Easy 40-Min Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe for Fall 2025

When the temperatures start to dip and the air carries that crisp, incredible scent of fall, there’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of homemade soup.

This Stuffed Pepper Soup is everything you love about classic stuffed peppers: sweet bell peppers, savory ground beef, tomatoes, rice, and warm spices transformed into an easy, hearty, one-pot meal.

It’s a recipe that’s perfect for weeknight dinners, make-ahead lunches, or even freezer-friendly meal prep.

If you’re craving something healthy, comforting, and nourishing without a lot of fuss, this soup will quickly become your go-to.

Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Pepper Soup

If you’ve ever tasted classic stuffed peppers, juicy bell peppers packed with savory meat, rice, tomatoes, and herbs, you already know how satisfying that combination can be.

Now imagine taking all of those flavors, breaking them down into bite-sized pieces, and letting them simmer together in a rich, flavorful broth. That’s precisely what this Stuffed Pepper Soup delivers.

Here’s why it’s a recipe worth keeping on repeat:

• It’s Comfort in a Bowl: The familiar blend of ground beef, sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, and rice gives you the exact taste you love from traditional stuffed peppers, but in a cozy, spoonable form perfect for chilly evenings.
• One Pot, Less Cleanup: Everything cooks in a single large pot, so you’ll spend less time doing dishes and more time enjoying your meal.
• Meal Prep Friendly: This soup reheats beautifully, making it ideal for portioning into containers for quick weekday lunches or dinners. You can even freeze it for later.
• Healthy & Nourishing: With protein from lean beef, fiber from vegetables, and carbs from rice, it’s a balanced, satisfying meal that keeps you full.
• Customizable: Choose any color bell peppers, swap in different proteins like ground turkey or chicken, or tweak the seasonings to fit your taste preferences.
• Bold, Layered Flavor: Cooking the vegetables, garlic, and spices before adding the liquids deepens the flavor. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a smoky, sweet richness that makes the soup taste like it simmered all day.
• Perfect for Feeding a Crowd: Whether it’s a family dinner or casual entertaining, this recipe makes enough to satisfy big appetites without breaking the budget.

If you thought turning stuffed peppers into a soup might water down the flavor or make it less hearty, think again. This recipe keeps all the richness and warmth of the classic dish while making it easier to prepare and enjoy.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a clear, organized ingredient list so you can gather everything before you start cooking.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Stuffed Pepper Soup

The magic of this Stuffed Pepper Soup comes from building layers of flavor, just like you would in the traditional stuffed peppers dish.

Instead of assembling individual peppers, you’re breaking down all those components into bite-sized pieces and letting them mingle together in a pot of rich, tomato-based broth.

The result? A warm, hearty, and flavorful soup that tastes like it’s been simmering all day, even if it only takes a fraction of the time.

Here’s a detailed guide to help you nail every step of the process.

Step 1: Prep the Vegetables

Great soup starts with fresh, evenly cut vegetables. In stuffed peppers, the peppers themselves act as little edible bowls holding the filling.

But here, we’re chopping them into bite-sized pieces so they can float in the broth and infuse it with their sweet flavor.

Onions: Start by peeling and dicing one medium onion. The onion will provide a savory, slightly sweet foundation for the soup. Cut the onion into small, even pieces so it cooks quickly and blends into the base without overpowering each spoonful.

Bell Peppers: You’ll need two medium bell peppers. This recipe is flexible when it comes to color. You can use all green for a slightly grassy, sharper taste, all red for extra sweetness, or a mix for both flavor and color contrast. Yellow and orange peppers add an even sweeter note.

Here’s the mess-free pepper cutting method that will save you time and frustration:

1. Slice off the top and bottom of each pepper.
2. Make one vertical cut along the side.
3. Open the pepper and gently slide your knife along the inside to remove the core and seeds in one go.
4. Cut the large piece into strips, then dice into uniform cubes.
5. Don’t toss the top and bottom trim around the stem, and dice the remaining pepper flesh.

This technique not only keeps seeds from scattering everywhere but also ensures you get the most out of each pepper with minimal waste.

Once chopped, place the diced onion and peppers in a bowl and set aside. Keeping them together works perfectly since they’ll be cooked at the same stage.

Step 2: Mince the Garlic

Garlic is one of the small but mighty flavor boosters in this recipe. You’ll need four cloves.

Here’s the trick for easier peeling:

• Place the flat side of your knife over each clove and press firmly. This loosens the skin, making it simple to peel off without fuss.

Once peeled, mince the garlic finely so it disperses evenly in the soup. You can also use a garlic press if you prefer a quicker option.

Pro Tip: Freshly minced garlic will always have a more vibrant, aromatic flavor compared to pre-minced garlic from a jar. It’s worth the extra minute of prep for a richer-tasting soup.

Step 3: Brown the Beef

The heartiness of stuffed pepper soup comes in part from the savory depth of browned meat. Browning is more than just cooking; it’s about developing flavor through caramelization.

1. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add 1 pound of lean ground beef (90% lean is ideal).
3. Use a spatula to break up the beef into crumbles as it cooks.
4. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

If you’re using lean beef, you won’t have much fat to drain. For 80% beef or fattier blends, drain off excess grease before continuing, which keeps the broth from feeling heavy.

Once the beef is fully browned and no pink remains, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. This allows any extra fat to drain away while you move on to the next step.

Step 4: Sauté the Veggies

This step is where the soup’s flavor starts to take shape. Sautéing the vegetables before adding liquids allows their natural sugars to caramelize, deepening the taste.

1. In the same pot you used for the beef, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. Toss in the diced onion and bell peppers.
3. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly and the onions become translucent.

Sautéing at this stage also helps deglaze the pot, picking up any flavorful browned bits left behind from the beef. Those bits are pure flavor gold and will enrich your broth later.

