This stuffed peppers soup recipe is made with a variety of fresh ingredients including ground beef, fresh vegetables, and rice. Make this tonight for a comfort food version of the classic dish!
Now you can have all of the summer flavors of stuffed peppers in a comforting bowl of soup that’s perfect for chilly evenings.
As a bonus, everything cooks in the same pot, so there are fewer dishes to wash after the meal! We can always appreciate one-pot meals because who wants to do the dishes all night. Enjoy the night of sharing a wonderful meal with the family instead or make a double batch for a gathering of friends.
This soup is also known as “unstuffed peppers soup.” Instead of stuffing the bell peppers with ground beef and rice mixture, the bell peppers are IN the soup along with other ingredients. It’s a lot less work but all the same great flavors we know and love.
Which bell pepper is the healthiest?
All bell peppers are good sources of nutrients like potassium, fiber, folic acid, and vitamins A and C. Although, the are not all the same.
The longer a bell pepper sits on the vine, the richer in nutrients it becomes. As a result, red bell peppers are the healthiest, with orange peppers right behind them. Yellow and green bell peppers have the fewest nutrients.
In fact, red bell peppers have almost 11 times more beta-carotene than green ones!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Note: This is only a partial list of ingredients. For the full ingredient list, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ground beef – you can use lean ground beef like 90/10 but it tends to be chewier due to the lack of fat. I prefer to use 85/15 or even 80/20 ground beef for juicier and tastier beef. (You can substitute ground turkey for a leaner version of this recipe.)
Bell peppers – Feel free to use whichever color you prefer. Using a mix of different ones can add a fun variety of colors to this bell pepper soup.
Tomato – Use a can of fire roasted or garlic diced tomatoes to save time and add an extra depth of flavor.
Beef broth – although beef broth is preferred for deeper flavor, you can substitute vegetable broth if needed.
Rice – I prefer to use jasmine rice, but any long grain rice, basmati, or brown rice will work just as well. Just keep an eye on the soup as some will take longer to cook than others.
How to make stuffed peppers soup
This recipe is actually quite simple, and the soup is ready in under an hour! Just saute the vegetables, brown the meat, and then simmer everything together until done.
While it’s filling enough on its own, this soup pairs well with a side salad or some crusty bread.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the vegetables: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, then saute the onion and bell peppers until soft. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they release their juices.
Brown the meat: Push the vegetables to the side and add the ground beef to the center of the pot. Break into smaller chunks with a spoon, then cover and cook until most of the pink is gone.
Simmer the soup: Stir in the rest of the soup ingredients, then place the lid back on while leaving a gap on the side. Simmer for about 20 minutes for the flavors to combine.
Add the rice: Next, combine the uncooked rice with the soup. Replace the lid and continue simmering until the rice is tender. Serve and enjoy!
NOTE: If you know you’ll have leftovers, cook the rice separately instead and add it to the soup as needed. Otherwise, the rice will continue to absorb the liquid from the soup and the texture may become too mushy.
Storing, Reheating, and Freezing Instructions
Storage – Store the bell pepper soup and rice in separate airtight containers and keep in the refrigerator. Both will last up to 4 days before the texture starts to change.
Reheating – Simmer the soup on the stove or heat in the microwave until warmed through. Then, mix in fresh rice or add cooked rice towards the end of reheating to warm it at the same time.
Freezing – Again, store the unstuffed peppers soup without the rice for best consistency. Freeze in a zip-top bag or sealed container for up to 3 months, then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. It may help to store the soup in individual portions so you can thaw just what you need.
Got extra bell peppers?
Bell peppers are really versatile. Use up small amounts by using them to make an omelet, garden salad, or even to tuna or chicken salad for sandwiches.
MORE STUFFED PEPPER RECIPES
For the more classic version of this dish, try any of the following flavor varieties:
Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers
Sausage and Onion Stuffed Peppers
Chorizo and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Salisbury Steak Stuffed Peppers
If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!
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Stuffed Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper*
- 1 yellow bell pepper*
- 1 large tomato
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15 recommended
- 3 cups beef stock
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
- salt
- 3/4 cup Jasmine rice**
Instructions
- Dice all the vegetables first and set the aside.
- Preheat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil.
- Add diced onions and bell peppers and cook until they start to soften. Mix it diced tomato and cook for a few more minutes.
- Move vegetables over to the sides and add ground beef to the center of the pan. Break it apart, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for a few minutes. After a few minutes, break up the meat some more and start mixing it with veggies. Close the lid and keep cooking until the beef is mostly done. Make sure to break up as many clumps as you can.
- Mix in tomato taste and then, pour in beef stock.
- Season with oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, mix well and lower the heat to low. Close the lid but leave a small crack for the heat to escape. Cook for about 20 minutes.
- Mix in rice, close the lid back up and cook until rice is done.
- Serve right away.
Alternate option:
- If you don't plan to eat all of the soup right away, you can cook rice separately and add some to individual soup servings. Cook the rice in salted water according to the package instructions and add it to each bowl of soup as needed.
