Chili peppers (also called chile peppers – which one is the more typical spelling depends on where you live or where you are from!) are a staple ingredient in taco seasoning and hot sauces and are used whole in some recipes. Chile powder and chili powder both contain dried and ground peppers, but what’s the difference between them?
Chile powder refers to dried and ground chile/chili peppers ONLY, while chili powder contains dried chile/chili peppers AND ingredients like cumin, garlic, and salt. Another way to put it: chile powder only contains dried chiles, while chili powder is a seasoning blend.
We’ll break down the differences more in this article so you’re confident you know the difference!
What is chile powder?
Chile powder refers to dried and ground chiles, which can also be called chilis. There are thousands of chile/chili peppers that range in heat from not hot at all (like bell peppers) to hotter peppers like jalapenos, habaneros, and more.
Because there are so many types of chile peppers, chile powders range in spiciness depending on the type of chile pepper used. Cayenne pepper is one example of a type of chile powder since it’s just ground peppers without added ingredients, unlike chili powder (which we’ll explain more about next).
What is chili powder?
Chili powder is a seasoning blend including chile peppers and additional ingredients like salt, cayenne, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and others. Chili powder is common in Mexican dishes and is similar to taco seasoning, but they’re not exactly the same. (Taco seasoning is usually higher in salt than chili powder.)
Any chile/chili can be used to make chili powder, but some of the more popular ones include ancho, arbol, and chipotle peppers. The ingredients in chili powder vary a bit depending on the manufacturer or the recipe you use.
You might just see “chili peppers” and “spices” on the ingredients label of store-bought chili powder, so you might not always know exactly which types of peppers and spices are used.
Which types of chile powders are spicy?
When it comes to spice, people’s preferences tend to vary quite a bit. Some like a LOT of spice, while others prefer more mild flavors.
Chili powder tends to be more common than chile powder, so how do you know which types of chile powder are spicy, whether you want to seek out the spicier ones or avoid them?
A few examples of spicier chile powders include:
- Cayenne pepper
- Pequin powder (a similar spice level as cayenne peppers)
- Habanero powder (hotter than cayenne peppers)
- Ghost pepper powder (hotter than habaneros)
Chile powder vs. chili powder: main differences
| Chile powder | Chili powder | |
| Includes chile peppers | Yes | Yes |
| Seasoning mix (includes other herbs and spices) | No, only chiles | Yes |
| Spicy | Can be, but it varies depending on the type of pepper | Not usually, but varies |
Bottom line – the main difference between chile powder vs. chili powder
To summarize the main difference between chile powder and chili powder using just ONE sentence: Chile powder is just dried chile peppers, while chili powder contains chile peppers and added ingredients like cumin, garlic, and salt.
FAQs:
Dark chili powder is made from ancho chiles, which have a sweeter flavor. The chiles are often roasted longer, giving them a smokier flavor compared to regular chili powder.
Chili powder and taco seasoning are very similar and you can usually substitute chili powder instead of taco seasoning. Chili powder will usually contain a higher proportion of chile peppers compared to taco seasoning, which can alter the overall taste of the dish slightly.
The dish chili (also called chili con carne if it contains meat, but some people just call that chili) contains beans, ground beef, and tomatoes, among other ingredients. Chili powder is often included in chili recipes since the flavors complement the ingredients in chili.
If you use chile powder instead of chili powder, you might need to use less since you’ll only be getting the flavor of chile peppers and not the additional ingredients in chili powder. If you like the flavor of chili powder, you might consider adding other ingredients like garlic powder, cumin, and salt to the chile powder to get a more similar flavor as chili powder.
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