Stuffed Pepper Soup
This stuffed pepper soup recipe has ground beef, three bell peppers, and a rich tomato broth, with rice cooked on the side so every bowl stays brothy and comforting.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (6 quart) - Holds the beef, vegetables, and all the liquid with room to stir
- Medium saucepan with lid (2 quart) - For the rice, which needs a tight-fitting cover
- Chef's knife - For dicing the onion and chopping the peppers into even pieces
- Large cutting board - Gives you space to prep the peppers and onion without crowding
- Ladle - Makes serving clean and keeps the rice at the bottom of each bowl
- Wooden spoon - For breaking up the beef and scraping the bottom of the pot
- Can opener - You need it for the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce
- Measuring cups and spoons - The seasonings and rice-to-water ratio need accurate measuring
- Fork - For fluffing the rice and testing the peppers
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - 15 ml
- 1½ pounds ground beef - 680 g, 85% lean
- 1 large yellow onion - finely diced, about 1½ cups / 225 g
- 2 large green bell peppers - chopped into ½-inch pieces, about 2 cups / 300 g
- 1 large red bell pepper - chopped into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup / 150 g
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes - 28 ounces / 794 g, undrained
- 1 can tomato sauce - 15 ounces / 425 g
- 4 cups beef broth - 950 ml
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - 15 ml
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar - 13 g
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - 6 g, plus ¼ teaspoon for the rice
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
For the rice
- 1 cup long-grain white rice - 185 g
- 2 cups water - 475 ml
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt - the extra amount listed in the soup ingredients
For serving
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese - 85 g, about 2 tablespoons per bowl
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Dice the onion, chop the green and red bell peppers into ½-inch pieces, and mince the garlic. Open the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce (do not drain the tomatoes) and measure out the broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and seasonings.
- Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, break it into small crumbles, and cook for about 7 minutes until no pink remains. Spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.
- Add the onion, green bell peppers, and red bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, then tuck in the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up browned bits.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. A piece of green pepper should pierce easily with a fork but still hold its shape.
- Combine the rice, 2 cups water, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover tightly, and cook on the lowest heat for 15 to 18 minutes until the water is absorbed. Rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the broth and add more salt or pepper if needed, and stir in a splash of hot water if the soup looks too thick.
- Spoon about ½ cup of rice into each of 6 bowls and ladle the hot soup over the top. Finish each bowl with about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, then serve right away.
Notes
- Cook the rice separately: simmering it in the pot makes the soup thick and starchy by the next day.
- Keep the peppers at ½ inch so they turn tender by the 30-minute mark; ¾-inch pieces need about 10 more minutes.
- Use a mix of green and red peppers: green gives the classic grassy flavor and red adds sweetness.
- Drain most of the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon so the vegetables don't stick and the broth isn't oily.
- Do not skip the brown sugar; 1 tablespoon softens tomato acidity without making the soup sweet.
- Taste and season at the end, since beef broth and tomato sauce both contain salt and the soup concentrates as it simmers.
- Use low-sodium broth for control over the final salt level, and keep the simmer gentle so the peppers stay intact.
- Make it a day ahead for deeper flavor, then cook fresh rice right before serving.
- Storage: refrigerate soup and rice separately for 3 to 4 days; freeze the soup without rice for up to 3 months.
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), adding a splash of broth or water if thickened.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 28gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1150mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9g
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