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Stuffed pepper soup has everything you love about stuffed peppers—bell peppers, ground beef, tomatoes, rice—in a hearty bowl of soup!
Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
I love soup weather and the convenience of making a big pot of soup that can be served for several meals. This stuffed pepper soup is a fan favorite and always a huge hit with everyone in my house. That’s including both of my kids—they just love it! Like Lasagna Soup and Baked Potato Soup, stuffed pepper soup transforms a dinnertime favorite into a bowl of soup, with bell peppers and lean ground beef in a rich tomato base topped with brown rice. (If you need more ground beef ideas you can see all my ground beef recipes in the archives.)
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
- Cozy comfort food. This is the kind of comforting soup that will fill you up and keep you warm on a chilly night.
- Stuffed pepper flavor, without the work. You might consider this soup a lazy stuffed pepper because it tastes just like a stuffed pepper without all the effort. (If you love stuffed peppers, be sure to try my Turkey Stuffed Peppers and Chicken Stuffed Peppers with White Beans!)
- Customize it to your tastes and diet. You can omit the rice to keep it low-carb, Paleo or Whole30, make the soup with ground turkey, or top it with shredded cheese. Have fun with this one!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Brown rice – Here’s how to cook brown rice.
- Ground beef – I use 95% lean.
- Bell peppers – A combination of green and red bell pepper.
- Onion and garlic – Two essential ingredients for making a flavorful stuffed bell pepper soup!
- Petite diced tomatoes – No need to buy fresh when canned works just as well.
- Tomato sauce – For a rich tomato broth.
- Reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth – Try this Homemade Chicken Broth From Your Crock Pot.
- Seasonings – Dried marjoram, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Soup
See the recipe card below for printable instructions.
- Brown the meat. Cook it over high heat in a large pot until it’s browned. Season with salt.
- Cook the vegetables. Drain off any fat and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened.
- Simmer. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cooked rice). Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cooked brown rice.
Tips and Variations
- Make it in the Instant Pot. Follow the instructions in the recipe card below, reducing the amount of broth by 1/2 cup.
- Use cauliflower rice. Cooked cauliflower rice makes an excellent low-carb substitute for the brown rice.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the ground beef and replace it with diced mushrooms or your favorite plant-based ground beef. You’ll need to add oil to the Dutch oven if you do this since these don’t have the same amount of fat as ground beef.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can store the rice separately or stir it into the soup. Note that if you stir it in, the soup will thicken during storage and you may need to add extra broth.
- Freezer: Freeze stuffed pepper soup in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
How To Make Stuffed Pepper Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 -1/2 cups soup 1/2 cup rice
Stove Top:
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In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt.
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Drain fat if any, reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions and garlic.
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Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.
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Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
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Serve about 1 1/2 cups of soup in each bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.
Instant Pot:
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Press saute button on Instant Pot, spray the pot with nonstick spray, add the ground meat and salt and cook until no longer pink, 5 to 8 minutes.
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Drain fat if any, then add peppers, onions and garlic and cook 4 to 5 minutes.
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Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook high pressure 15 minutes. Natural release.
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Serve about 1 1/2 cups of soup in each bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.
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Note: since there is no evaporation in the pressure cooker, you can reduce the broth by 1/2 cup.
Last Step:
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Serving: 1 -1/2 cups soup 1/2 cup rice, Calories: 285 kcal, Carbohydrates: 37.5 g, Protein: 21.5 g, Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 46.5 mg, Sodium: 621 mg, Fiber: 4.5 g, Sugar: 6.5 g
Photo credit: Sarah Fennel