This Stuffed Pepper Soup has all the cozy flavors of classic stuffed peppers, with browned, savory ground beef, tender bell peppers, onions, and garlic simmered in a rich, generously seasoned tomato broth. It’s easy, hearty, satisfying, and you get all that familiar flavor without the extra steps of stuffing peppers. Served over fluffy rice and finished with a sprinkle of mozzarella for that irresistible cheese pull, it’s ready in just 45 minutes and costs only $1.97 per serving.

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Classic stuffed bell peppers are a favorite, but this soup makes enjoying those same flavors much easier on a weeknight. In most stuffed pepper recipes, the rice goes straight into the filling. For this soup, it’s better to keep it separate until serving. Rice soaks up liquid like a sponge, and stirring it straight into the pot makes it mushy — and by the next day, there’s barely any broth left. Instead, spoon the rice into individual bowls and ladle the soup over the top. It’s a simple step, but it makes a big difference, especially when saving leftovers.

You can also make the most of your cooking time by getting the rice going while you prepare the soup. Once the ground beef and veggies (bell peppers, onion, and garlic) are cooked, everything simmers for 15 minutes in a rich tomato broth packed with herbs.

To keep things budget-friendly, this recipe uses green bell peppers (usually cheaper than red, yellow, or orange), canned tomatoes, dried herbs, and Better Than Bouillon for the broth. Nothing fancy or expensive, but plenty of flavor — and just one pound of ground beef stretches into six hearty servings.

Recipe Success Tips

Let those peppers stand out. Cut the bell peppers and onion into a medium dice so they have some texture and really stand out in the finished soup. Keep the pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly. After the sauté and 15-minute simmer, the peppers should be tender enough to pierce with a fork but still hold their shape. If they’re a little firm, give the soup a few more minutes.

Remove the excess grease. Depending on the fat content of your ground beef, quite a bit of grease can collect in the pot as it cooks. Carefully blot up the excess with a paper towel so your soup doesn’t end up oily. You can also spoon the grease into a heatproof container, let it cool, and discard it in the trash — just don’t pour it down the sink.

Make it as brothy as you like. Prefer a slightly thinner soup? Stir in a splash of extra beef broth or water until you’re happy with the consistency. If there’s more liquid than you’d like, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Got extra veggies? Throw them in. This soup is a great way to use up whatever you have on hand. Diced carrots or celery can go in with the peppers and onion, though carrots may need a little longer to soften. Corn can be added with the tomatoes and broth, and fresh spinach only needs a minute or two at the end. Diced potatoes work too — cut them small, and plan for a longer simmer and possibly some extra broth.

Budget-Saving Tip

Ground beef makes up about half the cost of this entire pot of soup, so it’s also a great place to save money. Feel free to use ground chicken, turkey, pork, or sausage instead — or even lentils. Higher-fat ground beef is often cheaper than lean and works perfectly here; just drain off the excess fat after browning.

If you want some beef in the soup but need to stretch your budget further, try ½ lb. ground beef combined with 1 cup cooked brown or green lentils. Brown the beef as directed, then stir in the cooked lentils with the tomatoes and broth to heat through during the final simmer. It’s a great way to make a little meat go further.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Course: Soup | Cuisine: American Total Cost: $11.84 recipe / $1.97 serving Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes Servings: 6 (1 heaping cup of soup & ½ cup rice) | Calories: 434 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 2 green bell peppers, medium dice (2½ cups)
  • 1 onion, small dice (2 cups)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp)
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
  • 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • ¼ tsp dried parsley
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Gather and prepare all ingredients.
  2. Add the rice and water to a medium pot with a lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
  3. While the rice is simmering, heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up into small crumbles as it cooks. The beef should be cooked through with no pink remaining.
  4. Using paper towels, carefully blot up any excess grease from the beef.
  5. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened slightly but still have some texture.
  6. Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, and beef broth. Add the dried oregano, basil, parsley, and paprika. Stir everything together until evenly combined.
  7. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the broth to thicken slightly. The bell peppers should be tender enough to pierce easily with a fork while still holding their shape.
  8. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and divide it evenly among six serving bowls (about ½ cup per bowl). Ladle a heaping cup of stuffed pepper soup over each portion of rice, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Serve warm.

Notes

Rice: Long-grain white rice works great here, but use whatever you have on hand — just follow the package instructions, as cooking times may vary. Cauliflower rice is a good low-carb option.

Ground beef: Any fat percentage works. You can also swap in ground pork, chicken, turkey, sausage, or cooked lentils.

Bell peppers: Green bell peppers offer great flavor, color, and value, but any color works. Poblanos are another flavorful option.

Broth: Better Than Bouillon is a budget-friendly way to make beef broth at home.

Cheese: Mozzarella melts beautifully here, but cheddar, provolone, or Swiss are all excellent alternatives.

Seasoning variations: The base blend of oregano, basil, parsley, and paprika gives the broth a savory, herby flavor. You can also add a pinch of dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, or a bay leaf (remove before serving). For heat, add hot sauce or a small amount of Cajun seasoning — go easy at first, as some blends are already quite salty.

One-pot note: The recipe was tested as a one-pot dish by adding the rice and two additional cups of beef broth directly to the soup. It’s still delicious, but the rice becomes mushy over time and absorbs much of the liquid, turning the soup into a thick stew. Cooking the rice separately gives much better results.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 heaping cup of soup & ½ cup rice): Calories: 434 kcal | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 22 g | Sodium: 1,488 mg | Fiber: 3 g

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

Prep your ingredients. Cut 2 green bell peppers into a medium dice, finely dice 1 onion, and mince 2 garlic cloves. Getting the chopping done first is helpful since the rice and soup cook at the same time.

Cook the rice. Add 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice and 2 cups water to a medium saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Brown the ground beef. While the rice simmers, heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 lb. ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles. The beef should be cooked through with no pink remaining.

Remove the excess grease. Carefully blot up any excess grease from the beef using paper towels. This helps prevent an oily layer from forming on top of the finished soup.

Soften the vegetables. Add the diced bell peppers, onion, minced garlic, 1½ tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper to the pot with the beef. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and peppers start to soften but still have some texture.

Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Pour in the diced tomatoes (including their juices), tomato sauce, and beef broth. Add the dried oregano, basil, parsley, and paprika. Stir everything together until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the broth.

Simmer the soup. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the broth to thicken slightly. The bell peppers should be tender enough to pierce easily with a fork while still holding their shape. If they’re still too firm, let the soup simmer a little longer.

Serve with rice and cheese. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and divide it evenly among six serving bowls (about ½ cup per bowl). Ladle a heaping cup of stuffed pepper soup over each portion of rice, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Garnish with fresh parsley, basil, thyme, or chives if desired, and serve warm.

What to Serve with Stuffed Pepper Soup

This soup works as a complete meal on its own — with ground beef, rice, and plenty of vegetables, it’s hearty and satisfying across six full servings. If you’d like to round out the meal, a crisp Caesar salad or a slice of homemade garlic bread makes a great accompaniment.