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    Home » Soups

    Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup

    Published: Feb 22, 2022 / Updated: Dec 18, 2022 / 43 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This stuffed pepper soup recipe uses everyday ingredients and is simple to make on the stove or in your slow cooker! Get all your favorite stuffed pepper flavors in a warm and hearty soup with minimal effort.

    Want to make it in your Instant Pot instead? Try this Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup version.

    close-up of a ladle of stuffed pepper soup in a pot

    Why you'll love it

    You know when you're craving stuffed peppers, but just thinking about the effort leaves you tired? This soup solves that! I'm all for quick and easy, and this stuffed bell pepper soup fits the bill perfectly. Honestly, the hardest part is chopping up the veggies, and I actually find that kinda therapeutic.

    This is one of those soups that tastes like it's been simmering for hours, but it can be on your table in well under an hour. Your whole family can enjoy the cozy, familiar flavors of ground beef, bell peppers, and rice in this inexpensive soup on a busy weeknight and might even prefer it to actual stuffed peppers!

    What you'll need

    • Rice - I recommend a white rice variety like jasmine, basmati, or sometimes you can find rice labeled as a general "long grain white rice". Brown rice will work too.
    • Olive oil - the base for sautéing
    • Onion - use your favorite variety. I like Vidalia (sweet) onion
    • Ground beef - use the leanest than you can find. The 1.5 pound measurement of beef doesn't have to be exact!
    • Garlic - infuses more savory flavor. You can use more or less depending on preference.
    • Bell peppers - I used one red and one green, but any colors are fine
    • Tomato sauce - for my international readers, this is very similar to passata
    • Diced tomatoes - we're using fire-roasted tomatoes for extra flavor
    • Chicken broth - you could use beef broth if you prefer for a richer color and flavor
    • Italian seasoning - it's a blend of dried herbs that comes in a single jar
    • Mild paprika - one of my favorite spices to enhance the broth. It sets it apart from other soups!
    ingredients in small bowls on a marble surface for stuffed pepper soup

    Tips for success

    • The quality of your canned tomatoes really matters in this recipe. I find that Muir Glen's fire-roasted variety is ideal for this soup, but you can use regular diced tomatoes.
    • If you're not a fan of larger pieces of tomato, you could sub for petite diced tomatoes for a different texture.
    • If the tomatoes end up tasting a little bit acidic, a great trick to counter that is adding in a pinch of sugar to take the sour edge off!

    How to make stuffed pepper soup on the stove

    This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

    making rice and frying onions and garlic in a soup pot for stuffed pepper soup

    Cook the rice. Meanwhile, sauté the onions for 5-7 minutes in a large pot or Dutch oven.

    cooking ground beef in a soup pot

    Add the beef and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Stir in the garlic.

    adding in peppers, broth, tomatoes, and rice to stuffed pepper soup

    Put in the remaining ingredients except for rice and salt & pepper, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, add it to the pot and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, then season the soup and enjoy!

    How to make stuffed pepper soup in the Crockpot

    • Brown the beef first, and then transfer it to your slow cooker along with everything except for the rice and salt & pepper.
    • Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
    • About 20-30 minutes prior to serving, add the cooked rice and season to taste. Easy!

    Substitutions and variations

    • Want to make this soup spicy? Add in hot paprika instead of regular paprika or some cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes.
    • I've seen people top this soup with shredded cheddar cheese, so feel free to do that if it's your thing!
    • I used ground beef in here, but you can swap in ground turkey, ground pork, or even ground chicken if you prefer.
    • You could cook the rice right in the soup, but I don't advise it since timing may be tricky. You also might need more liquid and to stir constantly so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

    What to serve with stuffed pepper soup

    • It makes a complete meal by itself, but you could definitely accompany it with a side salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing or this Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
    • A slice of crusty bread or a dinner roll or biscuit would go well too.

    Leftovers and storage

    • Leftovers will last in the fridge for a few days, but the rice will soak up the liquid the longer you leave it. You may need to add a splash of broth to revive any leftovers.
    • If you think you'll have lots of soup left over, you may want to store the cooked rice separately and add it just prior to serving when you're rewarming the soup.
    • If you plan on freezing the soup or eating the bulk of it as leftovers, I recommend not adding the rice until you're warming it up again! It'll last in the freezer for 3 months.

