This Instant Pot stuffed pepper soup is healthy, hearty, and simple to make. Your family will love this comforting easy weeknight dinner!
I have a stove top stuffed pepper soup on here, and I liked it so much that I wanted to try it out in the 'ole Instant Pot. Now that it's chilly out, I have soups/stews/cozy food on the brain. And in the freezer. So many blog leftovers in the freezer. You can expect plenty more of these types of recipes from me as the colder months approach.
Stuffed pepper soup is way less fussy than making actual stuffed peppers, and I'm all about things being easy. The shift from warm weather to cold always throws me into hibernation mode, and I pretty much just want to eat warm carbs. *shrugs*
On a sorta related note, I just ordered a new sealing ring for my Instant Pot (actually, I ordered four of them from Amazon). I was testing a different recipe and my IP stopped working! It wouldn't come up to pressure, and then I saw how the sealing ring had warped.
I suggest keeping some extra sealing rings on hand, because you never know when yours may need replacing. I wish I listened to my husband when he suggested I should get extras. Oh well. That recipe will have to be re-tested since timing got totally messed up, and I ended up having to cook it like 3x as long to get the meat to be tender, but at least I know the flavor was there. 😛
Try my sausage stuffed peppers or these Mexican stuffed peppers.
How to make stuffed pepper soup in an Instant Pot
- Sauté the onion with the olive oil for 3 minutes; add the beef and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the electric pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Do a quick pressure release and add salt & pepper and any garnishes as desired.
Pro tip: I used 3/4 cup of rice and the soup was very thick... perfect for a hearty meal. If you want it to be more soupy, I suggest using 1/2 cup of rice (or even less if you want it to be lighter).
Can I use cooked rice in this recipe? You can use cooked rice, but then I suggest adding it once the soup has been cooked (the pressure cooking will turn it to mush). You will end up with an overall thinner soup if you do this method, though, so you may want to try the stovetop recipe instead.
I hope you'll give this easy electric pressure cooker stuffed pepper soup a try.
Questions about this soup? Let me know in the comments below!
Love easy Instant Pot soups with beef? You may like my Instant Pot beef taco soup or this Instant Pot cabbage soup.
Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 cup uncooked rice (I used jasmine)
- 1.5 pounds extra lean (95% lean) ground beef
- 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
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 dashes Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop your onion and add it to your Instant Pot along with the olive oil. Press the sauté button and cook for about 3 minutes, then add the ground beef and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining ingredients to your Instant Pot and give it a stir. Rinse the rice (put it in a sieve and run it under the tap) prior to adding it to your Instant Pot. Important note: The soup in the photos is quite thick and hearty. If you prefer it to be less thick, use 1/2 cup of rice. The soup gets pretty close to the fill line of my 6-qt. Instant Pot, so be sure not to go over.
- Close the lid and set the valve on "sealing". Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take at least 10-15 minutes for the Instant Pot to get up to pressure. Once the countdown is over, carefully release the pressure manually.
- Season soup with salt & pepper as needed.
Notes
- Serves 6-8 depending on how much people eat.
- You can use regular diced tomatoes if you wish, but the fire-roasted ones give it extra flavor.
- I use this 6-quart Instant Pot.
- Inactive time indicates the time it'll take the Instant Pot to come up to pressure.
- I have a separate recipe for the stovetop version of this soup.
- 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 rice. Stir it every now and then so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the Crockpot.
- 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.
Sheri says
Nevermind....you can delete my previous request to post. I get it now....duh
Natasha says
I'll leave it up in case anyone has the same question, but I'm glad you figured it out. 🙂
Sheri says
When you say "once the countdown is over, release the pressure manually" I'm not sure what countdown you mean. (Fairly newbie IP user) Does that mean just leave it to natural release, and then when the valve goes up, open that puppy up?? Thanks. Looking forward to tasting it in a bit!
