{Slow-Cooker} Stuffed Pepper Soup

Slow-Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup is full of seasoned beef, rice, bell peppers and plenty of rich flavors. This first time I made this soup, I suspected it was going to be a hit with my family and I was right.

I created this soup on a cold winter night when I was craving a hearty and warming soup and Sean was craving stuffed peppers.

Spicy Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers are one of Sean’s favorite meals and for a good reason. The combination of textures and flavors in a stuffed pepper is hard to beat!

I had a hunch that those same ingredients could come together to make a tasty soup and I was right. What I didn’t expect is just how much Sean and my boys loved it.

My oldest son commented that it reminded him of the stuffed peppers and the other two kids ate every bite as well.

Stuffed Pepper Soup was an immediate favorite from the first bite and we’ve made this soup countless times over the past few years. The soup freezes beautifully and I keep individual size containers in the freezer for easy lunches.

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

If you make a lot of soup you might have noticed that it often tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had a chance to deepen and meld. Cooking this soup in the slow cooker means you get that delicious “second day” flavor right from the first taste.

Another reason I love slow cooker stuffed pepper soup is that you can prepare it early in the day, throw everything in the crock pot then forget about it until dinner time.

It’s a great option for both busy days and slow winter weekends when the delicious scent of cooking peppers, onions and spices will fill your home all day long.

As much as I love stuffed peppers, and as relatively easy as they are to make, this soup is even easier. You can all the taste, flavor and spice of stuffed peppers without having to actually stuff anything!

This soup uses a simple spice profile of crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning that I love with the bell peppers and black beans.

Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe

You start by cooking ground beef on the stove with spices and onions. The beef and onion mixture is then added to the slow cooker with tomato sauce, beef stock, beans and peppers to cook. Serve with a generous helping of cooked rice added to each bowl.

You can make this entire recipe on the stove top if you prefer. Simply add the other ingredients right to the pot that you cook the beef and onions in. Cook for about an hour until the peppers are tender.

Note: I always cook the rice separately from the rest of the soup ingredients when I make this recipe. Others who’ve made this soup have said it also works by adding uncooked rice to the slow cooker or pot with the other ingredients.

If you do try it that way just keep a close eye on the soup to make sure the rice doesn’t get overcooked and dissolve into mush.

Soups Recipes

If you enjoy this soup, or just need more comforting, easy-to-make soups to add to your repertoire, check out these incredible recipes.

Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Chowder is a deliciously creamy and rich soup perfect for those long, cold winter days. I love this Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup that’s full of fragrant Italian herbs and tender meat.

When you’re in the mood for a soup with Asian flavors, this Asian Noodle Soup with Wontons is a perfect fit.

Like this Stuffed Pepper Soup, Hearty Pepper Chili uses lots of fresh peppers, beans and spices to deliver a family friendly meal with southwestern flavors suited for every time and season. 

White Chicken Chili and Hearty Italian Jack Chili are two more chili recipes I make over and over.

Italian Vegetable Soup with Summer Squash is another delicious way to enjoy your garden harvest. 

Kitchen Tip: I use this slow cooker to make this recipe.

Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:

First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.

My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?

For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.

Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.

If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe

1. Cook and crumble the ground beef in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Season the meat with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper while it is cooking.
2. Add the onions to the skillet when it is almost browned. When the onions are tender, transfer the mixture to the Crock-Pot.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the rice. Set the temperature to HIGH (for 3-4 hours) or to LOW (for 8+ hours).
4. When the peppers are tender, place a scoop of rice into each bowl and then ladle soup over it. Stir to combine.

{Slow-Cooker} Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

4.50 from 2 votes

All the classic flavors of stuffed bell peppers are combined in this hearty soup.

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Servings: 8 -10 servings

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1 large onion chopped small
• ▢ 4 large bell peppers, cut into bite-size pieces I used 2 red, a yellow and a green
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 can, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 32 ounces beef stock
• ▢ 16 ounces tomato sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
• ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
• ▢ ¼ – 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 3 cups warm cooked rice

Instructions

• Cook and crumble the ground beef in a skillet over medium to medium high heat. Season the meat with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper while it is cooking. Add the onions to the skillet when it is almost browned. When the onions are tender, transfer the mixture to the Crock-Pot and add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the rice. Set the temperature to HIGH (for 3-4 hours) or to LOW (for 8+ hours). *
• When the peppers are tender, place a scoop of rice into each bowl and then ladle soup over it. Stir to combine. Enjoy!

Notes

STOVE-TOP DIRECTIONS: If you prefer to make this on the stove, simply cook the meat and onion in a large pot. Once it has cooked, add all remaining ingredients (EXCEPT the rice) to the pot and simmer on low until the peppers are tender. This should take about an hour.

I have been told that this soup can be made with un-cooked rice as well, simply by adding it at the beginning. If you do try this with un-cooked rice, just keep an eye on the rice after a few hours and be careful not to overcook it into mush.

Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 5/7/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/22/19}