- Granulated sugar: This is an optional ingredient but I do think it makes a difference in the flavor of the chili. Add more or less sugar as desired.
- Beef broth: This is an optional ingredient.
- Garnishes: We like shredded cheddar cheese, Chili Cheese corn chips, and sour cream. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll add some chopped scallions as a pretty garnish, too.
Recipe Tips
- Ground venison is delicious in this chili and I use it all the time. You could also use ground bison or ground turkey in this recipe, too.
- Breaking the spaghetti or angel hair pasta into pieces makes it easier to eat! I break my dry spaghetti into thirds or sometimes even into quarters before stirring it into the chili.
How to make chili spaghetti on the stovetop
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the chili powder, stirring to keep it from scorching, 20-30 seconds, until very fragrant.
This technique is called “blooming,” and the heat brings out the essence of the chili powder.
Add the ground beef and diced onion to the Dutch oven; use a wooden spatula to crumble the ground beef.
Sauté until the ground beef is nicely browned and cooked, and no pink remains.
Remove the ground beef from the heat.
Use a rolled up hot pad to prop it up on one side.
Move the ground beef mixture to the high side of the pan so the fats can run down to the lower side.
Use paper towels to absorb the fats, tossing them away.
Add the broken spaghetti pieces to the cooked ground beef, gently stirring them in so they can absorb some of the meat juices and spices.
Add the chili beans, tomato juice, sugar, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven, giving it a stir. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cooking the chili for 25-30 minutes.
Serve the chili in deep bowls, garnished with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream, as desired, alongside warm cinnamon rolls.
How to make chili spaghetti in the instant pot
Using the saute setting on the Instant Pot or any electric pressure cooker, heat the chili powder, stirring to keep it from scorching, for 20-30 seconds, until very fragrant.
This technique is called “blooming,” and the heat brings out the essence of the chili powder.
Add the ground beef and the diced onions to the Instant Pot, continuing to cook until the beef is nicely browned and cooked throughout and no pink remains.
Drain any excessive fats from the cooked beef, then stir in the broken spaghetti pieces, letting them cook together for a minute or two.
Stir in the chili beans, tomato juice, sugar, salt, and pepper, then give the chili a quick stir.
Lock the Instant Pot securely lid into place.
Choose the high-pressure setting for 3 minutes, bringing the Instant Pot to full pressure.
When the timer sounds, perform a quick release to remove all pressure from the pot.
Carefully unlock the IP lid and remove it. Give the chili a quick stir.
Serve the chili in deep bowls, garnished with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream as desired, alongside warm cinnamon rolls.
Do cinnamon rolls go with chili
In the Midwest, we think they do. You should try it!
Where did chili and cinnamon rolls originate
No one seems to know how the Midwestern love for chili and cinnamon rolls began.
Even the Smithsonian can’t give us a history of it.
We know that the love of cinnamon rolls and chili has been adopted by schools throughout the Midwest and is now a tradition that has lasted for generations.
Everyone here in northeast Kansas thinks it’s a crime if you eat chili without a side of cinnamon roll.
Not kidding, either.
Can I leave the beans out
My boys are weenies, too! They prefer Hillbilly Chili without the addition of chili beans… ridiculous.
What to do? Well, I make a big batch of chili without the beans, then I serve the weenies first.
Next, I add warm chili beans to the chili bowls for me and Pa…delicious! This keeps everybody happy and it’s an easy fix.
If I make this chili on the stovetop instead of in an Instant Pot, will it still be as flavorful?
I’ll admit that I do think that nearly everything made in the Instant Pot is more flavorful.
I believe it’s due to being cooked under pressure – how can whatever you cook NOT be more flavorful when all the ingredients are force-ably infused into every part of your cooking?
Before I got my Instant Pot, though, I made this chili on my stove top all the time and it is still a delicious experience – not to worry.
Can I substitute other canned beans from my pantry?
