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Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed pepper soup with ground beef, diced bell peppers, and long-grain rice simmered in a tomato-forward broth. Cooked until the rice is tender and finished with melty shredded cheddar and fresh parsley.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
Bell peppers
  • 2 green bell peppers diced
  • 1 red bell peppers diced
Aromatics and seasonings
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
Tomatoes and broth
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 4 cup beef broth
Rice and serving
  • 1 cup long grain white rice uncooked
  • shredded cheddar for serving
  • fresh parsley for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain the fat. Keep stirring so the meat breaks up evenly and browns without burning.
Sauté vegetables
  1. Sauté the onion and all bell peppers for 4-5 minutes in the same pot. Cook until the peppers soften and the onion turns translucent, then add the garlic and tomato paste.
  2. Cook the garlic and tomato paste for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables. The mixture should smell fragrant and slightly deepen in color.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, then bring everything to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits.
  2. Add the uncooked long grain white rice, reduce the heat, and cover the pot. Simmer for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then turn off the heat. Taste the broth so the seasoning balances the tomatoes.
  2. Serve the soup topped with shredded cheddar and fresh parsley. Let it sit briefly so the cheese melts slightly into the hot tomato broth.

Notes

For best texture, keep the pot covered during the 18-20 minute rice simmer so the rice cooks evenly in the broth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of beef broth if it thickens. Freezing is yes—cool completely, freeze up to 3 months, and reheat on the stove with extra liquid. Dietary swap: use ground turkey instead of ground beef for a lighter version while keeping the same seasonings.