Stuffed Pepper Soup

Name: Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 lb ground beef; 1 small onion finely chopped; 1 green bell pepper finely chopped; 1 red bell pepper finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic minced; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon dried basil; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes; 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce; 2 cups low sodium beef broth; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; ¾ cup uncooked white or brown rice; Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley; Shredded cheddar cheese (garnish)

September 25, 2024 by Beth Pierce 106 Comments

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This Stuffed Pepper Soup has all the incredible flavors of stuffed peppers, like ground beef, bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, and rice, with much less time and effort.

Think of this recipe as deconstructed stuffed peppers. Serve this hearty soup with corn muffins or garlic cheese bread for a down-home memorable meal.

A Dutch oven full of stuffed pepper soup.

This soup has the same fantastic flavors as stuffed peppers with much less work. Think of it as deconstructed stuffed peppers in soup form. Preparing this soup takes about thirty minutes, making it doable for weeknights.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Ground beef: Use ground beef with some fat. Fat gives the beef flavor. You can substitute ground turkey, pork, chicken, or Italian sausage for the ground beef.
Bell Peppers: Use any color bell pepper.
Fire Roasted Tomatoes: I love the added flavor, but you can use any canned diced tomatoes.
Rice: You can use any long-grain rice or short-grain rice, including white rice, brown rice, jasmine, basmati, or even quinoa. Brown rice will require a slightly longer cooking time.

How To Make Stuffed Pepper Soup

First, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the ground beef and brown it, breaking it up as it browns. About halfway through the browning process, add the onions and bell peppers. Stir several times to keep the meat browning and the vegetables from burning. Drain any excess grease from the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic, oregano, basil, and thyme, stirring constantly.

Some of the steps for making stuffed pepper soup. Stir several times to keep the meat browning and the vegetables from burning. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, and rice.

Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, and rice. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer, covering it with a lid. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Top each bowl with a bit of shredded cheese, fresh parsley, or red pepper flakes. This soup is best served promptly.

A Dutch oven and a ladle full of stuffed pepper soup.

Preparation Tips and Storage

Dice your bell peppers into small bite-size pieces. You can use any combination of colored bell peppers.
If you know you will save leftovers, cook the rice separately and spoon a small amount into each bowl before adding the soup. This way, the rice will not continue to soak up the liquid and swell.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, use a reduced power level in the microwave and an extra low on the stovetop to prevent the rice from cooking more.

Serving Suggestions

This is a hearty, thick soup that is filling. I like to serve it with baguettes with sweet cream butter or cornbread. Other options include a garden salad, grilled cheese, or chicken quesadilla. I serve something light for dessert, like lemon chiffon pie or orange sherbet.

An individual soup bowl full of stuffed pepper soup with a corn muffin in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?

You can substitute ground turkey, pork, chicken, or Italian sausage for the ground beef.

Can you freeze stuffed pepper soup?

You most certainly can, although the peppers will be a little softer. First, cool the soup thoroughly. Then, ladle the cooled soup into quart or gallon-sized heavy-duty freezer zipper bags. Lay the soup bags in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets and place the sheet in the freezer.
Once fully frozen, stack the bags on their sides in the freezer to save space. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight.

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