Yes, and I’ve had to do this several times when I’ve gone to the pantry and found I was out of chili beans.
I’ve substituted plain pinto beans and black beans for the chili beans, which work fine.
Just keep in mind that you may need to use a bit more chili seasoning since canned chili beans typically come packed in a chili sauce.
Do I have to drain the chili beans when making this recipe?
No. If you have a particular brand or type of canned chili beans that come in a deliciously seasoned sauce, you do not have to drain them.
Can I use any kind of ground beef in this recipe? I don’t always have ground sirloin on hand.
You can use any type of ground beef that you have on hand.
You’ll want to be sure that you drain the fats from the ground chuck once it’s been cooked, as quite a bit could accumulate.
Otherwise, ground chuck works perfectly for this chili.
Can other pasta be substituted for the spaghetti in this chili?
Great question, and YES.
For whatever reason, my boys prefer spaghetti or angel hair pasta in this chili, but you could definitely substitute macaroni, small shell, or penne pasta very successfully.
Why does this chili recipe call for sugar as one of the ingredients?
Tomato products, such as diced or crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, or even tomato juice, are acidic in nature.
A pinch of sugar (or a tablespoon as in this recipe) cuts that acidity quite nicely, rounding out all of the flavors in the process.
Try it!
Can I make this chili using ground venison instead of ground beef?
My sons are hunters, so we often have ground venison in the freezer.
I’ve used it in this chili recipe and these Meat Burritos with Cheese and Tex Mex Cauliflower Rice with Ground Beef just recently.
I like to use ground venison in my recipes that use Mexican ingredients, such as chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chili powder, etc.
More Recipes to Enjoy
We especially enjoy Instant Pot Sausage, Bacon and Potato Soup, Instant Pot Chicken and Orzo Soup and Vegetables, and Tex Mex Corn Chowder, just to name a few.
Are you looking for fun appetizers that feature the flavors of a good hearty chili? Well then, try this Chili Cheese Tamale Dip and Chili Cheese Super Bowl Dip made with pork sausage and black beans.
We also enjoy Chili-Cheese-Dog Tater Tot Bake as a casserole that’s pure comfort food as well as BACON-WRAPPED Chili Dogs…..a real guy-favorite at my house.
- NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE BUTTERFINGER PIE
- TASTY TEX MEX CHICKEN CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
- CHEESY HASH BROWN MEATLOAF PIE
- INSTANT POT BROCCOLI CHEESE NOODLE SOUP
- ARTICHOKE OLIVE CHEESE BREAD
- HOT AND CREAMY PIZZA DIP
- BEEF AND CHEESE SANCHILADAS
- CRUMBLED BUTTER BRICKLE ICE CREAM DESSERT
Hillbilly Chili and Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1-2 Tbs. mild chili powder
- 2 lbs. ground beef, I typically use ground round or ground sirloin
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 oz. spaghetti or angel hair pasta, broken into thirds
- 1 15 oz. can chili beans, undrained
- 1 46 oz. can tomato juice
- 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. each kosher salt and pepper
- shredded cheddar, corn chips, and sour cream, for garnishing the chili as desired
Instructions
Stove Top Directions
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the chili powder, stirring to keep it from scorching, 20-30 seconds, until very fragrant. (This technique is called "blooming" and the heat really brings out the essence of the chili powder.)
- Add the ground beef and diced onion to the Dutch oven and sauté until the ground beef is nicely browned, cooked throughout, and no pink remains; drain most of the fats that accumulate as the beef cooks.
- Add the spaghetti pieces to the cooked and crumbled beef mixture, allowing them to absorb any of the juices and spices from the meat.
- Add the chili beans with juices, tomato juice, sugar, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven, giving it a stir. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cooking the chili for 25-30 minutes. **Simmer the chili longer if time allows to let the flavors meld even more.
- Serve the chili in deep bowls, garnished with shredded cheese, corn chips, and sour cream, as desired. Hillbilly Chili is delicious served with a warm cinnamon roll on the side.