    More cozy recipes

    • Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
    • Cabbage Roll Soup
    • Sausage Stuffed Peppers
    • Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl
    • Mexican Stuffed Peppers
    a bowl of stuffed pepper soup

    Questions about this simple stuffed pepper soup? Did you make it? Talk to me in the comments below! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.

    close-up of a ladle of stuffed pepper soup in a pot

    Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup

    This easy stuffed pepper soup recipe uses everyday ingredients and is simple to make on the stove or in your slow cooker! Get all your favorite stuffed pepper flavors in a warm and hearty soup with minimal effort.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 331 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 3/4 cup uncooked rice 
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/2 medium onion chopped
    • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 red bell pepper chopped finely
    • 1 green bell pepper chopped finely
    • 1 (13.5 fluid ounce) can tomato sauce
    • 1 (28 fluid ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices)
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • Salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Start by cooking the rice according to package directions. If you have already cooked rice on hand, save it for later in the recipe.
    • While the rice is cooking, add the oil and onion to a large soup pot and sauté for 5-7 minutes (ok if it browns slightly - that'll give the soup more flavor). To save time, I chop the peppers while the onions are cooking. 
    • Add the ground beef to the pot and cook it for 5 minutes, using a spoon to stir/break up the beef as it cooks. If the beef is particularly fatty (it shouldn't be if you bought lean), drain most of the excess grease before proceeding to the next step.
    • Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute.
    • Add in the peppers, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
    • Add the cooked rice to the pot and continue to cook the soup for another 10 minutes or so. This will helped thicken the broth a bit and infuse more flavor into the soup. Season as needed with salt & pepper. 

    Notes

    • You can use regular diced tomatoes if you wish, but the fire-roasted ones give it extra flavor. 
    • I used jasmine rice in this recipe. Feel free to swap with another rice e.g. brown rice or any variety of long grain white rice. 
    • Freezing and leftovers: If you plan on freezing the soup or eating most of it as leftovers, I suggest not adding the rice until you're warming it up again. It'll either go mushy or soak up most of the broth.
    • Crockpot version: You can definitely make this stuffed pepper soup in a slow cooker. Brown the beef first, and then transfer it to your Crockpot, along with everything except for the rice and salt & pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. About 20-30 minutes prior to serving, add the cooked rice.
    • Check out the Instant Pot version.
    • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 29gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1190mgPotassium: 860mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1669IUVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword stuffed bell pepper soup, stuffed pepper soup recipe
    Author Natasha Bull

    This recipe was originally published on April 19, 2018. It's been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!

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    1. Anita Freeman says

      December 20, 2022 at 6:40 PM

      I made this tonight but didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes so I googled the ingredients in them, it said they have a smoke flavor. I added just a dab of liquid smoke and a dash of Worcestershire like I read in one of the comments. It was delicious and I will make it again. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 21, 2022 at 1:20 PM

        I love that!! Very resourceful. 🙂 You're very welcome!

        Reply
    2. Brenda Callison says

      November 29, 2022 at 4:22 PM

      This is a great recipe I tweaked mine aclittle bit and added Ragu spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce and I put mozzarella cheese on top of mine right before serving it .It is delicious!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 29, 2022 at 5:06 PM

        Glad you enjoyed it, Brenda!!

        Reply
    3. Karen Swartz says

      October 1, 2022 at 10:26 AM

      5 stars
      Delicious soup! I’ve made it twice now, and the family loves it. My crew aren’t fans of rice however, so I made it once with acini de pepe pasta, and the second time with ditalini. I liked the ditalini better, personally. I added a little A1 sauce and worchestershire to the party, and used Spicy V8 juice for the liquid. Out of this world!!! Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        October 1, 2022 at 2:06 PM

        So glad you liked it, Karen! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Renee says

      July 17, 2022 at 5:03 PM

      Okay, I see it now. Jasmine rice. I have that type! Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        July 17, 2022 at 5:19 PM

        You're very welcome! Let us know how it turns out 🙂

        Reply
    5. Renee Schouten says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:26 PM

      Hi,
      what kind of rice for the soup?

      Renee

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        July 17, 2022 at 4:18 PM

        Hi Renee! It sounds like you skipped past the Ingredients heading within the blog post. It's all explained there. Enjoy the soup! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Abby Jaeger says

      March 13, 2022 at 3:51 PM

      5 stars
      Second time making this recipe. Very easy and very good! I use a rice cooker for the rice while I get the ingredients prepped. I also added celery and frozen spinach for some extra veggies. The flavor reminded me of jambalaya, which we love!

