The Pub Lunch Classic Reimagined Hearty Deconstructed Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Soup 2

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Preparation time:25 Mins

Cooking time:45 Mins

Servings:6 servings

Ingredients:

• Tbsp Olive Oil
• Large Yellow Onion, finely diced
• Celery Stalks, finely diced
• lb Bell Peppers (mix of red, yellow, orange), roughly chopped
• cloves Garlic, minced
• tsp Dried Oregano
• /2 tsp Dried Thyme
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• lb Lean Ground Beef or Turkey (or 1 cup cooked rice)
• (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
• (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
• cups Beef or Vegetable Broth (low sodium)
• Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• tsp Granulated Sugar
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
• /4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Optional: Dollop of Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream per bowl

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery; cook until softened (about 5–7 minutes).
• Add the chopped bell peppers, minced garlic, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until peppers begin to soften slightly (about 5 minutes).
• If using meat, push vegetables to one side. Add ground meat, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat.
• Stir in the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Bring the soup to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover slightly ajar, and simmer for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
• After simmering, taste the broth and adjust seasoning (salt/pepper/sugar) as needed. For a thicker soup, mash some of the peppers against the side of the pot.
• Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish heavily with fresh parsley and a swirl of yogurt or sour cream, if using. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	1143 kcal
Protein	13.2 g
Fat	23.5 g
Carbs	72.0 g
Fiber	24.9 g
Sodium	380 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Soup
Cuisine	American

The Pub Lunch Classic Reimagined: Hearty Deconstructed Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

Forget wrestling with hollowed-out peppers! This recipe captures the soul of that glorious, slow-cooked stuffed pepper dish—rich tomato broth, savoury seasoned meat, fluffy rice, and the sweet, gentle char of the peppers themselves. It’s a proper hug in a bowl, balancing bright acidity with deep, umami warmth. This approach turns a traditionally time-intensive baked dish into a vibrant, approachable soup, perfect for when you fancy comfort food without the Sunday roast commitment. It's an incredibly easy process, yielding six generous servings of pure satisfaction, and requires only about 1 hour and 10 minutes from start to finish.

Why This Soup Format Beats Traditional Baking

The beauty of transforming this classic into a soup lies squarely in efficiency and texture. We capture all those signature tastes without the fussy layering and long bake times associated with the original.

Ditching the Tedium: Instant Gratification Comfort Food

Traditional stuffed peppers demand patience—carefully scooping out the insides, perfectly mixing the filling, and then waiting an hour or more for everything to steam through in the oven. By deconstructing the elements, we streamline the cooking dramatically. We rely on a large Dutch oven rather than the oven itself, allowing the flavours to meld deeply through simmering rather than baking, meaning you get quicker, more intense flavour integration. This makes the stuffed bell pepper soup recipe an absolute weeknight champion.

Capturing the Essence of the Beloved Stuffed Pepper

What makes a stuffed pepper so comforting? It’s the triumvirate of sweet peppers, savoury ground meat, and acidic, herb-infused tomato sauce, all bound together with rice. In this soup, we achieve the exact same profile. We chop the peppers into bite-sized pieces rather than using them as hollow casings, allowing their sweet flavour to disperse immediately into the broth. On top of that,, the quick sauté step ensures the peppers begin to soften and caramelize slightly, mimicking the texture achieved after a long bake. If you are looking for a healthy stuffed bell pepper soup , this format allows you to easily control the fat content from the meat and the overall sodium levels by choosing low-sodium broth.

An Easy Weeknight Twist on a Sunday Favourite

Because the cooking process relies on simple sautéing and simmering, this is an immensely forgiving dish. The difficulty level is squarely in the "Easy" category. You need a sharp knife for chopping the onions, celery, and peppers, and a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent sticking. If you decide to leverage modern convenience, this formulation works beautifully as an stuffed bell pepper soup instant pot meal, where the pressure drastically reduces the simmering time required to tenderize the vegetables. Alternatively, if you have a long day ahead, preparing this as stuffed bell pepper soup crockpot style allows the deep tomato and herb flavours to slowly deepen all afternoon.

Gathering the Components for Flavorful Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

To build this robust and flavourful experience, we need to select components that offer texture, depth, and the signature sweet-and-sour tomato punch. We are aiming for a hearty yield of about six satisfying bowls.

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Sourcing the Star Peppers

The peppers themselves are crucial. While you could use only green peppers, their slightly bitter edge can be overwhelming in a soup format. I highly recommend using a vibrant mix of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. You'll want to roughly chop about one pound of these to form the body of the soup.

As a little trick for presentation, you can reserve about a quarter cup of very finely diced pepper to toss in right at the end, providing a fresh pop of colour and crunch.

The Aromatics and Broth Base

Every great soup starts with a strong foundation. We begin by softening one large yellow onion and two celery stalks—chopped finely—in just one tablespoon of olive oil until they turn translucent. Following this, three minced cloves of garlic are added, along with the dried herbs: one teaspoon of oregano and half a teaspoon of thyme.