Instant Pot Directions
- Using the sauté setting on the Instant Pot (or any brand of electric pressure cooker), heat the chili powder, stirring to keep it from scorching, 20-30 seconds, until very fragrant. (This technique is called "blooming" and the heat really brings out the essence of the chili powder.)
- Add the ground beef and the diced onions to the Instant Pot, continuing to cook until the beef is nicely browned and cooked throughout, and no pink remains. Drain any excessive fats from the cooked beef, then stir in the broken spaghetti pieces, letting them cook together for a minute or two.
- Stir in the chili beans with juice, tomato juice, sugar, salt, and pepper, then give the chili a quick stir.
- Lock the Instant Pot securely lid into place. Choose the high pressure setting for 3 minutes, bringing the Instant Pot to full pressure. When the timer sounds, perform a quick release to remove all pressure from the pot. Carefully unlock the lid and remove it; give the chili a quick stir.
- Serve the chili in deep bowls, garnished with shredded cheese, corn chips, and sour cream as desired. Hillbilly Chili is delicious served with a warm cinnamon roll on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
I made this for supper and my family LOVED it! I was told to keep the recipe to use again. I used a crock pot, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Hi Miki –
I’m thrilled to know your family enjoyed Hillbilly Chili – same here! I’m glad the weather here is finally cooling off so I can make chili and cinnamon rolls once more. Thanks for letting me know you got a thumbs up on this recipe. Sincerely, Chef Alli
is it really 46 oz tomato juice? seems like alot..?
thank you!
Hi Keri –
Yep! 46 oz. of tomato juice is the correct amount. You need that much because the spaghetti has this habit of trying to soak up all the liquid in this chili! I hope you give this recipe a try – it’s an absolutely fav at our house, year round even!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
We make a double batch of chili one day and eat it with toppings and crackers or cornbread. Then the next day we have chili mac with angel hair pasta. Then we mix the leftovers together and leave in the fridge. First come, first served!
Hi Cary –
I love this – what a great way to get several different meals from one batch of chili. Thanks for sharing!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Hillbilly Chili!!! Who knew?!?!? This was delicious!!! I’ll definitely be making this again!!!!
Hi Sandy –
So glad you enjoyed Hillbilly Chili – isn’t it the bomb??? I appreciate your comment and the 5 star rating – you’ve made my day!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Is there anything else you could substitute the tomato juice with?
Hi there – you could use diced tomatoes with their juices in place of the tomato juice or use half tomato sauce and half broth. You need that same amount of liquid (however/whatever you substitute for it) due to the pasta that absorbs a great deal of it. Hope this helps!
Chef Alli
Love the chili. Good without any add ons. We tried the cinnamon roll thing and really didn’t get the connection. I would rather have a nice slice of bread or cornbread.
Hi Deborah – Glad to know you enjoyed the Hillbilly Chili. The cinnamon roll and chili thing doesn’t resonate with everyone. Here in Kansas we connect to it because it was a “delicious duo” that was served to us in the school cafeteria or by our Grandmothers. My fam is still crazy for it!
Thanks for your comment on the chili – I appreciate you taking time out to do that.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Do you have to rinse and draing the chili beans or its that meant is using black or pinto beans?
Hi Lacy –
I usually rinse any canned bean that I’m using in a recipe, but it’s truly personal preference. Hope this helps! Let me know if I’m not understanding your questions correctly.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
The thing is, where I’m from, chili beans are precooked beans canned in a chili flavored sauce. So if you rinse those beans you lose all the delicious sauce. I think that is what Lacy was referring to.
You use the same ingredients I do, with the exception that I add a can of refried beans. It doesn’t affect the flavor but makes it thicker. I’ve never thought about adding pasta.
