All of the best components of stuffed peppers in delicious Stuffed Pepper Soup that's loaded with lean ground beef, tender rice, the perfect amount of seasoning, and plenty of veggies.
GROUND BEEF: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the ground beef. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up the beef, until browned. Transfer the beef to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Drain any fat from the pot.
VEGGIES: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in pot then add onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes before adding the red and green bell peppers. Saute for another 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for about 30 more seconds. Add in the thyme, oregano, and Italian seasoning. Stir into the veggies.
TOMATOES: Pour in diced tomatoes (undrained), tomato sauce, and beef broth. Crumble in the beef bouillon cube, add in the Worcestershire sauce, and return the ground beef to the pot. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper (I use 1/2 teaspoon of each, add to personal preference). Bring soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes.
RICE: While the soup is simmering, prepare the rice. Either follow package directions, or use these instructions (my favorite way to prepare basmati rice): Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse in cold water for 2-3 minutes or until water runs clear. Place uncooked rice in a bowl and soak in cold water while you bring a very large pot of water to boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, salt the water. Drain the rice through the sieve and add to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for exactly 5 minutes (do not reduce temperature; it should be boiling). Check the rice to ensure it is tender, leaving it on for an additional minute if necessary. Drain the rice and set aside. Place in a bowl to serve alongside the stuffed pepper soup.
SERVE: Once soup has simmered, serve it warm alongside the bowl of cooked rice. Once rice has been added to preference in individual bowls, garnish bowls with fresh parsley and cheese if desired.
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Notes
Note 1: Tomatoes: Make sure to use good quality tomato products, as they will greatly impact the flavor of this soup. I typically use San Marzano or Muir Glen tomatoes and tomato sauce. If the diced tomatoes or tomato sauce are too sour, add a few pinches of sugar to the soup as needed.Note 2: Beef broth: We like this soup quite thick, but you may want to add additional beef broth for a thinner soup. If you increase the beef broth, make sure to adjust seasonings as well to personal preference :)Note 3: Rice: We like white basmati rice in this soup, and I share exactly how I prepare it in the recipe. That said, any rice will work, so feel free to use whatever you like, following package directions to cook it.
If you choose to add riced cauliflower instead of regular rice, you can simply add it to the pot as the ingredients simmer. By the time the soup is ready, the cauli rice will be ready, too. Because the cauli rice absorbs liquid, you may want to add 1/2 cup additional beef broth.