Step 5: Season the Base

Once your vegetables have softened, it’s time to build the soup’s aromatic base.

1. Add the minced garlic directly into the pot with the vegetables.
2. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until the fragrant garlic doesn’t burn quickly, so don’t walk away.
3. Sprinkle in the dried basil, oregano, and thyme (or your Italian seasoning blend).

Toasting the spices briefly in the warm oil releases their essential oils and intensifies their flavor, creating a more robust, complex soup.

Step 6: Combine & Simmer

Now it’s time to bring everything together:

1. Return the browned beef to the pot with the vegetables and seasoning.
2. Add two cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, one can of tomato sauce, and two cups of beef broth.

Why fire-roasted tomatoes? They bring a subtle smokiness and depth of flavor that regular diced tomatoes can’t match. If you can’t find them, plain diced tomatoes will still work, but the taste will be slightly milder.

3. Stir everything well to combine, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
5. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook for 20 minutes.

During this time, the flavors meld together, the vegetables soften completely, and the broth becomes rich and aromatic.

Step 7: Cook the Rice

While the soup is simmering, cook your rice unless you’ve prepped it ahead of time.

For this recipe, you’ll need 2 cups of cooked rice. White rice (long-grain or basmati) is classic, but brown rice works too; it just takes longer to cook.

Here’s the stovetop method for fluffy, al dente rice:

1. Rinse the rice under cold water to remove excess starch.
2. Add it to a small pot with water in a 1:2 ratio (1 cup rice to 2 cups water).
3. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low.
4. Simmer for 13–15 minutes for white rice, or according to package directions for brown rice.

Pro Tip: Slightly undercooking the rice at this stage is ideal, it will finish cooking in the soup and stay pleasantly firm instead of turning mushy.

Step 8: Add the Rice

After the soup has simmered for 20 minutes and your kitchen smells like an Italian trattoria, it’s time to add the rice.

1. Stir the cooked rice into the soup, mixing well so it’s evenly distributed.
2. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or a pinch more herbs if needed.

The rice will absorb some of the flavorful broth, thickening the soup slightly and giving you that satisfying stuffed-pepper texture.

At this point, your soup is ready to serve steaming hot, rich with flavor, and loaded with tender vegetables, savory beef, and perfectly cooked rice.

Serving Suggestions

One of the best things about this Stuffed Pepper Soup is that it’s already a complete meal in a bowl. Still, you can take it from comforting to unforgettable with a few thoughtful garnishes and sides.

• Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over each bowl for a pop of color and brightness. It cuts through the richness of the broth and adds a fresh, garden-like note.
• Cheese Topping: A light dusting of freshly grated Parmesan is a game-changer. The cheese melts into the hot soup, creating little pockets of creamy, savory goodness in every spoonful.
• Crusty Bread or Garlic Bread: Perfect for dipping into the tomato-rich broth and soaking up every drop. Choose a hearty artisan loaf or make garlic bread for extra flavor.
• Side Salad: A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the soup’s richness and adds a refreshing crunch.
• Soup Bar for Gatherings: If you’re serving a crowd, set up a small “toppings bar” with bowls of shredded cheese, diced avocado, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, or even sour cream so guests can customize their bowls.

Pro tip: Serve this soup in warm bowls (heat them with hot water before filling) to help keep it piping hot for longer, perfect for cold evenings.

Variations to Try

This recipe is flexible, making it easy to adjust to dietary needs, flavor preferences, or what you have on hand. Here’s a quick-reference table of ideas to inspire you.

These variations can help you turn one base recipe into multiple different dinners, perfect for keeping things interesting without reinventing the wheel each week.

Nutritional Benefits

This Stuffed Pepper Soup isn’t just delicious. It’s also well-balanced and nourishing, offering a good mix of macronutrients and micronutrients.

• Protein Power: Lean ground beef provides high-quality protein, which supports muscle health and helps keep you full for hours.
• Vitamin Boost: Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, which supports immune function, and they also deliver antioxidants that protect cells from damage.
• Heart-Healthy Lycopene: The tomatoes in the broth are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant linked to heart health and reduced inflammation.
• Energy-Sustaining Carbs: Rice provides steady energy, making this a satisfying main meal rather than a light starter.
• Balanced Meal in a Bowl: You get protein from the meat, complex carbs from the rice, and plenty of vegetables for fiber and micronutrients, all in one serving.

While this soup is hearty and filling, it’s also adaptable for different dietary needs. Adjust the protein, grain, or broth to fit your health goals.

Final Thoughts

This Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe delivers all the flavors of your favorite comfort food in a warm, spoonable form. It’s perfect for chilly nights, easy to make, and even more straightforward to store for future meals.

Whether you’re cooking for a hungry family, prepping lunches for the week, or stocking your freezer, this soup will quickly earn a spot in your regular rotation.

So grab your pot, chop those peppers, and get ready to enjoy a cozy, hearty dinner that’s sure to please every time.

You Might Also Like

If you enjoyed this stuffed pepper soup, you’ll love these other cozy, flavorful soup recipes:

• 🥟 Weeknight Win: 30-Min Tortellini Soup Recipe – A quick, cheesy, and comforting pasta soup perfect for busy nights.
• 🥬 The Best Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe You’ll Ever Make – Creamy, hearty, and loaded with Italian sausage, kale, and potatoes.
• 🍅 Healthy Tomato Basil Soup Recipe for Dinner – A fresh, wholesome classic that pairs perfectly with grilled cheese.

Ella Foster

Ella Foster, co-founder of FoodBears.com, is a skilled writer whose love for cooking fuels her creative work. Her passion for experimenting in the kitchen brings authentic flavor and culinary inspiration to every piece she crafts for the platform.