Natasha says
Hi! So, once the cooking time has elapsed (it starts the countdown once you've reached pressure and counts down from the time you set it to... so in this case it counts down from 10 minutes), you would manually release the pressure by turning the steam release handle, and then open the lid up once you hear the pin drop and the pressure has fully been released. This is a quick release vs. a natural release. A natural release takes longer and isn't great for certain recipes like this one that has rice. I'm sure you could see it in action if you look on YouTube - videos really helped me understand when I was first learning my IP. I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Ellie says
I made this and loved it! Spicy, flavorful, hearty....the perfect stuffed pepper soup. Two notes I would make: (1) I used Basmati rice and I thought it was a little undercooked so would add 2-3 minutes to cook time if using Basmati rice (2) As Natasha says in the recipe, it is definitely on the stew-ier side, so I added chicken broth to it when heating up leftovers. Amazing recipe, will definitely make it again!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks, Ellie!!
Elena says
I have tried this recipe twice and both times my instant pot said burning and the rice sure was burnt to the bottom! How do I fix this issue? It smells so good.
Natasha says
Hi Elena! Some of the newer Instant Pots seem to be very finicky and give burn warnings. I can honestly say that I have never encountered a burn warning before in my older model IP. It's frustrating to hear when this happens to readers. You could try soaking the rice (or at least rinsing it) beforehand, and be sure to stir it very well before sealing up the IP so there's nothing sticking on the bottom. If all else fails, I have a stovetop version of this soup here: https://bit.ly/3iHvV6S
Amy says
How would using brown rice or basmati rice change the cooking time?
Natasha says
Hi Amy, I don't know... I have not tested it. Perhaps look up a similar IP recipe that uses basmati rice and it may give you an indication? I'm reluctant to say since I have never cooked brown rice in my IP before, and I don't want to guess wrong and for you to get a burn warning/have issues.
Rosie says
SO GOOD! I made several freezer kits of this meal before I gave birth, and it was such a delight to thaw it out, throw in the Instant Pot, and have a delicious meal with no effort while dealing with a newborn.
Natasha says
That's awesome!! I'm so happy the recipe made your life a little easier. 🙂
Karla says
I make this at least once a month from October-March. I do add 3 T. of brown sugar and a 1 t. of crushed red pepper. I also use Mild Italian sausage. I’ve used both jasmine and brown rice. If I use brown, I cook it 5 minutes longer.
Natasha says
Awesome!! Thanks for the tips. Love the brown sugar idea!
Melissa says
Love this recipe! A tried-and-true fave in our house. Over time we have made slight adjustments, but not much! My husband likes things hearty instead of soupy, so we use 2 pounds of ground beef, a little extra rice, and use 1 extra pepper that we leave in larger chunks. Makes it more of a stew than a soup, but he loves it that way! Thanks for the great recipe! As a side note on the burn notice, I had to get a new instant pot because my old one finally died. Never got a burn notice with the old pot. The new pot seems to be much more touchy, gives me a burn notice every time. I just open it up, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom really well. If I get a 2nd burn notice, I scrape again and add a little more water. Hope that helps to those that get the burn notice!
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for your detailed comment, Melissa! 🙂 It's so annoying how those new Instant Pots seem to be. Really frustrating for me as a recipe developer since I have never (like ever) received a burn warning on my older IP.
Rotsalinh says
Omg, Natasha! I totally forgot to rate it. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars! Amazing recipe, as always!
Natasha says
Thank you!!! 😀
Rotsalinh says
Natasha - this was again such an amazing recipe! I love traditional stuffed peppers but it’s so time consuming to do and this was such a great recipe for a weeknight! So easy to make and as always, delicious! I will definitely be adding this to the rotation!
Natasha says
I'm so happy that you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Wendi Knight says
I am wanting to meal prep next week. How long does this stay good in the fridge?
