100 grams of chili powder is about 12.5 tablespoons. One tablespoon of chili powder weighs about 8 g, and one teaspoon is about 2.7 g. It is not a single spice but a blend of chillies, cumin, oregano and garlic, which is why it tastes complete on its own and why no two brands taste quite the same.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. A blend of ground chilies, cumin, oregano and garlic. Chilli con carne, tacos, rubs and beans. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 128 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. A blend of ground chilies, cumin, oregano and garlic. Chilli con carne, tacos, rubs and beans.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of chili powder |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2.7 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 8 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 16 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 24 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 32 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 40 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 48 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 64 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 80 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 96 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 128 g |
| 100 g | 12.5 tablespoons |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of chili powder is about 12.5 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A chilli con carne for a family dinner (Chili Powder)
A chilli con carne for six uses 4 tablespoons of chilli powder, about 32 g, fried in oil with the onions and garlic before the meat goes in. The chilli powder gives the dish its heat and its earthy depth, and it should be fried briefly, because raw chilli powder tastes flat and dusty. Four spoonfuls is enough for a pot that serves six, and the chilli should be simmered for at least an hour.
A taco seasoning for a weeknight dinner
A taco seasoning for four uses 3 tablespoons of chilli powder, about 24 g, mixed with cumin, paprika and garlic powder. The chilli powder is the backbone of the seasoning, and it should be mixed well so the heat is even. Three spoonfuls seasons a pound of mince, and the mince should be browned first, then the seasoning stirred in with a splash of water.
A pot of beans for a vegetarian dinner
A pot of beans for four uses 2 tablespoons of chilli powder, about 16 g, stirred in with the tomatoes and the onions. The chilli powder gives the beans a warm heat and an earthy flavour, and it should be added early, so it cooks into the sauce instead of sitting on top. Two spoonfuls is enough for a pot that serves four, and the beans should be simmered until they are tender.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Chilli powder matters because it is a blend, not a single spice: ground chillies, cumin, oregano and garlic, mixed in proportions that vary by brand. That blend is what makes it the backbone of chilli con carne, tacos and bean dishes, because it gives heat, earthiness and savouriness in a single spoonful. At 128 g per cup, a tablespoon weighs about 8 g, so 100 g is about 12.5 tablespoons, which is far more than any recipe uses at once: chilli powder is measured in teaspoons and tablespoons, and a tablespoon is a generous amount for a pot that serves six. The practical thing to know is that brands vary: one brand's chilli powder can be twice as hot as another's, so taste the blend before you use it in a large pot, and add it a little at a time.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of chili powder, count out about 12.5 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 6.2 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 100 g means using 50 g, and doubling it means 200 g, or about 25 tablespoons. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. For large amounts, switch to a cup measure or a scale: counting out more than 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
Storage. Airtight jar, cool and dark, up to 1 year.
- Chilli powder is a blend, not pure heat; cayenne is far hotter, so do not swap them.
- Fry chilli powder briefly in oil at the start; raw chilli powder tastes flat.
- Taste a new brand first; the heat varies a lot from brand to brand.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of chili powder?
100 grams of chili powder is about 12.5 tablespoons, spooned and levelled, using the USDA value of 128 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 8 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of chili powder?
One level tablespoon of chili powder weighs about 8 g, and one teaspoon is about 2.7 g. A tablespoon is a generous amount for a pot that serves six, and most recipes measure chilli powder in teaspoons and tablespoons.
Is chili powder the same as cayenne pepper?
No. Chili powder is a blend of ground chillies, cumin, oregano and garlic, while cayenne is pure ground cayenne pepper, far hotter and with no other flavours. Swapping them changes the dish completely: a tablespoon of cayenne in place of chilli powder would make the dish inedibly hot.
How hot is chili powder?
It varies by brand, because the blend varies: some brands are mild and sweet, others are properly hot. As a rule, chilli powder is mild to medium, far less hot than cayenne. Taste a new brand before using it in a large pot, and add it a little at a time.
How long does chili powder keep?
About a year in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard. It does not go off, but it loses its heat and its flavour, and old chilli powder tastes dusty rather than warm. If it smells weak, replace it.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is confusing chilli powder with chilli flakes or cayenne pepper: chilli powder is a mild blend, while cayenne is pure heat, so swapping them changes the dish completely. The second mistake is adding chilli powder raw at the end of cooking, where it tastes flat and dusty; fry it briefly in oil at the start. The third mistake is using too much chilli powder in a dish for children, where the heat overpowers everything else; start with half the amount and taste. Finally, do not store chilli powder near the stove, where heat and steam spoil it; keep it in a cool, dark cupboard, where it lasts about a year.