Chili vs Chili Con Carne: What’s the Difference?

Many consider Chili and chili con carne synonymous, but they aren’t necessarily the same. If you’re curious about the difference between chili vs. chili con carne, it’s relatively simple. While similar, chili con carne means “chili with meat” which is so named to distinguish it from the more stew-like chili that contains beans, onions, garlic, and chili powder. Chili con carne usually specifically means beef, though it can include other forms of meat. However, there is some dispute over whether beans and tomatoes are in a chili con carne or just ingredients added to a stew. Depending on where you are, these ingredients will be considered part of chili con carne without a second thought, or you will be hard-pressed to find them in your dish.

Nowadays, most chili recipes include meat in their chili anyway, so it often blurs the distinction between the two chili variations, but they are technically two different dishes.