This Stuffed Pepper Soup has everything you love about classic stuffed peppers in a hearty, flavorful soup! It’s made with ground beef, bell peppers, rice, and a rich tomato broth with the best blend of seasonings. Make it on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot!

Be sure to try my Beef Barley Soup and Sausage Tortellini Soup next!

Stuffed Pepper Soup in a white bowl with a spoon on the side and bell peppers in the back.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

There is nothing better than a big bowl of this hearty Stuffed Pepper Soup! It has all the familiar flavors of traditional stuffed peppers, but everything comes together in a cozy, satisfying soup that’s easy to prepare.

The combination of beef and chicken broth creates a flavorful base, while tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with green chilies add richness. A hint of brown sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes, and a few simple flavor enhancers give the broth the perfect savory finish.

One of my favorite tricks is to cook the rice separately in chicken broth and add it directly to serving bowls. This keeps the rice from absorbing all the delicious soup broth and makes leftovers even better!

You can make this recipe on the stovetop or let it simmer in the slow cooker. Either way, it’s a wonderful make-ahead meal that freezes beautifully!

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Season the ground beef with salt/pepper and cook the beef and onions in a large soup pot. Drain grease. Add garlic and peppers and sauté for 3 minutes. 

Want to save this recipe?

I'll email it to you for later!

A soup pot filled with cooked ground beef and onions with green and red bell peppers being added for stuffed pepper soup.

Add the seasonings, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and brown sugar. Stir to combine, then add the beef/chicken broth.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the rice in chicken broth in a separate pot and add it to serving bowls.

A soup pot with with beef broth being added to stuffed pepper soup next to a pot of cooked white rice.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese, (if using). Ladle the soup on top of the rice and serve!

A soup pot with cheese being added to it and combined into Stuffed Pepper Soup.

Crock Pot Method

  1. Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease and transfer to the slow cooker.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the rice and shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours. Switch to the warm setting and stir in the shredded cheese, if using.
  4. Cook the rice separately as outlined in the stovetop method. Add the cooked rice directly to serving bowls and ladle the soup on top.
  5. Store leftover soup and rice separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator or freezer. This prevents the rice from absorbing the broth and becoming mushy.

Pro Tips

  • Bell Peppers: I love using a combination of green and red bell peppers. Green peppers have a slightly more savory, earthy flavor, while red peppers add a touch of sweetness. Yellow or orange bell peppers work well too!
  • Rice: I highly recommend cooking the rice separately in chicken broth and adding it directly to serving bowls. This keeps the rice from soaking up the soup broth, especially when storing leftovers. You can also use 2 ¼ cups of leftover cooked rice. If you prefer to cook the rice directly in the soup, keep in mind that it will absorb some of the broth, so you may need to add additional liquid.
  • Flavor Enhancers: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder add depth of flavor without overpowering the soup. You won’t taste them individually! I use Frank’s Hot Sauce, it’s not overly powerful.
  • Ground Beef: Drain excess grease after browning the beef to keep the broth from becoming greasy. Ground turkey can also be used for a leaner option.
  • Cheese: Shred the cheese from a block for the best flavor and consistency. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are both great options!
  • Make Ahead: Prepare the soup as outlined and refrigerate it separately from the cooked rice. Reheat the soup and add the rice to individual bowls just before serving.
  • More Stuffed Peppers: Try my Stuffed Bell Peppers and Unstuffed Peppers next!
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 38 of my second cookbook, Let’s Eat!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is stuffed pepper soup made of?

  • Stuffed pepper soup has all the classic flavors of stuffed peppers in soup form! It’s made with ground beef, bell peppers, tomatoes, rice, and a savory broth with herbs and seasonings.

Can I use a different kind of rice?

  • Yes! Long-grain white rice works especially well, but brown rice or other varieties can also be used. Cook the rice separately according to package instructions, as cooking times and liquid requirements will vary.

Can I make stuffed pepper soup ahead of time?

  • Absolutely! This is a great make-ahead soup. Prepare the soup and rice as outlined and store them separately. Reheat the soup when ready to serve and spoon the rice into individual bowls before adding the broth.

Can I freeze stuffed pepper soup?

