Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed pepper soup is easy, hearty, and absolutely irresistible comfort food! It has all the classic flavors of traditional stuffed peppers – tender ground beef, colorful bell peppers, fragrant herbs, and fluffy rice – but in a cozy, soul-warming bowl. This recipe transforms the beloved family favorite into something even better: a one-pot wonder that’s perfect for chilly evenings when you want something that feels like a warm hug from the inside out.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Easy Orzo Vegetable Soup or this Roasted Vegetable Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the flavor, none of the fuss – Get that classic stuffed pepper taste without hollowing out peppers or worrying about them falling apart
• One-pot simplicity – Everything cooks together beautifully, which means less cleanup and more time with your family
• Freezer-friendly comfort – Make a big batch and freeze portions for those nights when you need dinner magic in 10 minutes
• Budget-friendly family meal – Uses simple, affordable ingredients to feed a crowd without breaking the bank

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Soup Base:

• 1 lb lean ground beef (I get whatever’s on sale at Kroger)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (~1 cup) (sometimes I use frozen chopped onions because crying sucks)
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (the expensive pretty ones)
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (way cheaper and more flavorful anyway)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or that squeeze bottle stuff when I’m being lazy)

For the Tomato Base:

• 2 (14.5-oz) cans petite diced tomatoes (keep every drop of that juice)
• 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14.5-oz) can low-sodium beef broth (whatever brand’s cheapest)

For the Seasonings:

• 2½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

For Serving:

• 1 cup uncooked long grain white or brown rice (do NOT put this in the soup, I’m serious)
• Cheddar or mozzarella cheese, for serving (because everything needs cheese)

Print

Why These Ingredients Work

Ground beef makes this filling enough that Tom doesn’t whine about still being hungry after dinner. Red peppers are sweet, green peppers taste like actual stuffed peppers from when I was little. Using both gives you the best of everything.

Diced tomatoes get soft but don’t turn into complete mush. Tomato sauce keeps everything smooth instead of chunky weird. Fresh parsley makes it taste like I put effort in instead of just opening cans and dumping them together.

Rice cooked separate is the hill I’ll die on. Put rice in the soup and it turns into thick gross paste by the next day. I’ve ruined too many batches learning this stupid lesson.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big soup pot (whatever your biggest pot is)
• Another pot for the rice (yeah I know, more dishes)
• Decent knife that actually cuts stuff
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Can opener
• Measuring cups
• Ladle for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brown the Beautiful Beef

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in your big pot over medium heat. Dump in ground beef, season with salt and pepper, break it up while it cooks until brown all over. Maybe 6-8 minutes. Drain most grease but leave a little for flavor. Take beef out and set aside.

Pro Tip: Don’t jam pack the beef or it steams instead of browning. Brown meat tastes way better so be patient.

Step 2: Sauté the Rainbow Vegetables

Add other tablespoon oil to same pot. Throw in chopped onion and both colors peppers. Stir around 3 minutes until soft. Smells incredible.

Step 3: Add the Garlic Magic

Add garlic, stir 30 seconds. Don’t burn it or soup tastes bitter and you’ll be mad at yourself.

Step 4: Build the Soup Base

Dump in diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, beef broth, cooked beef, parsley, basil, oregano. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to gentle boil stirring sometimes.

Pro Tip: Taste now and fix seasonings. Different tomato brands have different saltiness.

Step 5: Let It Simmer and Develop

Turn heat down low, cover, simmer 30 minutes. Stir every once in awhile so nothing sticks and burns.

Step 6: Cook the Rice Separately

While soup simmers, cook rice in different pot exactly like package directions say. This is mandatory.

Step 7: Bring It All Together

When soup’s done, add rice to bowls individually or stir into whole pot if everyone wants lots of rice.

Step 8: Serve with Love

Put in bowls, sprinkle parsley on top, add cheese if wanted. Eat hot right away.

You Must Know

Never put rice straight in soup unless eating immediately. Rice keeps absorbing liquid overnight and makes soup into paste. I’m stubborn so I had to learn this multiple times before it stuck.

Personal Secret: Always make double because this freezes perfect. When reheating frozen soup, add broth to thin back out.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Keep tiny bit beef fat for flavor, just drain most. Want fancy? Roast peppers in oven 10 minutes before chopping. Not needed but makes you feel like actual chef.

Soup tastes flat after cooking? Add splash Worcestershire sauce. Too salty? Throw whole peeled potato in for 10 minutes then take out. Potato sucks up extra salt somehow.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Mexican style: cumin and chili powder instead Italian herbs, add black beans, top with avocado. Italian style: cooked Italian sausage with beef plus spinach at end.

Vegetarian: skip beef, use vegetable broth, add kidney beans or lentils for protein. Ground turkey for lighter version. I’ve added leftover roasted vegetables and it worked great.

Make-Ahead Options

Gets better sitting fridge overnight. Flavors blend together nicely. Make soup base 3 days ahead, just don’t add rice until serving.

Freeze soup base without rice in flat freezer bags 3 months. Stack like books saves space. Thaw fridge overnight then reheat gentle, add fresh rice and extra broth if thick.

What to Serve With Stuffed Pepper Soup

Crusty bread for dipping essential. Cornbread works too. Simple salad cuts tomato richness.

Red wine if fancy, water if normal. Kids like chocolate milk with this for some reason. Put out extra cheese, sour cream, green onions so everyone fixes their bowl how they want.

Allergy Information

No dairy unless add cheese serving. Skip cheese dairy-free or use fake cheese stuff. Gluten-free if rice and broth certified gluten-free.

Ground turkey or chicken instead beef fine. Those fake plant meats work okay too, just cook less time. Check labels if serious allergies because companies change stuff.

Storage & Reheating

Keeps fridge 4 days sealed containers. Better second day honestly. Reheat slow stovetop stirring sometimes. Add broth if gets thick.

Microwave portions half power 30-second chunks, stir between. Full power makes tomatoes explode mess. Thaw frozen overnight before reheating.

FAQs

Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?

Yeah but takes longer cook so start earlier. Brown rice nuttier chewier. Might need extra broth serving since brown rice drinks more liquid.

My soup turned out too thick – how do I fix it?

Add broth little bit until looks right. Happens when rice sits soup too long. Next time less rice or keep separate until serving.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yeah but brown beef pan first. Everything except rice slow cooker 6-7 hours low or 3-4 hours high. Cook rice separate, add serving. Don’t put raw meat slow cooker.

How can I make this soup spicier?

Chop jalapeño with other peppers or red pepper flakes cooking. Hot sauce works. Start small because can’t take heat away. Made kids accidentally spicy soup before.

What if I don’t have fresh parsley?

Use 1 tablespoon dried instead 2½ fresh. Fresh basil or oregano work. Emergency: spinach handful stirred end for color nutrition.

💬 Made this soup? Tell me how went comments! Love seeing pictures your bowls even messy ones.