Natasha says
Hi! Well, the leftovers (like the rice) can soak up the broth a bit, so keep that in mind (you may need to add a little more broth). I'd say leftovers are good for 3-4 days, but I tend to err on the side of caution whereas some people are comfortable keeping foods for longer in the fridge.
Erin says
Delicious!! I made it exactly as instructed for the instant pot and even my 8 year old ate it. Definitely a keeper!!
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know!
SHANNON S. says
I am eating this as we “speak”. It is absolutely delish! My mom used to make stuffed peppers. I would never eat them. I would only eat inside of them. I don’t mind green peppers or red peppers as long as they are finally chopped and cooked. So I seen this recipe and gave it a try. And I am so glad I did! This is definitely a keeper!
Natasha says
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it haha. I agree.. I prefer the soup too!
Dave Roscoe says
It would be great if this had nutrition information. I plan on making this tonight!
Natasha says
Hi Dave! I just plugged the recipe into my nutrition calculator for you. Please keep in mind that ingredients vary and it's an estimate. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Heather says
I've made thisba few times & I love it!! When I share it, most people love a little parmesan on it. I also like a little hot sauce sometimes. I have made it with white and brown rice. I almost only make it with ground turkey & it's still great!!
Natasha says
Love your parm and turkey ideas! So glad you like the recipe!!
Kanchan says
I gave my husband one job while making this and that was to measure out the rice... and well, he did it wrong lol. There is waaaay too much rice and it’s not really “soup” anymore. We ate a quarter of it as is (it was delicious!) but do you have any suggestions for how to make the rest of it more soup-y? I don’t want to throw it out but it’s just a bunch of rice left and it’s fairly dry! Thanks in advance!!
Natasha says
Hi!! I would add some chicken broth to it when reheating it. 😊
Tanja Robinson says
Hi..I would like to
are the crockpot version of this soup...when you add the rice during the last 20-30 minutes is that cooked or uncooked rice?
Natasha says
Hi! I meant the instructions for uncooked rice. 20-30 minutes is just a guesstimate... you'll have to play it by ear. It'll vary based on what kind of rice you use. I'd probably crank the heat up to high for that time as well. Let me know how it goes!
Becky says
Excellent!! My 1 year old and 3 year old loved this. I added some parmigiana to my bowl. Sooooo good 👌 thanks.
Natasha says
Great!! Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Becky! 🙂
Ann K. says
Just cooked up a pot of this and it's SO good! I've been scouring the internet for regular stuffed pepper recipes that don't involve poaching the peppers and cooking the rice ahead of time ('one-pot meal' my rear end!) and this is the perfect solution to all that mess and complication! Can't wait for my family to dig into this for dinner, they're going to love it 🙂
Natasha says
Excellent... I am so happy you liked it! Yeah, stuffed peppers definitely take a bit of effort haha.
Misty says
I made this as part of my meal prep and it's very good. I've been having it for lunch week days for the last 2 weeks since it's easier to make a big pot of something then freeze. Is it possible to make with brown rice? I've never made brown rice in my Instant Pot and I've had it for 3 years, but I've read it takes longer to cook than white rice.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you like it! I too like to pack soup for work lunches. I think I'd give it the same amount of time with brown rice and if it's a bit undercooked, maybe give it a minute or two longer next time (you could cook that existing batch a bit longer using the "saute" function if you find it's undercooked).
Jay says
So good !! I changed a few things though, I used one pound ground beef and one pound mild Italian to give it a little more flavor & 1/4 cup red wine because why not lol. It turned out amazing though, I do plan to make it again.
Natasha says
So glad you liked it, Jay! And yes... red wine is definitely a good addition to so many recipes hahaha.
Janae says
Amazing!! I was initially worried after reading all the comments about it burning - but mine did not do that at all - yay! And it’s absolutely delicious!! My husband loves it so much he had 5 bowls! It feeds a lot too - bonus! Thank you!