  • Yes! The soup freezes very well for up to 3 months. Freeze the cooked rice separately to prevent it from absorbing the broth and becoming overly soft when reheated.

Storage

  • Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the rice in a separate container to prevent it from absorbing the broth.
  • Freezer: This soup freezes very well for up to 3 months! Let it cool, then transfer it to airtight freezer containers. Freeze the cooked rice separately for the best texture.
  • Reheating: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. Add the cooked rice to serving bowls before ladling the hot soup on top.

 

Stuffed Pepper Soup in a blue soup pot with a wooden spoon on the side.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

Try These Next

Get My Free E-Book! 

Tried This Recipe?

Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A white bowl filled with Stuffed Pepper Soup with a spoon on the side.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
4.99 from 62 ratings
Servings: 6 people
Tap or hover to scale
Print Pin Save Review
Trust this site on Google
This Stuffed Pepper Soup has all the flavors of classic stuffed peppers in a hearty, savory soup with ground beef, bell peppers, tomatoes, and rice. It's easy to make on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot, and it's perfect for freezing!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Seasonings

  • 1 teaspoon EACH: dried basil, oregano, parsley, mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Soup

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ¼ lb. ground beef, 90% lean
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt/Pepper, to taste
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 10 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • 16 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, (optional)

Rice

  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 cups white long grain rice, uncooked., (Or 2 ¼ cups cooked rice.)

Instructions

  • Note: The rice is cooked separately in this recipe to ensure that it doesn’t soak up too much broth in the soup. This allows leftover soup and rice to be stored separately as well, as the rice continues to soak up broth during storage. This soup freezes very well, the rice can also be frozen in a separate storage container.

Prepare the Soup:

  • Heat the olive oil in a 4 ½ quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and add it to the pot. Cook and crumble it for 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the beef is brown and cooked through. Drain grease.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic and toss to coat. Add the diced bell peppers and let them soften for 3 minutes.
  • Add the seasonings, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and brown sugar. Stir to combine, then add the beef broth and chicken broth.
  • Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook the Rice:

  • Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the rice and submerge it in the liquid. Bring back to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce to a gentle simmer, cook for 15 minutes. Turn heat off. Let the rice sit in the pot, covered, for 10 full minutes. Any rice stuck to the bottom will release during this time. This will yield 2 ¼ cups of flavorful rice. Note: Other varieties of rice can be used and will require different amounts of liquid and simmering time. (Refer to package for instructions.)

Serve:

  • Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese, (if using). Spoon the rice into serving bowls and ladle soup on top. If you don’t anticipate leftovers, you can add the rice right to the soup pot. Serve!

Notes

Crock Pot Method:
  1. Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease and transfer to the slow cooker.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the rice and shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours. Switch to the warm setting and stir in the shredded cheese, if using.
  4. Cook the rice separately as outlined in the stovetop method. Add the cooked rice directly to serving bowls and ladle the soup on top.
  5. Store leftover soup and rice separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator or freezer. This prevents the rice from absorbing the broth and becoming mushy.
Pro Tips
  • Rice: I highly recommend cooking the rice separately in chicken broth and adding it directly to serving bowls. This prevents it from absorbing the soup broth and becoming mushy, especially when storing leftovers. You can also use 2 ¼ cups of leftover cooked rice.
  • Bell Peppers: I love using a combination of green and red bell peppers. Green peppers have a slightly earthy flavor, while red peppers add sweetness. Yellow or orange bell peppers work well too!
  • Flavor Enhancers: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder add depth of flavor without overpowering the soup. You won't taste them individually! I use Frank's Hot Sauce, it's not overly powerful.
  • Ground Beef: Drain excess grease after browning the beef. Ground turkey can also be used, although the flavor will be slightly different.
  • Cheese: Shred the cheese from a block for the best flavor and consistency. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are both great options!
  • Storage: Store leftover soup and rice separately in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 38 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Be sure to freeze the rice in a separate container from the soup. The soup and the rice both freeze well.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe. (It also includes the optional 1 cup of cheese.)

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 1544mg, Potassium: 1015mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1242IU, Vitamin C: 63mg, Calcium: 219mg, Iron: 5mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie