Related dishes
Not chili.
Stews and sauces outside the definition, documented here for comparison. Each has disputes of its own.
Egypt
Koshari
Koshari is Egypt's national dish: rice, brown lentils and pasta under a garlicky tomato sauce, chickpeas and crisp fried onions. It is cheap, filling street food, and in 2025 UNESCO added it to its list of intangible cultural heritage.
Brazil (with Portuguese roots)
Feijoada
Feijoada is a slow bean stew loaded with dried, smoked and fresh pork cuts, promoted as Brazil's national dish. It comes with rice, sautéed greens, orange slices and toasted manioc flour.
Hungary
Goulash
Hungarian gulyás is a paprika-red beef soup named for the cattle herders who cooked it. In the United States, goulash became something else entirely: macaroni, ground beef and tomato.
Mexico
Pozole
Pozole is a hominy stew, usually with pork or chicken, served red, white or green. It goes back to pre-Hispanic Mexico and is a fixture of Independence Day celebrations.
American South (Virginia and Georgia both claim it)
Brunswick Stew
Brunswick stew is a thick, tomato-based Southern stew of corn, lima beans and one or more meats, often served with barbecue. Two places named Brunswick each say they made it first.
Kentucky and southern Illinois
Burgoo
Burgoo is a thick, peppery stew of several meats and vegetables, cooked in huge kettles for crowds. In western Kentucky the meat is often mutton.
Texas and northern Mexico
Carne Guisada
Carne guisada is a Tex-Mex stew of beef cubes in a thick, seasoned gravy, usually tucked into flour tortillas. It is served at breakfast as well as later in the day.