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Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe Make Ahead Meal

BySharla Hours Posted on Hours Updated on

This stuffed pepper soup recipe has all the delicious flavours of stuffed peppers but with half the work. It can also be made ahead as, saving you even more time. You can cook this soup on the stovetop or in the slow cooker or even in the Instant Pot, whichever is most convenient for you.

clear bag with ground beef, peppers, in tomato sauce in one photo, then the soup in a slow cooker and a bowl

I’ve been making stuffed peppers for many years. I do it as a freezer meal by making the filling ahead and freezing. Then, on the day of cooking, I fill the peppers and cook them in the oven. You can find the recipe for that here.

But even with having the filling made ahead of time, stuffed peppers can still be time-consuming, so when you’re in the mood for the hearty flavours of stuffed peppers but don’t have much time, this stuffed pepper soup is the way to go.

What’s in stuffed pepper soup?

While some ingredients and seasonings can vary, most stuffed pepper soups have as their main ingredients ground beef, rice, bell peppers, tomatoes or tomato sauce, and broth.

The type of broth can vary. It can be beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable stock. Most stuffed pepper soup recipes also have onions and garlic.

bowl of soup with ground beef, onions, and peppers in a tomato broth

Common seasonings for stuffed pepper soup include such spices as thyme, sage, marjoram, salt, and pepper, though not altogether in the same recipe.

An important tip: you will want to choose extra lean ground beef for this soup. If you choose to use regular ground beef, be sure to drain the fat before adding it. Otherwise, it will have a greasy look to it and not be visually appealing. It will also not taste as good.

soup with ground beef and vegetables being lifted out of a bowl with a spoon

Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. extra-lean ground beef, browned
  • 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow or red pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup onions, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. marjoram
  • salt, pepper to taste

For the day of cooking:

  • 2 cups beef or chicken broth
  • 2 cups of rice

Assembly instructions:

  1. Chop the peppers and onion.
  2. Brown the beef in a large skillet on the stove. Drain the fat afterwards. This step is important.
  3. Place the cooked, cooled beef in a large resealable bag.
  4. Add the diced peppers and onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings.
  5. Remove the air from the bag and seal. Freeze.
clear bag with ground beef and peppers in a tomato broth

Stovetop cooking instructions:

  1. Take the bag out of the freezer and thaw.
  2. Place the contents in a large pot on the stovetop.
  3. Add the broth.
  4. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
  5. Add the rice in the last 20 minutes.
  6. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

Instant Pot instructions:

  1. Thaw the bag contents and add them to the Instant Pot.
  2. Cook the rice separately on the stovetop and set aside.
  3. Add the broth.
  4. Cover and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Do a natural release.
  5. Add the rice either to the entire soup or a bit into each bowl when serving.

Slow Cooker instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump the bag contents into the crockpot®.
  3. Add the broth and rice.
  4. Stir.
  5. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
collage of photos of stuffed pepper soup in a freezer bag, then in a slow cooker being ladled out, then in a bowl, then being lifted out of the bowl with a spoon

Is Stuffed Pepper Soup Gluten-Free?

This particular stuffed pepper soup recipe is gluten-free. It is also dairy-free. If it is made without rice, it is keto-friendly.

soup with ground beef, rice, and vegetables being ladled out of a slow cooker

Check out some of our other make-ahead soups:

soup with ground beef and vegetables in a bowl
Print
Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Course: Soup
Servings: 4
Calories: 193 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. extra-lean ground beef browned
  • 1/2 cup green pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow or red pepper chopped
  • 1 cup onions finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. marjoram
  • salt, pepper
For the day of cooking:
  • 2 cups beef or chicken broth
  • 2 cups rice
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Chop the peppers and onion.

  2. Brown the beef in a large skillet on the stove. Drain the fat afterward. This step is important.

  3. Place the cooked beef in a large resealable bag.

  4. Add the diced peppers and onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings.

  5. Remove the air from the bag and seal. Freeze.
Stovetop cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw. Place the contents in a large pot on the stovetop. Add the broth. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Add the rice in the last 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

Instant Pot instructions:

  1. Cook the rice separately on the stovetop and set aside. Thaw the bag contents and add them to the Instant Pot. Add the broth. Cover and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Do a natural release. Add the rice either to the entire soup or a bit into each bowl when serving.

Slow Cooker instructions:

  1. Thaw. Dump the bag contents into the crockpot. Add the broth and rice. Stir. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Sharla is a busy mom of 7 who is passionate about sharing her best secret to saving time, money, and stress… freezer meals. Read more…