The Best Stuffed Pepper Soup

The Best Stuffed Pepper Soup ~ I’m craving comfy soups right now, and this one has all my favorite stuffed pepper flavors in one delicious slurp-able pot ~ with easy low carb, Whole 30, and Paleo options! This delicious meal can be ready in under an hour.

Stuffed pepper lovers, listen up! This soup combines all the elements of great stuffed peppers ~ without the pesky stuffing and baking.

Stuffed peppers are one of my personal favorite comfort foods, and I can honestly say that I enjoy the soup even more than actual stuffed peppers. It’s lighter, more piquant, and the peppers stay colorful and crunchy. I’ve got some tips and tricks to making this one of the best soups you’ve ever had.

The nice thing about this soup recipe is that it can easily accommodate so many special diets~

• it’s naturally gluten free
• without the rice it’s low carb
• it’s also Keto if you omit the rice and stick to lower carb green peppers
• Whole 30, & Paleo if you leave out the rice and cheese
• it’s also low calorie without the rice and cheese
• Non red meat eaters can substitute ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef
• Vegetarians and vegans might try some of the good vegan ‘meat’ crumbles on the market, Trader Joe’s makes a couple of great ones.

To make this soup ahead ~

Making this soup ahead is actually my preferred method, it allows the flavors in the broth to develop.

• Go through step 3 and then cool the soup and refrigerate. This can be done up to 2 days in advance.
• When you’re ready to reheat the soup, add the peppers and simmer for a few minutes until they’re tender, they don’t take long. (I like them with a little bit of bite left.)
• Be sure to taste the soup before serving to adjust the seasonings.

Make this soup low carb, whole 30 and paleo ~

• Leave out the rice, (or rice and cheese) there is plenty going on in this delicious soup, you won’t miss it. Add some extra meat and peppers if you like to make up for the bulk of the rice.
• Try this with low carb cauliflower rice!
• Shredded cabbage would be a nice addition.
• Be sure you use your favorite no-sugar-added tomato products.

This stuffed pepper soup can be made in the slow cooker

• The soup will work great in a slow cooker, but I do like to brown my meat and onions first. Don’t add the peppers until the last hour or they’ll over cook.
• Add the rice in at the very last minute before serving, or serve it on the side, so people can add it to their bowls separately.

Can you make this soup in the Instant Pot?

• This is a quick cooking soup so there is no need for pressure cooking, however you can make it in your Instant Pot using the sauté setting, following the recipe as written.
• You can also use the Instant Pot slow cook setting. Brown the meat and onions on sauté, and then switch to the slow cook mode.
• I like to cook soups like this in the IP because the keep warm setting is so useful. It’s perfect if you’re feeding a game day crowd, people can help themselves.  The Instant Pot tempered glass lid is perfect for this.

Tips for making the BEST Stuffed Pepper Soup

• Don’t add water to your soup. Use stock, use tomatoes, use tomato sauce, but water brings nothing to the table.
• If possible, make the base of the soup, up to step 3 in the recipe, the day before. The flavors will deepen. The next day finish with the peppers and serve with the rice.
• Taste the soup and be sure to add enough salt and pepper. My secret weapon is a couple of teaspoons of Sherry vinegar, the little bit of piquant flavor is perfect in this soup. You might also try Worcestershire sauce, or some vinegar based hot sauce if you like things spicy. (Many recipes call for brown sugar, I don’t find that necessary, but you might try it if it appeals to you.)
• I add the peppers in at almost the last minute, I give them just enough time to take the raw edge off, but still remain bright and firm. This makes ALL the difference.
• Never add rice directly to your soup unless you plan to serve right away, and don’t anticipate leftovers. The rice will absorb too much broth if it sits for long. I recommend adding it to each serving individually. Spoon some in a cup or bowl, then top off with the soup.

This stuffed pepper soup freezes beautifully!

• Remember, don’t add the rice to soup before freezing, add that after thawing and reheating, when you’re ready to serve.

The best rice for stuffed peppers and stuffed pepper soup

• Long grain rice is best for this dish ~ I like jasmine or basmati. Avoid instant rice, which has no flavor and will fall apart.
• Quinoa would work well in this soup too.

Feeding kids?

• Kids love the combination of rice and ground beef  in this soup. Use the more sweet red, orange, and yellow peppers to entice kids to love their veggies…green peppers are the most bitter, plus…they’re green 😉

I’m pretty passionate about peppers here at tvfgi ~

• Sheet Pan Peppers & Brats
• Spaghetti Peperonata with Tuna and Olives
• Spiced Lamb and Couscous Stuffed Peppers
• Easy Sausage and Peppers

Stuffed Pepper Soup

4.67 from 27 votes

Stuffed pepper soup is a hearty, comforting soup that's ready in under an hour.

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Prep Time:5 minutes minutes

Cook Time:50 minutes minutes

Total Time:55 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

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Equipment

• a stock pot

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1 1/4 lb ground beef (80-85 % lean)
• olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 ounce can of beef broth
• 15 ounce can of petite cut diced tomatoes
• 17 ounces tomato sauce (I use Pomi)
• 1 tsp Italian herbs
• 1 bundle fresh sage and oregano OPTIONAL
• 1 tsp paprika (use hot smoked if you like…I do!)
• 2 tsp Sherry vinegar
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 large large bell peppers, seeded and diced (I like to use multi colors for a beautiful effect in the soup)
• 2 cups cooked long grain rice

garnish

• chopped parsley
• grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Brown the beef in a large heavy bottomed soup pot. Add a touch of olive oil if your meat is very lean. Break up the beat as you brown. Remove to a bowl.
• Add the onions to the same pan, and saute for about 10 minutes until softened…you aren't looking to brown them. Add the garlic and saute a minute or so more.
• Add the beef back into the pot, along with the broth, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Give everything a good stir. Add the dried herbs, the fresh herbs, tied in a little bundle (if using) paprika, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring up to a simmer, then cover and simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the bundle of fresh herbs, it's done its job. Add the peppers and continue to simmer for a few more minutes, just until the peppers begin to soften. Serve the soup in bowls with the rice. Garnish with parsley and lots of Parmesan cheese.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: bell peppers, comfort food, dinner, ground beef, soup, stew

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cup · Calories: 205 kcal · Carbohydrates: 18 g · Protein: 14 g · Fat: 9 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Cholesterol: 39 mg · Sodium: 426 mg · Potassium: 619 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 1045 IU · Vitamin C: 39 mg · Calcium: 42 mg · Iron: 3 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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