Cheesy Chili — The Sunday Pot That Carried Us Through the Week

Thirty-two weeks. February is one week away and I'm in the homestretch and the homestretch has opinions. My back makes a case every morning when I stand up. Nora moves at night with the restless energy of someone who has run out of room and is negotiating the terms of her accommodation. I know from experience that this is the normal ending of a pregnancy and I hold that knowledge when I'm awake at three in the morning and it helps only about forty percent.

Sean has started the countdown. He does this quietly—doesn't announce the weeks aloud, just becomes more settled, more present. The phone face-up on the nightstand again. The way he does the dishes at ten PM because the kitchen should be clean, because things should be in order. I know this Sean. I love this Sean. He prepares by being ready.

Liam has been asking about the baby more frequently and specifically: when is she coming, where will she sleep, will she want his books. I've been answering as accurately as a conversation with a twenty-two-month-old allows. "She'll want your books when she's old enough." He considered this. "Which books?" I said the dinosaur books, probably. He said "okay. She can have the dinosaur books." It was a negotiation. He negotiated in good faith. I'm proud of him.

Made a big pot of chili on Sunday—the good chili, dried chiles reconstituted, three kinds of meat, no shortcuts—and we ate it through the week. Liam put sour cream on his with great ceremony. Nora kicked throughout the first bowl. I'm logging all the kicks. I'll stop logging eventually. For now, I log.

That Sunday pot of chili — the one Liam crowned with sour cream like he was conducting a ceremony, the one Nora seemed to approve of from the inside out — has become the recipe I return to every time I need to feel like I have things handled. This Cheesy Chili is the version I’ve landed on: layered, rich, and sturdy enough to be even better on day three. If you’re in a season where cooking once and eating well all week is the whole goal, this is the one.

Cheesy Chili

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 1/2 lb ground pork sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 1 dried guajillo chile, stem and seeds removed
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
• Sour cream, for serving
• Sliced green onions, for serving

Instructions

1. Reconstitute the dried chiles. Place the ancho and guajillo chiles in a small saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened. Transfer chiles and 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid to a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
2. Brown the meat. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sausage, breaking up with a spoon, and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
3. Sauté the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
4. Build the base. Stir in the chile puree, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. Stir well to combine.
5. Simmer low and slow. Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Add the kidney beans, stir, and simmer uncovered for 45–50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the flavors have melded.
6. Finish with cheese. Remove from heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar in two additions until fully melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
7. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with additional cheddar, sour cream, and sliced green onions. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 5 days and reheat beautifully.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 8g | Sodium: 740mg