A small pinch of red pepper flakes offers just a whisper of background heat, though this is entirely optional. The liquid backbone comes from four cups of beef or vegetable broth (low sodium is preferred for better control) combined with both one 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (undrained) and one large 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, which provide the body.

Choosing Your Protein and Grain Fillers

For that authentic savoury texture, one pound of lean ground beef or turkey works perfectly for this stuffed bell pepper soup with ground beef . It browns beautifully and adds a rich flavour to the broth. However, if you are aiming for a different consistency or dietary approach, you can easily swap this out. Many excellent versions of stuffed bell pepper soup no rice simply use a slightly higher ratio of meat or add lentils. If you do want the classic starch, remember that one cup of pre-cooked white or brown rice integrates wonderfully near the end of the cooking time.

Essential Spice Rub for Depth

Beyond the herbs, achieving that deep, umami warmth requires a couple of secret weapons stirred into the broth. We add one tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce—this mimics the long, slow cooking process—along with one teaspoon of granulated sugar. Don't skip the sugar; it’s essential for balancing the natural acidity of the canned tomatoes.

Finally, salt and freshly ground black pepper must be used generously throughout the process.

Crucial Equipment Checklist

For optimal heat distribution and flavour melding, a large Dutch oven or a similarly heavy-bottomed soup pot is your best friend. This prevents scorching during the initial sauté and ensures even simmering later on. Beyond the pot, you will need standard cutting tools and measuring implements.

The Seamless Process: Building Your Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

The cooking method is straightforward, designed to layer flavours sequentially rather than all at once. We move from building the aromatic base to developing the rich tomato broth, culminating in a short but crucial simmer phase.

Achieving Optimal Flavor Integration

The key to unlocking the delicious potential of this stuffed bell pepper soup recipe lies in respecting the order of operations—ensuring each ingredient contributes its maximum flavour before moving to the next step.

Phase One: Sautéing the Foundation Meats and Veggies

Start by heating the olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add your diced onions and celery; cook these slowly for about five to seven minutes until they are softened and translucent—this is the essential sweet base. Next, introduce your chopped bell peppers, garlic, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes.

Continue sautéing for about five minutes until those peppers start to look glossy and just beginning to soften around the edges. If you are using ground meat, push the vegetables to one side of the pot, add the one pound of ground meat, and cook it thoroughly, breaking it up until it is no longer pink.

It is important to drain off any significant excess fat at this stage to keep the final soup clean tasting.

Simmering Secrets for a Rich Broth

Now, we build the liquid element. Stir the browned meat and softened vegetables together, then incorporate the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and the balancing sugar. Season well with salt and pepper at this stage. Bring the entire mixture up to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot slightly ajar to allow steam to escape and the broth to concentrate slightly, and let it simmer gently for a minimum of 30 minutes. This simmering period is critical for allowing the sweetness of the peppers to fully infuse the tomato liquid.

When to Introduce the Rice and Peppers

If you prefer a thicker soup that more closely resembles the filling of a traditional pepper, now is the time to stir in one cup of pre-cooked white or brown rice. If you are skipping the rice entirely, you can still thicken the soup slightly by pressing some of the softened pepper pieces against the side of the pot with a spoon, breaking them down to release starch and body into the broth.

Final Seasoning Checks Before Serving

After the minimum 30-minute simmer, the true flavour profile should have emerged. Taste the broth carefully. This is where you adjust for personal preference: does it need another pinch of salt? Perhaps a dash more pepper? Sometimes, a tiny extra sprinkle of sugar can enhance the pepper’s sweetness if the tomatoes are particularly tart.

Once you are perfectly satisfied with the seasoning, it is ready to be served piping hot.

Elevating Your Bowl: Variations and Storage Tips

While the base recipe is excellent on its own, this deconstructed concept lends itself perfectly to simple customizations and easy storage for later enjoyment.

Vegetarian Swaps for Authentic Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

Creating a truly satisfying vegetarian stuffed bell pepper soup is simple. You can omit the ground meat entirely and instead add 1 pound of finely chopped cremini mushrooms along with the onions and celery in the first step. Cook them down thoroughly until they release and reabsorb their moisture, developing a deep, earthy flavour base. Alternatively, 1.5 cups of cooked brown lentils stirred in at the 20-minute simmering mark provide excellent texture and protein without compromising the traditional taste elements.

Serving Suggestions: Toppings That Pop

A great soup demands great toppings! While fresh chopped parsley is essential for colour and herbaceous lift, do not overlook the creamy contrast. A dollop of full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream swirled into the centre of the hot soup adds a wonderful, cool tang that cuts through the richness.

For something truly indulgent, stir in half a cup of shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese right at the very end until it is just melted into a gooey ribbon. And of course, you absolutely must have thick slices of crusty sourdough bread on hand for dipping.

Freezing Protocols for Future Cozy Nights

One of the best aspects of making a large batch of stuffed bell pepper soup is having leftovers. This soup freezes exceptionally well. Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it into airtight, freezer-safe containers, leaving about an inch of headspace for expansion. It will keep beautifully for up to three months. When reheating, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and gently warm it on the stovetop, adding a splash of extra broth if it seems too thick after thawing.