- Store cooked rice separately from the soup. Make sure to keep it refrigerated in an air-tight food storage container.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in January, 2014. Updated August 28, 2020.
Toyin says
I love this recipe!!! I made it as part of my Meal Prep Sunday this week! Thanks so much for sharing it.
lyuba says
It makes me so happy that you liked it, Toyin! Thank you for your sweet comment and for trying my recipe 🙂
Carin says
How many adults will this recipe feed? It sounds delicious!
lyuba says
Hi Carin!
So sorry for the late response! I would estimate 5-6 but it would depend on the appetite and what else is served. Soup makes roughly 6-7 cups.
I hope you enjoy it!
Lichelle Walton says
I really enjoyed the Stuffed Pepper Soup. Easy, simple directions and it was fast on a work night.
lyuba says
I’m so happy you liked it! Thank you, Lichelle!
Teena says
Was trying to use up the bell peppers in my CSA box since no one in the house is a fan but me. I found your soup and was like okay my family loves soup. Boy was that a good decision. It’s a superstar! Both kids had seconds and asked me to add it to my freezer soups for school lunches. Now I’m telling everyone I know to make it. Thanks for saving my bell pepper supply from rotting.
lyuba says
Awesome! I’m SO happy to hear that!
Thank you, Teena!
Rena says
Should i decrease the amount of liquid if im cooking the rice seperately?
lyuba says
Rena,
It’s really up to you. You can keep the amount of broth and the soup will just be runnier or you can decrease it by a cup. I don’t think it will hinder the final result much.
I hope you enjoy it!
Carrie says
This is so funny. When my husband and I were first dating, the first meal he cooked for me was ….. Stuffed Green Pepper Soup. He is a soup lover and his mother had forced several stuffed peppers on him the weekend before. He pulled them out of the freezer, chopped them up and added a can of chopped tomatoes. For a non-soup-lover, it was actually very good. I’ll share this and we’ll get a nice smile.
Thanks for making my day a little sweeter.
lyuba says
Isn’t it funny to think about that 🙂
Thank you, Carrie!
Malinda says
Could I make this in the crockpot?
LyubaB says
Hi, Malinda! Sure you can make this in the crockpot. I would first brown the hamburger before adding it to the crockpot, then cook on low for 6 hours adding the rice at the 4th hour and cooking another 2 or so hours till the rice is done. You may need to add a little extra stock.
Stacy Dexter says
Everyone loved it. New favorite added into the rotation!
LyubaB says
Hi Stacy,
I am so glad you like it! Thanks for stopping by to let me know! 🙂
Madeleine mitchell says
Hi there
Looking forward to making this today. Love your recipes
Why do you have to make rice separately if not eating all In same day?
LyubaB says
Hi Madeline,
I make it separately so it won’t be soggy and overcooked when you reheat the soup.
Jane says
Loved this recipe! So delicious, but curious how much one serving is?
LyubaB says
I like to split it into 6 servings. You can make your servings a bit bigger or smaller depending on how hungry you are at the time!
Katie says
Love this recipe! Super easy and delicious. I subbed tomatoes for a can of Rotel (because I was too lazy to chop a real tomato lol) and I browned Chorizo instead of ground beef. Came out delicious with a little extra kick. Thank you!
LyubaB says
You’re very welcome! I am glad you liked it!
Julie says
When do I drain the ground beef?
LyubaB says
Hi Julie,
I don’t drain it because the fat adds a lot of flavor but you can drain it after step 4 before adding the tomato paste.
Kdietl says
Great addition to my soup recipe rotation…after the first try my husband said it’s his new favorite!
LyubaB says
Awe thank you! I am so happy you guys enjoyed it!
Penelope says
Made this for tonight. Just waiting to pour over rice. Looks good & smells fantastic!
LyubaB says
Awesome! I hope you loved it!
Jackie says
This is delicious! Thanks for sharing.
LyubaB says
You are so welcome, Jackie!
Lisa says
I made this recipe for my family tonight. It was so great! We loved it and know it will become part of my regular Fall/ Winter rotation.
LyubaB says
Thanks, Lisa!
Teresa says
Can I omit the oregano and basil if I use Italian tomato paste? Or shall I still use the spices?
LyubaB says
I would say taste it before adding to the soup to see if it is strong enough or maybe just add half the herbs.
Cristina Scribner says
So if u cook the rice separately is it still 3/4 cup of rice u r making? How do I know how much to put in 2 servings of soup? Want to eat it for two meals with my husband
LyubaB says
You would cook the same amount of rice and then divide it into four servings. If you really want equal portions you can weigh the cooked rice and divide it up but I find eyeballing it works fine.
Beth says
Looks wonderful! Can’t wait to try it! I think I’ll use canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh, wrong time of year… Do you think that would work ok??
Emily says
So good! I added zucchini, cumin, and chili powder and it was a definite hit in my house! Thanks!
LyubaB says
Yum! Glad you liked the recipe, Emily!