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.
Michelle says
I made your chicken parm roll ups this weekend. So easy and good. Your recipes look so interesting. I am not an experienced cook thank tou
lyuba says
I’m so glad you liked it, Michelle!
Thank you! (No worries, we all start at the beginning 🙂 )
Emily @ It Bakes Me Happy says
What a fun soup Lyuba! I think this sounds just as delicious as the traditional meal without all the hassle 🙂
lyuba says
Absolutely! Thank you so much, Emily!
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says
Stuffed Peppers are my of my favorite comfort foods in the winter. Love that you turned that deliciousness into soup, also comforting. Just pass me a book, blanket, and this bowl of soup and I’d be good to go for the night! Pinning Lyuba! 🙂
lyuba says
That sounds like a nice, cozy night! Considering the baby is asleep 🙂
Thank you, Krista!
Debbie says
I am curious that the grease from the burger remains in – not drained. Or did I miss something?
lyuba says
Do you mean from the ground beef? I usually buy 80% lean so there is not much grease. It is juices that goes into the broth and give the soup a lot of its flavor. This is not a greasy soup by any means! Don’t worry, Debbie!
Maggie says
I didnt use a lean ground beef amd it definitely came out greasy. Since the grease rises to the top I just took a measurimg cup and scoop it out…took about 5 scoops…then it was fine…next time i would drain some off
lyuba says
You know what I do sometimes, when I have some grease on top? I place a clean, dry paper towel gently right on top and it soaks up the grease:) Just like a dab of paper towel on the spots with grease and it easily picks it up!
Nici says
This soup sounds so yummy! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Blessings,
Nici
lyuba says
Thank you, Nici!
Linderhof says
I am so making this soup on Saturday! Sounds yummy!
lyuba says
I hope you did! Thank you 🙂
Meegan says
You always have the best recipes! This looks another amazing soup to add to that list 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I can hardly wait to try it.
Make it a great weekend.
lyuba says
You are so sweet, Meegan! Thank you!
Erin says
We love stuffed peppers here at our house, so I know this soup will be a huge hit. Such a great idea! Stopping by from Show Stopper Saturday. Thanks so much for hosting another great party! ~Erin
lyuba says
Thank you, Erin 😉
Lisa @ Cooking with Curls says
What an awesome idea Lyuba, I will definitely have to give this a try! 🙂
lyuba says
I hope you do, Lisa! Thank you!
kristi@ishouldbemoppingthefloor says
Mmmm….I bet this is FANTASTIC, Lyuba! YUM!
lyuba says
It sure was, Kristi! Thank you!
Kelly says
This soup looks fantastic! What a comforting soup with so many wonderful flavors – I love stuffed peppers and a big bowl of this would be perfect on these chillier winter months 🙂
lyuba says
Thank you, Kelly!!
Holly Lefevre says
Oh my…what a perfect soup! My family will love it and so will our guest next weekend!
lyuba says
Aww, thank you, Holly!
Debbie @Dewdrop Gables says
I love stuffed peppers, too, and this soup really grabbed me when I saw you featured at 504 Main! Wow, so easy and I’ll bet it tastes every bit as good as you say!
Debbie 🙂
lyuba says
Awww, thank you, Debbie!
Kristen Duke says
I love stuffed peppers so I’m sure I would love this soup! Great idea!
lyuba says
Thank you, Kristen! 🙂
Valerie Marsico says
Can you tell me the yield of this recipe please?
lyuba says
It’s about 5 cups, Valerie. Thank you!
Erin says
how would I tweak the recipe to make it in a crockpot? I don’t own a large stock pot yet so I have to make every soup in my crockpot! Thanks in advance!
lyuba says
Honestly, I don’t use my crock pot for soups (I don’t use it too much at all). You can use a medium pot for this soup, it doesn’t have to he very big (Unless you are planning to double the recipe). If I had to make it in the crock pot, I would say to cook everything but rice first, for a few hours. Then add rice and cook just until rice is done. I hope this helps!
Malinda says
I was asking the same question! It’s 110 degrees in the summer in Texas so I try never to turn the stove on lol
ida says
Would a can of diced tomatoes work?
lyuba says
Sure, Ida, it will work!
C.B.Whyte says
Made Stuffed Pepper Soup for dinner and it was fabulous! I love when recipes like this make the house smell so delicious! It always makes me smile…even on cold & windy march days 🙂
lyuba says
I’m so happy you liked it! I love the smell of dinner in the house (and baking of course)!
Liz says
Love your soups. Thank you.
lyuba says
And I love making them! Thank you, Liz 🙂
Jenifer Samaha says
This sounds delicious. Have you tried it with brown rice?
Angie says
The Stuffed Peppers Soup was really good! I cooked the rice separately since most of the soup was going to be eaten over the next couple days as leftovers. I also sprinkled a little shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of individual servings. Excellent!
lyuba says
Sounds perfect, Angie! Thank you so much and I’m so glad you liked it 🙂