Easy Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Hearty and oh so comforting, this easy crock pot stuffed pepper soup is a satisfying meal-in-a-bowl, featuring plenty of vegetables and tons of protein. And, with a few simple, low-effort steps, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing, make-ahead, hands-off comfort meal simmering away in the slow cooker ready to be devoured.
5 star review
“Such a family friendly recipe, enjoyed by my kids (4 and 7) AND the adults!! Will be making again!!”
– Jillian
Visual Guide: How to Make Easy Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Testing Notes from Robyn
I love making soups in the crockpot because they cook low and slow all day, which really lets the flavors deepen and meld together.
This surprisingly healthy slow cooker stuffed pepper soup is a particular favorite for my family because it’s easy to prep and full of flavor and textures.
Ground beef adds a good dose of protein and makes this a recipe you’ll come back to time and time again, just like this reader favorite slow cooker hamburger soup.
I also boosted the nutrition by upping the vegetables, and you could even add more if you want — I’ve added notes, below, on how to add even more veggies.
I find soups are such an easy way to add in some hidden veggies, especially for picky eaters!
In addition to the protein and veggies, a handful of simple seasonings add so much flavor to this beef and vegetable soup (a lot like this slow cooker taco soup), it will for sure become a crowd favorite!
Let this recipe be your guide, and also feel free to switch things up, whether that’s swapping the meat, making it low carb, or adding or eliminating some spice – it’s such an easy and versatile recipe!
Easy Variation Ideas
One of the best things about this easy slow cooker stuffed pepper soup is that you can make it your own, using ingredients you have on hand! Make it as is, or switch things up based on your preferences.
- Low-Carb: Make a lower carb version of this soup by substituting frozen cauliflower rice for the white rice. Defrost the cauliflower rice first, then add at the end for a few minutes to warm through. Note: If you leave it to cook too long, it will dissolve.
- Swap the Meat: Feel free to replace the ground beef with ground turkey, ground sausage, or your ground meat of choice.
- Gluten-Free: Make sure to use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
- Less Spice: I love the extra flavor and spice the diced tomatoes with green chilis gives, but if you don’t want the extra spice, just use diced tomatoes. If you like spice, make sure to try this spicy cabbage soup with beef!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Lean Ground Beef: Use whatever ground beef you prefer or have on hand, or swap in ground sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
Bell Peppers: I used a mix of red and green peppers in this recipe, but you can use all red or all green peppers.
Tomato Sauce: I like to use tomato sauce because of the seasonings it already has, but you can use tomato paste instead. Mix 1 part tomato paste with 1 part water to equal 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce. You may need to add some more seasoning to the soup to replace the missing seasoning from the tomato sauce.
White Rice: Since you cook the rice separately, you can use any rice you prefer; whether that’s instant rice, frozen microwaveable rice, leftover rice, or even brown rice.
How to Store & Freeze
While this is an excellent make-ahead recipe, I do have a few tips for best results.
Since the rice absorbs more liquid when it sits in the soup, I recommend storing the soup and rice separately to prevent the rice from getting mushy. When it’s time to serve, simply put a portion of rice in the bowl and pour the soup on top.
This recipe also freezes well, when stored in a freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months. Again, just freeze the rice and soup separately until you serve them.
This Recipe Is…
Effortless Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, small diced
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cups (32-ounces) beef broth
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
To Add at the End
- 2 cups cooked white rice
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the ground beef, sprinkle with the salt and Italian seasoning, and stir to break apart into small pieces. Cook until the beef is lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the bell pepper, broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8, or until the peppers are tender.
- Uncover and stir in the cooked rice. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Do you think coconut aminos could be swapped in for the worcestershire sauce? Thank you!
Becca, coconut aminos will add a little more sweet than savory vs. the Worcestershire, but will still give you a bump in salt and umami, so should sub well. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
Such a family friendly recipe, enjoyed by my kids (4 and 7) AND the adults!! We made it in the instant pot and threw in some carrots. Will be making again!!
Jillian, yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit with the whole family. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!