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Indulge in a bowl of this nutritious stuffed pepper soup prepared with savory ground beef, crisp bell peppers, and tender rice simmered in a rich tomato-based broth.
For more hearty soups, you’ll enjoy my Beef Barley Soup, which is packed with tender beef, barley, and flavorful vegetables. Another great choice is my Italian Sausage Soup, featuring savory sausage, fresh greens, and a deliciously seasoned broth.
Who’s ready to cozy up with a delicious bowl of wholesome goodness? Stuffed Pepper Soup captures all the things we love about hearty stuffed peppers in a warm, satisfying soup. I love one-pot dinners, and this recipe is easy to make and packed with nutrients. It’s full of savory ground beef and rice, with plenty of peppers and veggies, all simmered together in a tomato-based broth.
Why I Love This Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
- Comforting. This recipe has all the familiar flavors of stuffed peppers wrapped up in a sippable, slurpable homemade soup. It’s serious comfort food on chilly fall evenings.
- Good-For-You. Stuffed pepper soup is easy to make and packed with nutritious veggies, lean ground beef, and rice. The flavors are rich and filling.
- Make-ahead-friendly. I love having a big batch of this meat and peppers soup stashed in my fridge. It keeps well throughout the week, perfect to reheat for hearty last-minute dinners and quick lunches.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive Oil: Used for sauteing the meat and veggies. Any cooking oil will work here.
- Ground Beef: I make this soup with lean ground beef. You could also use ground chicken, turkey, or pork.
- Yellow Onion: Diced onion brings a rich, aromatic flavor.
- Green Bell Pepper: Instead of stuffing the bell peppers, we’re chopping them.
- Tomatoes: I love to use fresh garden tomatoes, but you can also make this recipe with canned diced tomatoes.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic cloves.
- Salt and Black Pepper: A simple seasoning to enhance the flavors of the dish.
- Broth: To avoid overly salty soup, use low-sodium beef or chicken broth or stock.
- Rice: Reminiscent of sizzling rice soup, right at the end, you’ll stir in cooked white rice or any leftover rice you have on hand. This soup is delicious with brown rice, wild rice, or another grain, like quinoa.
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Soup
This recipe comes together in one pot on the stovetop, and it’s ready in less than an hour. Weeknight comfort food doesn’t get much better!
- Cook the ground beef. Start by heating olive oil in a large pot. Add the ground beef and saute until the meat is browned throughout.
- Add veggies and broth. Next, stir in the diced onions, tomatoes, and garlic and cook until softened. Pour in the broth, and let the pot simmer on low for 30 minutes.
- Add rice and serve. Finally, stir in cooked rice, season to taste, and serve warm with crusty bread for dunking! See below for more serving suggestions.
Slow Cooker Instructions
You can make stuffed pepper soup in the crock pot or slow cooker. You’ll still want to brown the ground beef on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker with the other ingredients (leave out the rice for now). Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Add the cooked rice just before serving.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Brown the meat. Searing the ground beef locks in the flavor and gives it the best texture.
- Hold the rice. If you aren’t serving this soup right away, I recommend keeping the rice separate until serving. The rice absorbs most of the liquid and softens more the longer it sits.
- Season. Always taste for salt and pepper and adjust the seasonings as needed. Don’t be afraid of salt – it enhances the other flavors. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, dried oregano, or Herbes de Provence. For a spicy pepper soup, add red pepper flakes or cayenne, but only at the end of cooking (so it doesn’t turn out too spicy).
- Add cheese. Serve this soup topped with freshly grated parmesan or shaved Pecorino and a fresh crack of black pepper.
- Fresh herbs. Add fresh thyme leaves, rosemary, or basil, or a combination of fresh herbs to deepen the flavors of the broth.
- More veggies. Soups are such great “clean out the fridge” recipes. Toss in more vegetables such as diced zucchini, mushrooms, celery, sweet corn, and greens like kale or spinach leaves.
- Different protein. Instead of ground beef, make this recipe with ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner option.
- Vegetarian. Replace ground meat with lentils, beans, or your favorite meatless mince.
- Southwestern. Take inspiration from my Southwestern quinoa stuffed peppers recipe and make this soup with nutritious quinoa, bell peppers, sweet corn, black beans, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Garnishes. Top with a dollop of sour cream, or a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for garnish.
Serving Suggestions
This brings back all the feels of cozy winter dinners with bowls of steaming stuffed pepper soup paired with bread and a spread of ajvar. But also homemade focaccia bread is perfect for sopping up all the savory flavors of this soup. Light and fluffy skillet cornbread is another favorite.
Pair it with a side of chef’s salad or Caesar salad, bistro-style. Serve it with tender roasted artichokes, or roasted sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots. We also love these parmesan cauliflower bites!
Also, soup is a delicious starter to grilled pork tenderloin, juicy grilled scallops, or oven-grilled steak.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store leftover stuffed pepper soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat servings in the microwave or a saucepan on the stovetop until warm.
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Stuffed Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 large fresh tomatoes, diced (you can also use 1 can of diced tomatoes)
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 cups beef broth, or chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon while it cooks; cook the beef for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned and no longer pink.
- Stir in the onions, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic.
- Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the broth, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked rice; cook for a minute.
- Remove from heat and taste for salt and pepper; adjust to your liking.
- Serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- Protein Options: Swap ground beef for turkey, chicken, or vegetarian crumbles.
- Rice Varieties: Try brown, wild rice, or quinoa for different textures and nutrition. Important to note the rice will absorb most of the liquid. If you don’t plan to serve the entire soup all at once, serve the rice on the side instead of mixing it in with the soup.
- More Veggies: Boost flavor and nutrition by adding zucchini, spinach, or corn.
- Heat Level: Add a kick with cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Seasoning: Always taste and adjust seasonings. Salt brings out the flavors.
- Garnish: Serve with shredded cheese, fresh parsley, or sour cream for extra flavor.
- Slow Cooker Method: Brown the meat, combine ingredients (except rice) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours; add rice before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
It says “diethood” but adding regular white or even brown rice really amps up the calories!
Bread. Just like Oprah, I love bread!
I made the stuffed pepper soup, it was delish, and will be a keeper. I added 1 large can of tomato sauce.It turned out great. Thank you for sharing.