17 Chili and Stew Recipes for Sweater Weather and Sunday Afternoons

There’s a certain Sunday afternoon feeling: you pull on a sweater, and a big pot of chili or stew starts to smell like dinner. The trouble is that most weeks, a pot like that feels like a luxury you don’t have time for.

Here’s the good news. A chili can go in the slow cooker with 15 minutes of work in the morning, one fish stew is ready in 30 minutes, and a couple of pots thicken overnight into even better leftovers.

I’d been thinking about a traditional Irish stew for weeks before I swapped in ground turkey to make it work on a weeknight. That’s the idea behind this list: 17 chili and stew recipes for the days you have all afternoon, and the days you don’t.

Venison Chili

Got venison in the freezer? Put it to work here. Venison is a lean meat that makes a hearty, warming chili, and it’s a good twist if you like game meat.
Get the Recipe: Venison Chili

Pasta e Ceci – Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew

Pasta e ceci is Italian comfort in one pot: pasta and chickpeas in a thick, cozy stew. It thickens even more overnight, so stir in a little water or broth when you reheat it.
Get the Recipe: Pasta e Ceci – Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew

White Chicken Chili Mac And Cheese

Sweater weather calls for mac and cheese that eats like chili. Green chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, and chili powder turn shells, chicken, and beans into white chicken chili, baked in a cheese sauce. Splash in some chicken broth when you reheat leftovers.
Get the Recipe: White Chicken Chili Mac And Cheese

Pulled Pork Chili

Leftover pulled pork finally has a job. This one-pot chili takes little prep and packs plenty of flavor, so your family may start hoping for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Pulled Pork Chili

Crock Pot Chili – Easy and Delicious!

Crock pot chili is about as hands-off as a Sunday afternoon gets. Start it in the morning, let it simmer away, and come back to a warm, easy dinner.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Chili – Easy and Delicious!

Ajiaco Colombiano

Ajiaco is Bogotá’s cold-day soup, and it’s worth getting to know. Chicken, potatoes, and corn cook with guascas, a Colombian herb with an earthy taste, and everyone adds their own avocado, rice, capers, and cream at the table.
Get the Recipe: Ajiaco Colombiano

Slow Cooker Chili with Sausage

Sunday mornings are when this one starts: 15 minutes at the counter, then the slow cooker takes over. Browned Italian sausage, tender beans, and tomato sauce simmer all day, so dinner is waiting when everyone gets home.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chili with Sausage

Cowboy Stew

Cowboy stew goes in one pot, and cornbread belongs on the side. It’s a hearty stew with lots of flavor that makes a lazy Sunday easy.
Get the Recipe: Cowboy Stew

Easy Chilli Con Carne

Not every sweater-weather chili needs hours. This chilli con carne is quick and easy with a little spice, so it works even when your Sunday afternoon is a busy one.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chilli Con Carne

Butternut Squash Chili

Meatless chili night works with this one. Butternut squash makes the pot hearty, and plenty of spice keeps it tasting like chili.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Chili

Moqueca Brazilian Fish Stew With Coconut Milk

My friend Fernanda taught me this Brazilian fish stew, and she watched my every move. Firm white fish simmers in coconut milk with plenty of cilantro for about 15 minutes, so dinner is ready in 30. Put the pot in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves.
Get the Recipe: Moqueca Brazilian Fish Stew With Coconut Milk

Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew

Three basics are all it takes: ground beef, potatoes, and carrots. They cook down in the crockpot into a thick, savory stew with nothing to fuss over, and leftovers thicken overnight, which is just what a good stew should do.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew

Irish Ground Turkey and Vegetable Stew

I’d been thinking about a traditional Irish stew for weeks, so I made it work for a weeknight with ground turkey. Tender vegetables and herbs simmer with stout for a deep, malty broth. If you’d rather skip the stout, use more stock, though the broth won’t be quite as deep.
Get the Recipe: Irish Ground Turkey and Vegetable Stew

Smoked Pulled Pork Chili

Smoky pulled pork is what makes this chili stand out. It’s a hearty pot of smoked pork, beans, and spices that suits a chilly evening and a long, slow afternoon.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Pulled Pork Chili

Guinness Beef Stew

Beef stew gets a deeper gravy with Guinness. Tender beef and vegetables simmer until the gravy turns savory, which suits St. Patrick’s Day or any chilly day.
Get the Recipe: Guinness Beef Stew

Wild Hog Chili

Here’s one for the adventurous cook: chili made with wild hog meat. It’s a hearty, spicy pot with beans and plenty of spices, and it’s a fun change from the usual beef.
Get the Recipe: Wild Hog Chili

Leftover Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Thanksgiving leftovers deserve a second act, and this chili gives them one. Pumpkin, two kinds of beans, and leftover turkey simmer in one pot with about 15 minutes of prep. It tastes like fall in a bowl.
Get the Recipe: Leftover Turkey Pumpkin Chili

I’ll gladly trade a complicated Sunday dinner for a big pot of something warm and comforting. What’s your favorite chili or stew?