Hi Michelle –
I have never even THOUGHT about adding a can of refried beans to this chili! I am actually making this recipe this eve so I’m going to add the refried beans and test it out. Thanks for letting me know….I’ll try the beans and you can try the pasta, deal?
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli
Hello Chef Alli
You mention crock pot on the opening page, but nothing in your notes. I was wondering about the pasta and when to add it (any other suggestions would be welcome). New to this and any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Greg –
Crazy thing! When I viewed the Hillbilly Chili recipe just now, I can’t see any mention of a slow cooker method any where in the text! As for when to add the broken spaghetti or angel hair pasta, you do that in step 2 in both the stove top and the Instant Pot recipe, right after you’ve browned and drained the ground meat, spices, and onions. Here is the post I’m looking at right now – maybe somehow out there in the virtual space, it somehow got distorted – I honestly have no explanation. Please let me know if I can help you further, truly. Hope you try the chili – we love it! Can’t wait until the weather cools down and it’s soup/chili season once more.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
I gave this 4 stars, just because I have not tried it yet. But I do have a question; What is a cylinder of spaghetti? I’ve never heard or seen that before :). Thanks for any help you can give me. Have a wonderful and blessed day.
Hi Joann –
Yes, that is a bit confusing, isn’t it?? I adjusted the recipe to state using 4 oz. of spaghetti or angel hair pasta – that should help!
Hope you’ll try this recipe – it’s a family favorite. 🙂
Chef Alli
How much pasta should I use in the recipe? Half pound or full pound. Thank you
Hi Rina –
I’ve adjusted the recipe to make it easier. Use about 4 oz. of spaghetti or angel hair pasta since it expands as it cooks.
Hope you enjoy the recipe – it’s a keeper!
Chef Alli
I made this tonight for supper and loved it and my husband loved it too. He doesn’t like soup that much but he spooned up the broth till his bowl was finished. We had it with buttered saltines as this was a last minute decision.
I’ll be making this for our next covered dish at church,
Hi Debbie –
Thanks for letting me know that you and your Hubs enjoyed the Hillbilly Chili – I so appreciate the 5 star rating too. We have a pot of this chili in our fridge right now, too. 🙂
I’m glad I’m not the only one who makes last minute decisions at dinner time!
Your fan,
Chef Alli
P.S. Hope you’ll try the cinnamon rolls sometime, too. Cinnamon Rolls and Chili is “a thing” here in Kansas. How about where you live??
In Minnesota, we call it chili mac, like a hot dish ( casserole). I usually use elbows, but guess any noodle would work, I just make regular chili and then add the noodles.
Hi Barb!
I always love learning the local names that each area of the country uses for specific dishes/recipes. When I next make Hillbilly Chili, I’ll try the elbows like you do for chili mac – I bet my guys will love it.
Thanks for reaching out,
Chef Alli
I didn’t see any beans mentioned in the ingredients or in the instructions. I’m assuming one can of chili beans? Otherwise, it sounds delicious (and easy)!!
Hi Elaine –
Good grief! Chili wouldn’t be chili (in my world, anyway!) without beans, right? I just about fell down when I checked the recipe card and saw NO BEANS listed…..eeeek! I’ve corrected the recipe card now to reflect that, yes, beans should be included.
Thanks so much for letting me know about this.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
One of our family favorite!!!!!!!! So good, and yet so easy!!!!!
Hi Morgan – Glad your fam liked this Hillbilly Chili! We think chili and cinnamon rolls are the perfect companions.
Chef Alli
No, the spreghetti will cook in the juice.
U really can’t mess up chili but never have I made it this way. I never knew about blooming. Learned something new. Chili turned out wonderful.
Hi there –
Glad to know you enjoyed the chili…and learned about blooming spices, too. More flavor is always a bonus!
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli
If I don’t have a pressure cooker, should I cook pasta separate then add it to the meat mixture and simmer!
Hi Lona – Sorry I’m just NOW seeing your question. You can cook the pasta right in the broth of the chili – works great.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Chef Alli