Why the rice goes straight in the pot
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.
Here’s the part most recipes get wrong. A lot of them tell you to cook the rice separately because it’ll turn to mush and drink up all your broth.
That happens when there’s too much rice for the liquid. This one uses just a half cup of uncooked rice against almost eight cups of broth and tomatoes, so the grains have room to soften without stealing the soup.
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.
(If you’re more in a hands-on mood, these Greek Stuffed Peppers and Crock-Pot Stuffed Peppers are the ones I go back to.)
Why you’ll love this soup
- It’s a one-pot meal. No second pan for the rice, no baking dish, no waiting on peppers to roast.
- Hands-on time is under 20 minutes. The rest is the pot doing its thing.
- It’s loaded with flavor thanks to a bunch of dried herbs.
- It freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Ground beef: A 90/10 ratio is the sweet spot. Ground chicken or turkey work too, they’ll just need a little more salt.
- Bell peppers: Mixing red and green gives you the best color, but all of one is completely fine. Cut them into bite-sized pieces so they’re spoon-friendly.
- Tomatoes: A combination of tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes is amazing. Regular diced tomatoes work, but they might be a bit bland.
- Beef broth: This is where the body comes from, so don’t swap it for water. You’ll just end up oversalting to make up for it.
- Rice: Uncooked white rice goes straight into the pot. Rinse it first to wash off the extra starch so the soup doesn’t turn gluey.
- Worcestershire sauce: You won’t taste it on its own, and that’s the point. It’s doing the savory heavy lifting underneath the tomatoes.
- Sugar: This may seem optional, but it helps counteract the acidity of the tomatoes. Coconut sugar or honey work too.
- Dried herbs: Oregano, thyme, rosemary, and a couple bay leaves. The mix is what makes it taste like the filling of an actual stuffed pepper.
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Soup
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Brown the beef
Cook the ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Break it into fine crumbles with a potato masher as it cooks, then drain it on paper towels.
A potato masher is the move here. A wooden spoon leaves you with chunks, and you want crumbles small enough that every spoonful gets some beef.
Soften the onion and peppers
Add the oil and diced onion to the same pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns translucent. Toss in the bell peppers for 3 to 4 minutes, then the garlic for one more minute.
Cut the peppers into half-inch pieces. Any smaller and they disappear into the soup during the simmer instead of staying spoonable.
The Slow Cooker I L❤️VE!
Not all slow cookers are created the same. I’ve used and loved my Crockpot 6-quart one for YEARS. It holds heat great, is easy to use, and the lock and carry lid is so handy!
The Instant Pot I L❤️VE!
Not all pressure cookers are the same. The 6-quart Duo Plus is the one I reach for, since the sauté function does real work before the lid goes on and the controls are simple enough that you don’t need the manual.
Everything in the pot
Return the beef to the pot with the broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, Worcestershire, sugar, herbs, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and rinsed rice.
Give it a good stir so nothing is stuck to the bottom.
Simmer until the rice is tender
Bring it to a boil, then drop the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
Fish out the bay leaves, stir in fresh parsley, and serve it with a toasted baguette.
Oops! What did I do wrong?
My rice turned to mush. It probably simmered too long or sat covered on the heat after it was done. Pull the pot off the burner as soon as the grains are tender, and take the lid off so it stops steaming.
All the broth disappeared overnight. This is normal, the rice keeps drinking as it sits in the fridge. Stir in a splash of broth when you reheat and it comes right back.
My peppers are still crunchy. They needed a few more minutes in the saute step before the liquid went in. Once the pot is simmering, the peppers soften a lot more slowly.
It tastes too acidic. That’s the tomatoes talking. Another teaspoon of sugar rounds it out fast, and a little more salt helps too.
It’s too thin for me. Let it simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes and it’ll tighten up. There are more options in my guide on how to thicken soup.
FAQs
Add chili powder, red pepper flakes, or cayenne with the other dried herbs. Fresh jalapenos tossed in with the bell peppers work too.
You can, but it needs about 20 extra minutes and another cup of broth. Cauliflower rice is the other direction, and it goes in during the last 5 minutes.
Swap the beef for a can of drained white beans or lentils and use vegetable broth instead of beef. You’ll want an extra splash of Worcestershire or a little soy sauce for the savory depth.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days, adding a splash of broth when reheating since the rice will continue to absorb liquid. Freeze for up to 3 months, or for the best texture, freeze the soup without the rice and add freshly cooked rice after thawing. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave individual portions until warmed through.
Chop the vegetables up to 2 to 3 days in advance and mix the herbs and spices ahead of time. You can also make the whole pot and just reheat it, which is honestly how I like to do it.
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Stuffed Pepper Soup
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 90/10, or turkey
- 2 tablespoons 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 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1-15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon oregano dry
- ½ teaspoon thyme dried
- ½ teaspoon rosemary dried
- Pinch of nutmeg optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup white rice uncooked
Instructions
- Cook beef in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Break apart meat with a potato masher to get fine crumbles. Remove beef from the skillet and let drain on a paper towel lined plate.1 pound ground beef
- Add oil and diced onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until onions start to become translucent. Stir in bell peppers and continue sauteing for 3-4 minutes. Add in minced garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute.2 tablespoons oil, 1 small sweet onion, 2 bell peppers, 3 cloves garlic
- Add beef back into the pot along with the broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, dried herbs, nutmeg, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and rice.4 cups beef broth, 1-15 ounce can tomato sauce, 1-15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes, 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon rosemary, Pinch of nutmeg, 2 bay leaves, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup white rice
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- Remove bay leaves and stir immediately with fresh parsley and a toasted baguette. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Rice: Uncooked white rice cooks right in the pot. Rinse it first, and pull the pot off the heat as soon as the grains are tender so it doesn’t go past done. Cauliflower rice works too, stirred in during the last 5 minutes.
- Slow cooker: Brown the beef and soften the peppers on the stove first, then cook on low for 6 hours. Add the rice during the last 45 minutes.
- Instant Pot: Saute the beef and vegetables, add everything else, then pressure cook on high for 12 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
- Make ahead: Chop the vegetables up to 2 to 3 days in advance and mix the herbs and spices ahead of time. The whole pot can be made in advance for a simple heat and serve meal.
- Storage: Seal leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The rice keeps absorbing broth as it sits, so add a splash more when reheating.
- Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months. The rice does soften a bit more after thawing, so for the best texture freeze the soup before the rice goes in and add fresh rice when you reheat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with stuffed pepper soup
This soup already has the beef and the rice built in, so the side just needs to be something to scoop with. A toasted baguette is what I reach for nine times out of ten.
If you want to make it feel like more of a spread, a handful of Homemade Croutons on top does the same job with less effort.
On the vegetable side, keep it light so you’re not doubling up on starch. Garlic Mashed Cauliflower is the one I make most, and a simple green salad works just as well.
And if you’re cooking for a crowd, Black Bean Quinoa Stuffed Peppers on the same table is a fun way to serve the soup and the original side by side.
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