Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe 🫑 🥣

Stuffed pepper soup is a hearty, thick soup that is like eating a stuffed bell pepper with the ground beef, cooked rice, tomatoes and bell peppers that you love, but you eat it out of a bowl. 

This easy to make soup recipe has ground beef and ground sausage for extra flavor along with bell peppers, crushed tomatoes and your choice of white or brown rice. Be sure to cook the rice before adding it to the soup.

This soup has the consistency of a beanless chili and flavors similar to the stuffed cabbage rolls my grandmother would make when we visited. 

🥫 Stuffed Pepper Soup Ingredients:

• lean ground beef - I like a 80/20
• ground sausage - using a hot sausage will give the dish some extra heat.
• onion diced - white onion is what I typically use but red onion would be fine. 
• bell peppers - I like a mix of red bell and green bell pepper
• garlic, minced - fresh is best but use jared if that is your only option
• crushed tomatoes - your favorite brand but frozen will work if you freeze tomatoes
• diced tomatoes, undrained - see above
• Italian seasoning
• beef broth
• Worcestershire sauce
• carrots
• brown sugar (optional)
• long grain white rice

Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

Why I love to make stuffed bell pepper soup

1. Classic: Indulge in the timeless taste of classic stuffed peppers, expertly blended into a hearty soup that warms your soul and tantalizes your taste buds.
2. Effortless Preparation: Experience the convenience of a one pot wonder, as this easy-to-make stuffed pepper soup streamlines your cooking, leaving you more time to relish its comforting flavors.
3. Nourishing Comfort: Delight in a bowl of comforting goodness, enriched with bell peppers and seasoned ground beef, offering both nourishment and a satisfying embrace for your senses.

📝 Notes on the ingredients

Can I substitute raw rice for cooked rice? - This recipe calls for cooked rice and leftover rice would be perfectly fine to use. But if you don't have you can use 1 cup of raw rice but be sure to add an additional 2 cups of beef stock or water so the rice has moisture to absorb as it cooks.

Why is there a carrot in this recipe? - I add a bit of carrot to my recipes that have a lot of tomatoes as the main ingredient. For some people, tomatoes can be very acidic and hard to digest. The carrot will help neutralize the acid and make the dish more enjoyable. I use a Microplane grater to finely grate the carrots and my kids have no idea they are eating carrots! My halupki recipe and bolognese also have my secret grated carrot trick.

Can anything else be substituted for the rice? - For a lower-carb option use cauliflower rice for the white or brown rice. I have omitted the rice altogether and served the soup over cooked wide noodles or a baked potato. 

Is there a substitute for the diced tomatoes? -If you are like my oldest daughter, who doesn't like chunky tomatoes in her food, you can still make this stuffed pepper soup recipe by omitting the diced tomatoes and substituting in equal amounts of tomato sauce. 

🥄 How to make stuffed pepper soup recipe

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, brown the ground beef and the bulk sausage until brown, breaking up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon (approximately 5-6 minutes).
2. Remove the cooked ground beef and sausage to a clean plate and drain the rendered fat from the pan, leaving just enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the onions and the bell peppers to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened and the vegetables are taking on color.
4. Add the grated garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add the beef and sausage mixture back to the pot and stir to combine.
6. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, carrot and brown sugar, if using, to the pot; bring to a simmer.
7. Cook for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
8. Stir in the rice and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste as desired.

♨️ Variation: crock-pot instructions:

1. Brown the meats and transfer the cooked meat to a crock-pot or slow cooker. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients with the exception of the cooked rice to the pot and stir to combine.
3. Cook on high about 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
4. Add the rice when you serve the soup. 

How to freeze stuffed pepper soup.

1. Cool the Soup: Allow the stuffed pepper soup to cool down to room temperature after cooking. This helps prevent condensation inside the container and reduces the risk of freezer burn.
2. Portion the Soup: Divide the soup into individual or family-sized portions. This makes it easier to thaw and reheat only the amount you need, without having to defrost the entire batch.
3. Choose Freezer-Safe Containers: Use high-quality, airtight containers or resealable freezer bags designed for freezing. Make sure they are labeled with the date so you can keep track of how long the soup has been in the freezer.
4. Leave Some Head Space: If using containers, leave some space at the top to account for the soup expanding as it freezes.
5. Remove Air: If using freezer bags, squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing to minimize the risk of freezer burn.
6. Seal and Store: Seal the containers or bags tightly to prevent freezer odors from affecting the soup's taste. If using bags, you can lay them flat to save space.

Reheating Instructions:

When you're ready to enjoy the frozen stuffed pepper soup, there are a few options for thawing and reheating. Remember that freezing can slightly alter the texture of certain ingredients in the soup, so while the flavor should remain good, the texture might not be exactly the same as when it was freshly made.

I add a splash of water or beef stock to my soup when I reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stove. The rice will continue to absorb moisture over time so adding extra water or stock will help loosen up the soup when you reheat it. 

Proper freezing practices can help preserve the quality of the stuffed pepper soup and ensure a tasty meal later on.

• Refrigerator Thawing: Place the frozen soup in the refrigerator and let it thaw gradually. This might take several hours to overnight, depending on the portion size.
• Stovetop Reheating: Transfer the thawed soup to a pot and gently reheat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
• Microwave Reheating: If you're in a hurry, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave. Be sure to use a microwave-safe container and heat in short intervals, stirring in between, to avoid overheating.
• Check for Quality: Once the soup is thawed and reheated, give it a quick smell and taste test to ensure its quality. If it smells or tastes off, it's better to discard it.

I add a splash of water or beef stock to my soup when I reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stove. The rice will continue to absorb moisture over time so adding extra water or stock will help loosen up the soup when you reheat it. 

📄 More Easy Soup Recipes

Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe

Sarah Mock

Stuffed pepper soup has all the flavors of your favorite stuffed bell peppers but without the work and mess of making stuffed peppers.

4.96 from 50 votes

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Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 15 minutes mins

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 30 minutes mins

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Course Soup

Cuisine American

Makes 8 cups

Per Serving 446 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ½ pounds ground beef
• ▢ ½ pound ground sausage
• ▢ 1 onion diced
• ▢ 2 green bell peppers
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 6 cups low sodium beef broth
• ▢ 1 can 16 ounces crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 1 can 28 ounces diced tomatoes (undrained)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
• ▢ ¼ cup shredded carrots
• ▢ 2 cups cooked long grain white rice

Instructions

 

• In a large pot over medium high heat, brown the ground beef and the bulk sausage until brown, breaking up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon (approximately 5-6 minutes).
• Remove the cooked ground beef and sausage to a clean plate and drain the rendered fat from the pan, leaving just enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan.
• Add the onions and the bell peppers to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened and the vegetables are taking on color.
• Add the grated garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the beef and sausage mixture back to the pot and stir to combine.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, carrot and brown sugar, if using, to the pot; bring to a simmer.
• Cook for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
• Stir in the rice and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste as desired.

Video

Notes

Stuffed pepper soup crock-pot instructions:

1. Brown the meats and transfer the cooked meat to a crock-pot or slow cooker. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients with the exception of the cooked rice to the pot and stir to combine.
3. Cook on high about 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
4. Stir in cooked rice when you serve the soup. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 32gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 927mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11g

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.