Natasha says
Haha that’s great! My husband is also in the 5 bowl club. ❤️
Jamey says
Hi there, I'm new to the page. A couple of questions. I see where you add the beef but looks to be no draining of it. I'm guessing that's why you say use the 95% lean. Also the picture looks to show Green onions but the ingredients don't list that. Is that a garnish for after it cooks or should we add that in as well? Thanks for any tips. I'm a guy who's never cooked before getting and instant Pot and it's kept me interested and my wife is happy for my effort 🙂
Natasha says
Hi Jamey! That's correct - if you do choose a more fatty ground beef, draining most of the fat out isn't a bad idea. I like to have some fat in there because it adds flavor. Yup, I used the spring onions as a garnish to make the photos pop a bit (I think I ran out of parsley that day and didn't want to go to the store haha). Since there's onion in there already, you definitely don't need to bother adding it into the recipe. It tasted good as a garnish, but it's definitely optional. 🙂
Kyle says
Just wanted to say I've also been getting the burnt message, had to scoop out some stuff in order for it to go away! First time I've gotten the message too.
Natasha says
That's not good. Thanks for letting me know!
Jamie says
What can I sub for meat? We are vegetarians. Also would it change the cooking time? It looks amazing.
Natasha says
Thank you! Hmm... I've been giving this some thought, and it's really hard for me to give you an answer without doing some testing. The beef is quite a large component of this soup and adds a lot of flavor. You could try just adding your favorite veggies and make it more of a vegetable soup. Adding black beans could make it more filling. I'd just add canned ones. As far as cooking time goes, maybe 8 minutes? It's hard to say without testing. I do have vegan Instant Pot soup you may like that's been tested if you like sweet potatoes: https://www.saltandlavender.com/easy-instant-pot-sweet-potato-soup/
Poomiki says
Make it with Beyond beef! Or just crumbled Beyond Burgers.
Danielle says
Hi! Why would we be getting the burn message? Has this ever happened for you?
Natasha says
Hi Danielle! I have never received the burn notice, even on recipes where I worried it would happen (like ones with rice and not much liquid). Is it possible that something has stuck to the bottom of your Instant Pot? That could be the most likely culprit. I don't know why it would happen with a soup - it has tons of liquid. Does anything seem stuck on? I wonder if it's just a weird error due to some sort of malfunction.
Karlen says
Hello,
I also got the burnt message. Apparently thick tomato sauces can cause the burnt message in combination with rice. I tried stirring the bottom with a metal spatula and still got the message when the tomato sauce burned into the rice again.
Recommend using lighter Rice's and maybe half the amount of fire roasted tomatoes.
Natasha says
Thank you for the tip! I wish this wasn't happening to people... still never had a burn warning in my IP! 🙁
Megan says
I made the soup today and my husband ate 3 bowls! (He does not like regular stuffed peppers.) I did get the burn message on my Instant Pot even though I followed the recipe exactly as written. A fair amount of rice did burn and coat the bottom of my pot. I ended up transferring the soup to the stove to finish the cooking process. Delicious! I'll definitely make this soup again in the crockpot or on the stovetop.
Natasha says
That's so bizarre about the burn message! I've heard the newer Instant Pots tend to show that burn warning more often. I have yet to see one on my Instant Pot. I'm glad at least it was tasty, Megan!
Charles says
Check that your valve is set to sealing and that your ring is in place. “Burn” happens when your instant pot fails to reach pressure.
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy says
Love this soup! And I love my instant pot!
Leigh Ann says
This soup sounds so good to me! Saving this one for sure!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Stuffed peppers have always been one of my favorite meals Natasha. My Gram made the best when I was growing up. I recently made a stuffed pepper soup and Tom and Casey loved it. I'll need to give your recipe a try too! It looks soooo good!
Natasha says
Thank you!! It's just so comforting. 🙂 I think I prefer the soup version to actual stuffed peppers.
Matt Robinson says
I didn’t know what I was craving tonight until I saw this. So great!
Natasha says
Haha I'm glad!