Stuffed Pepper Soup

About This Recipe

With ground beef, peppers, rice and savory tomato broth, this hearty stuffed pepper soup has the flavor of the classic with half the effort!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion (diced)
• 1 large green bell pepper (cut into ½-inch pieces)
• 1 large red bell pepper (cut into ½-inch pieces)
• 1 large orange bell pepper (cut into ½-inch pieces)
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup long-grain white rice (rinsed and drained I used basmati)
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles with juices, such as Rotel, undrained
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese (divided)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley for serving)
• Water (as needed)

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven or similar large, sturdy pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and diced onion. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is browned and the onion is softened, about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat (this won't be needed if you are using lean ground beef).
2. Stir in the red, green, and orange bell peppers, Italian seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Let cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in the rice, broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and tomatoes with green chiles.
4. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
5. Remove from the heat. If the soup is thicker than you would like, thin it with water until you reach your desired consistency (we like it super thick). Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Carefully taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Depending upon your brand of broth, you made need several pinches of salt and/or pepper.
6. Serve hot, topped with the remaining cheese and chopped fresh cilantro.