This Stuffed Pepper Soup is everything you love about classic stuffed peppers made easier in one cozy bowl! It’s loaded with savory ground beef, bell peppers, tomatoes, and rice, all simmered together in a rich, flavorful broth. Hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor, it’s easy to see why this recipe is a reader favorite!

Using a ladle to serve stuffed pepper soup.
Kelley Simmons Kelley’s Tips

Tips for the Best Stuffed Pepper Soup

  • Use cooked rice. Don’t add uncooked rice directly to the soup unless you plan to increase the broth. Uncooked rice absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks and can leave you with a very thick soup. If you plan to cook the rice in the soup add about 2 additional cups of beef broth and simmer until the rice is tender. Keep in mind that the rice will continue absorbing liquid as the soup sits.
  • Reheating leftovers. The soup will become thicker in the fridge as the rice continues to absorb the broth. Add a splash of beef broth when reheating to loosen it back up.
Kelley

Ingredients for Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients like ground beef, bell peppers, broth, canned tomatoes, red onion and cooked rice.
  • Ground beef or Sausage: We make this recipe with either ground beef or ground sausage. Mild or spicy sausage would also work.
  • Bell peppers: You can’t have a stuffed pepper soup without bell peppers! I prefer to use either red, orange or yellow bell peppers because they are a little sweeter and in my opinion more flavorful then green.
  • Onions & garlic: Adds savory flavor and helps build the base of the soup.
  • Beef broth: Thins out the soup a bit and adds flavor.
  • Tomatoes: I use both fire roasted tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a subtle smoky flavor and are the perfect addition to this easy stuffed pepper soup.
  • Rice: Cooked white rice makes the soup hearty and gives it that classic stuffed pepper feel. Add it at the end so it doesn’t become mushy.
Stuffed pepper soup cooking in a large pot.

How to Make Stuffed Pepper Soup

  • Brown beef: Heat olive oil in a large pot and add in the ground beef and cook until browned and no longer pink. Remove the beef from the pot, drain any excess grease, and set aside.
Browning ground beef with a spatula.
  1. Sauté veggies: Add the remaining oil to the same pot. Add in the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
  1. Simmer: Pour in beef broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Add the beef back to soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
Stirring rice into stuffed pepper soup.
  1. Stir in rice: To warm through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  1. Serve: Enjoy warm with a crusty baguette and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. For an extra creamy finish, add a dollop of sour cream and a little fresh parsley to each bowl!

Stuffed Pepper Soup FAQ

Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?

Yes, just make sure the rice is fully cooked before adding it to the soup. Brown rice will give the soup a slightly heartier texture.

How to make Stuffed Pepper Soup in the Instant Pot?

Brown the sausage using the SAUTE function on the Instant Pot. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the remaining soup ingredients and ½ cup uncooked white rice. Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes, then allow the pressure to naturally release. Stir, serve, and enjoy!

How to make Stuffed Pepper Soup in the Slow Cooker?

Brown the sausage, then add it to the slow cooker with all the remaining ingredients except the rice. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours. Prepare the rice separately and stir it into the soup just before serving.

What’s the best way to store Stuffed Pepper Soup?

  • Refrigerate: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze: Place cooled soup in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing the soup without the rice or freezing the rice separately.
  • Reheat: Allow the soup to thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen then warm it up on the stovetop or microwave until hot. The rice really thickens up the soup so make sure to add a splash of broth or water to thin it out.
Sausage Rice and Pepper Soup topped with fresh chopped parsley.

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    Recipe

    Stuffed Pepper Soup

    4.83 from 17 votes
    Stuffed Pepper Soup loaded with spicy sausage, bell peppers and rice! Everything you love about a stuffed pepper but in soup form!
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Serves 6

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
    • 1 lb ground beef or sausage
    • 2 large bell peppers, diced
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 14.5 ounce can beef broth
    • 1 14.5 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
    • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
    • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • salt and pepper
    • 1 cup white rice, cooked
    • chopped fresh parsley for garnish, if desired
    • shredded cheese for serving, if desired

    Instructions

    • In a large pot or cast iron pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in sausage and brown. Drain sausage and set aside.
    • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pot. Add in the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
    • Pour in beef broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Add the sausage back to soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
    • Stir in rice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve immediately with parsley and a sprinkle of cheese on top of each bowl.

    Notes

    • Adjust the consistency. This soup thickens quite a bit once the rice is stirred in. For a thinner soup, add extra beef broth or reduce the amount of rice.
    • Use cooked rice. Don’t add uncooked rice directly to the soup unless you plan to increase the broth. Uncooked rice absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks and can leave you with a very thick soup.
    • Cook the rice in the soup. Add about 2 additional cups of beef broth and simmer until the rice is tender. Keep in mind that the rice will continue absorbing liquid as the soup sits.
    • Reheating leftovers. The soup will become thicker in the fridge as the rice continues to absorb the broth. Add a splash of beef broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 15gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 539mgPotassium: 460mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1385IUVitamin C: 57mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg

    Did You Make This?

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