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        March 13, 2022 at 4:02 PM

        That makes us so happy to hear, Abby! Thanks for your review!

        Reply
    7. Melissa says

      December 14, 2021 at 11:40 AM

      Can I just add 1/3 cup or so uncooked rice and let it cook I get th soup?

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        December 14, 2021 at 11:42 AM

        I meant cook in the soup (stinking autocorrect)

        Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 14, 2021 at 12:02 PM

        Yes, that will work. Be sure to stir it often so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. You may need to add more broth if you notice the rice has soaked it up. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Julie says

      May 7, 2021 at 11:23 AM

      5 stars
      My family and I LOVE this recipe. The only thing I do differently is add cauliflower rice instead of actual rice. We have this soup at least once a week during the cooler months. It’s so comforting and warming. It’s a family favorite.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 7, 2021 at 1:59 PM

        I'm so happy that you all enjoy it!! Thanks so much for letting me know, Julie!

        Reply
    9. rebecca drake says

      April 18, 2021 at 7:41 AM

      I made this using slow cooker. Yummy!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 18, 2021 at 10:37 AM

        Fantastic!! 🙂

        Reply
    10. NORMAN LESPERANCE says

      February 21, 2021 at 10:35 AM

      5 stars
      Very easy, and quick

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 21, 2021 at 10:42 AM

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    11. Neda says

      December 29, 2020 at 1:41 PM

      5 stars
      This was FANTASTIC and the left overs were just as amazing. In addition to the chopped garlic I added garlic powder into the soup, added cheese on top with sprinkling chopped parsley. Thank you for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 29, 2020 at 1:44 PM

        Yay!! You're very welcome! 🙂

        Reply
    12. sandy says

      October 25, 2020 at 2:24 PM

      I will try this in crock pot and use Barley.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 25, 2020 at 3:08 PM

        Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    13. Eve Belanger says

      October 22, 2020 at 2:56 PM

      Made this. So yummy. But to cut corners, I used instant rice.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 22, 2020 at 7:12 PM

        Wonderful! That's definitely a good way to save some time!

        Reply
    14. Lakhwinder Brar says

      February 20, 2020 at 8:45 AM

      I made this dish and already had ordered a pizza for the kids. They are soo picky and I just wasn't having it. Well, hehe, we had the pizza for breakfast! Kids loved the soup! Thanks so much!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 20, 2020 at 9:18 AM

        Oh wow, that's awesome hahaha

        Reply
    15. connie says

      November 1, 2019 at 5:21 AM

      5 stars
      Thank You for this delious receipe it was quick and simple very tasty

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 1, 2019 at 2:20 PM

        You're very welcome!

        Reply
    16. Tracy says

      March 16, 2019 at 11:28 PM

      5 stars
      This was really delicious! I love the flavors and it's definitely more streamline than doing traditional stuffed peppers. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 18, 2019 at 5:56 PM

        Wonderful! So glad you liked it, Tracy. 🙂

        Reply
    17. Katie Miller says

      March 8, 2019 at 4:52 AM

      I made this last night . Was absolutely delicious and so easy ! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 8, 2019 at 8:45 AM

        Wonderful! Thank you 🙂

        Reply
    18. Andie says

      January 14, 2019 at 4:49 AM

      5 stars
      I made this last night with ground turkey. Perfect for a cold Juanuary day! Delicious!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 14, 2019 at 9:36 AM

        Excellent! Using ground turkey is a great idea.

        Reply
    19. Kimberly Sheridan says

      January 11, 2019 at 2:51 PM

      5 stars
      Great recipe, I make a double batch and add in sweet sausage. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 11, 2019 at 2:54 PM

        So pleased you liked it, Kimberly!!

        Reply
    20. Gloria Mellyn says

      October 14, 2018 at 10:54 AM

      Sounds great I enjoy your recipes. Very good!!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 14, 2018 at 5:55 PM

        Thanks, Gloria!

        Reply
      • Ebonee says

        January 11, 2021 at 8:04 PM

        This came out so good. I added some Gouda cheese to it and used cauliflower rice instead of jasmine rice.

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          January 12, 2021 at 10:02 AM

          Awesome!!

          Reply

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    Natasha Bull, founder and author of Salt & Lavender, in the kitchen

    Hi! I'm Natasha. Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!  Read more...

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