Best Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup Recipe

Name: Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef (90/10, or turkey); 2 Tbsp. oil (avocado or olive oil); 1 small sweet onion (finely diced); 2 bell peppers (red and green, cut into bite-sized pieces); 3 cloves garlic (finely minced); 4 cups beef broth; 1-15 oz. can tomato sauce; 1-15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes; 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce; 2 Tbsp. sugar; 1 tsp. oregano (dry); ½ tsp. thyme (dried); ½ tsp. rosemary (dried); Pinch of nutmeg (optional); 2 bay leaves; 1 ½ tsp. salt (to taste); ½ tsp. black pepper; ½ cup white rice (uncooked)

Stuffed Pepper Soup is the perfect fall and winter recipe if you’re looking for a quick and hearty dish. Simply combine ground beef, red and green bell peppers, rice, tomatoes, and spices to create a healthy soup the whole family will enjoy. This cozy meal is delicious for a weeknight dinner, or freeze some and save it for later!

Stuffed pepper soup is enjoyed for a hearty and cozy dinner.

Stuffed peppers are INCREDIBLE with their hearty meat and rice filling, and flavorful bell pepper casing.

But boy can they be time consuming to make.

Sometimes you just want all of that yumminess without all of the work… and that’s where this Stuffed Pepper Soup comes in!

Instead of delicately preparing the bell peppers, roasting them in the oven, and pre-cooking the rice, you’re going to plop it all in a Dutch oven and watch it go.

This recipe is so easy to make that you can quickly whip it up on any ole’ weeknight. It also makes a TON of soup so you can even freeze some for later.

Not convinced yet? Let me tell you a few more reasons why this soup is so awesome:

It’s a one-pot meal.
You can make it as healthy as you want.
There’s no waiting on peppers to roast.
The rice will cook in the pot with the soup.
It’s loaded with flavor thanks to a bunch of dried herbs.
Hands-on time is less than 20 minutes.
It tastes as good as even the best stuffed bell peppers!

(But if you still want a traditional stuffed peppers recipe, you might enjoy these Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers, Black Bean Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, or these Crock-Pot Stuffed Peppers!)

Ingredients

The simple ingredients you need to make this stuffed pepper soup recipe include:

Ground Meat. Beef is ideal, but you can also choose ground chicken or ground turkey. A 90/10 fat ratio is recommended, but it can be as lean or as fatty as you’d like.
Peppers. Mixing in both red and green bell peppers offers a nice color, but all of one works as well.
Tomatoes. A combination of tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes is amazing. You can also substitute for regular diced tomatoes, but they might be a bit bland.
Sugar. This may seem optional, but it helps to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes. Coconut sugar is another option if you want to keep it refined sugar-free.
Broth. If beef is your meat of choice, beef broth is best. Vegetable or even chicken broth may also be used. If necessary, pick a broth with reduced sodium. But just know, you may need to adjust the amount of salt added.
Worcestershire sauce. This hard-to-pronounce condiment is absolutely essential. It gives the soup an incredible umami flavor.
Herbs and Spices. Oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and a pinch of nutmeg create a great taste. You can swap one of the dried herbs for the other, or even add in basil or parsley instead.
Rice. White rice was tested for this recipe, but brown rice is another alternative. If you select brown rice, you may need to cook the soup longer in order for it to get tender. Short, medium, or long grain rice will work.
Garlic. Fresh minced garlic adds a nice pop of flavor to this dish. Garlic powder can be used if needed, though.

How to Make Stuffed Pepper Soup

The basic steps for making stuffed bell pepper soup are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

Cook Beef

Place the lean ground beef in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium or medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

This is optional, but you can break apart the meat with a potato masher to get fine crumbles. Remove the beef from the skillet and let it drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Sauté Vegetables

Add the oil and diced onion to the Dutch oven. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions start to become translucent.

Stir in the bell peppers and continue sautéing for 3-4 minutes.

Toss in the minced garlic, and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Bell peppers are added to the pot and cooked.

Mix in Ingredients

Return the beef to the pot along with the broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, dried herbs, nutmeg, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and rice.

Make sure you have rinsed and drained the rice in order to remove the starchy outer coating.

Broth, rice, seasonings, tomatoes and herbs are added to the pot.

Boil and Simmer

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.

Cover and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. (If using brown rice, you may need to cook the soup for another 5-10 minutes and add additional broth.)

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Dress up a bowl of soup with finely chopped parsley, shredded cheese (like Parmesan), and a toasted baguette, crackers, or Homemade Croutons.

Stuffed pepper soup is served with a ladle.

Meal Prep and Storage

To Prep-Ahead: Chop the vegetables and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days in advance. Also, mix up the herbs and spices and keep at room temperature until ready to use. Additionally, you can make up this recipe completely for a simple heat and serve meal.
To Store: Seal leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To Freeze: Place in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Return to a pot over medium-low heat, or microwave until heated through.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free and dairy-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

Low-carb: Leave out the rice and add in cauliflower rice during the last 5-10 minutes of simmering.

Gluten-free stuffed pepper soup are set on the counter.

FAQs

How can I make this soup spicier?

You can stir in some chili powder, red pepper flakes, or dried cayenne pepper, or mix in freshly diced jalapeños.

What peppers should I use in stuffed pepper soup?

Bell peppers are the classic choice. A mix of colors such as red, green, and orange is nice, but all of one type may be used.

How long does soup last in the fridge?

When sealed in an airtight container, soup will keep for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Can I make stuffed pepper soup in the Crock-Pot? In the Instant Pot?

You sure can!
For the Crock-Pot, brown the beef in a sauce pan, and sauté the onions, garlic, and peppers before slow cooking. Set to low heat for 6 hours.
In an Instant Pot, follow the directions for sautéing the beef and vegetables, then cook for 12 minutes on high pressure with a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Cut ’em thick. The bigger the bell peppers are, the more crisp they will stay after simmering.
White or brown. Either type of rice may be used, but you’ll need to cook a bit longer for brown and add extra broth.
Rinse before cooking. Remove the excess starch by running the rice under cool water.
Mix it up. Add in a few different dried herbs to give it a more complex flavor.
A spoonful of sugar. This helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.

A bowl of soup is shown loaded with ground beef, bell peppers, and rice.

What to Serve with Stuffed Pepper Soup

Try one of these recipes with this delicious stuffed pepper soup:

More Healthy Soup Recipes

Get cozy and warm yourself from the inside with these good-for-you recipes:

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients