By Halloween week. Eighth Halloween in this house, which means I've done the candy corn brownies eight times, the pumpkin carving eight times, the chili-before-candy routine eight times. The repetition is not boring. It's load-bearing. Traditions work because they're expected, because the return to them is itself the thing.
Noah is seven and went as a space explorer. He took a flashlight and was very serious about the mission aspect. Mason went as a historical figure — he chose Francis Drake, which required explanation at several houses but which he pulled off with such commitment that people were charmed. Olivia went with her friends as a group costume I found difficult to identify but which involved matching colors and apparently took significant coordination. Ethan went to a party and texted me a photo of himself in a costume that made me laugh — he'd gone as a food critic, complete with notebook.
Ethan went as a food critic. My child who has eaten every test recipe I've made for five years, who critiques my videos with real standards, who negotiated his way through childhood in my kitchen. He went as a food critic because he is one. He just doesn't quite know it yet in the full dimension of what that means.
I made the chili. Everyone ate it standing at the counter in costumes before going out. The brownies waited on the counter for when they came home. The traditions held, the way they do when you keep showing up to do them. October ended. November begins.
The chili I made this year was a variation on a theme — same spirit, different execution — and after eight Halloweens of feeding kids in costumes before sending them out into the dark, I’ve learned that the meal just needs to be fast, warm, and substantial enough to anchor a night that’s about to get chaotic. This Pressure-Cooker Mexican Beef Soup is exactly that: it comes together quickly, it fills the counter with the kind of smell that makes a house feel like home, and it holds up whether you’re feeding a space explorer, a sixteenth-century privateer, or a teenager who has appointed himself a food critic. It’s the soup version of showing up — which, as it turns out, is the whole point.
Pressure-Cooker Mexican Beef Soup
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
- 1 can (14-1/2 oz) beef broth
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
- Brown the beef. Select the sauté function on your pressure cooker. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add beef cubes in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 4–5 minutes. Do not crowd the pan — work in batches if needed. Remove beef and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics. Add onion to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika; stir and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Combine and pressure cook. Return beef to the pot. Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, black beans, corn, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Lock the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Release and adjust. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure. Remove lid, stir the soup, and taste for seasoning. Add more salt, chili powder, or a squeeze of lime as needed.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and set out toppings so everyone can customize. Serve with warm tortillas or cornbread on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 285 | Protein: 26g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 620mg