If you've been following me for a while, you know I'm a soup enthusiast! The whole family adores this Unstuffed Pepper Soup— David even had two bowls, which is always my sign that it's a winner! It's basically like a warm, cozy hug in a bowl and it's perfect for those chilly nights.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
This Unstuffed Pepper Soup delivers that classic flavor blend of ground beef and pork for the ultimate soup. It's your go-to for chilly nights or when craving a heartwarming meal. This recipe makes a huge batch, ensuring you'll have plenty for freezing leftovers. Plus, it's ready in just an hour, prep included!
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
Ground Beef: Adding ground beef provides a hearty texture and protein boost to this soup and is a commonly found flavor for stuffed pepper dishes.
Ground Pork: Similar to ground beef, ground pork provides a hearty texture and protein boost to this soup and is a commonly found flavor for stuffed pepper dishes. When pork is combined with beef, it lightens the dish as pork is a leaner protein option.
Yellow Onion: I prefer yellow onion for this recipe as it has a bolder flavor than sweet onions but you can certainly use sweet if you prefer.
Garlic: Incorporating garlic adds a savory note that enhances the soup with its bold and aromatic flavor.
Green Bell Pepper: Compared to red bell peppers, green bell peppers are earthier and less sweet while still being deliciously crunchy.
Red Bell Pepper: These peppers bring a touch of sweetness as they soften from the cooking process.
Roasted Tomato Sauce: The soup gets its vivid color and smoky depth from the roasted tomato sauce. Try out my homemade roasted tomato sauce recipe or simply go for crushed tomatoes as an alternative.
Beef Broth: Beef broth is the secret ingredient that makes the stuffed pepper soup stand out. It adds a depth of flavor to the beef and pork, giving the whole soup a delicious richness with an added boost of protein. I love using Kettle & Fire broths!
Primal Palate Amore Seasoning: This is a spice blend from Primal Palate, but you could also substitute this for Italian seasoning.
Salt and Pepper: Salt enhances and balances flavors, while pepper adds a gentle heat, improving the overall flavor of a dish.
Riced Cauliflower: Riced cauliflower is cauliflower that's been chopped into rice-sized bits. In soups, it adds a unique texture and absorbs flavors well while also being a lower-carb alternative to grains. I find mine at Trader Joe's!
Parsley: This recipe uses parsley as a garnish for a burst of fresh, herby goodness.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the meat: In a large pot, cook the beef, pork, onions and garlic until the meat is no longer pink.
Drain the fat: Once fully cooked, drain any fat that remains in the pot.
Add the remaining ingredients: Add everything, except for the cauliflower rice and parsley, into the pot with the cooked meat.
Simmer the soup: Simmer the soup for 20 minutes.
Add the cauliflower rice: After the soup has been simmering to marry all of the flavors, add the cauliflower rice and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Garnish and serve! When ready, serve the soup with a garnish of fresh parsley on top. Enjoy warm!
RECIPE TIPS AND TRICKS
Add frozen cauliflower rice: Pop the frozen cauliflower rice into the soup without letting it thaw first to get the best texture once added in!
Milder tomato flavor: Opting for crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce over roasted tomato sauce can result in a milder and less intense tomato flavor in your soup compared to its roasted counterpart, which brings a smokier and deeper tomato flavor.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
Mix up the protein: Switch up the protein in this unstuffed pepper soup by opting for just one type of meat or trying ground chicken or turkey instead. Stick to a total of 2 pounds of ground meat for the recipe to maintain the flavors.
Add pasta or rice: Feel free to substitute the riced cauliflower called for in this recipe with small noodles or white or brown rice if you prefer! You could also do a combination of half cauliflower rice and half pasta or other rice.
STORAGE TIPS
To store the unstuffed pepper soup, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate. The soup can also be frozen for up to 6 months. Consider freezing in ice cube trays like these, which will help freeze your unstuffed pepper soup in smaller portions making it easier and quicker to defrost.
FAQS ABOUT UNSTUFFED PEPPER SOUP
What can I do with a lot of bell peppers?
Bell peppers are incredibly versatile; they're fantastic as fresh, crunchy snacks and shine in various dishes such as soups (like this one!), stuffed peppers, raw in salads, roasted for sandwiches or pizza toppings, and incorporated into stir-fries - the options are endless!
How do you eat leftover stuffed peppers?
Usually, leftover unstuffed peppers are best enjoyed after reheating. For the unstuffed pepper soup, simply warm it on the stovetop from the fridge or freezer until it reaches the desired temperature, and it's ready to enjoy for more meals!
What are the ingredients for pepper soup?
This unstuffed pepper soup calls for both red and green tomatoes, ground beef and pork, onion, garlic, roasted tomato sauce, beef broth, riced cauliflower and seasonings.
Unstuffed Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1 cup Yellow Onion diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Green Bell Peppers seeded & diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper seeded & diced
- 6 cups Roasted Tomato Sauce click for recipe, see my recipe or use canned crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups Beef Broth
- 1 tablespoon Primal Palate Amore or more to taste - or use Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 12 oz Riced Cauliflower frozen variety (I use Trader Joes)
- ¼ cup Parsley fresh, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot cook beef, pork, onions and garlic till meat is no longer pink
- Drain any fat
- Add remaining ingredients except cauliflower rice and parsley
- Simmer 20 minutes
- Add cauliflower rice and simmer 10 minutes more
- Garnish with parsley
Kat says
I've made this numerous times. Quick, comforting, economical. This freezes well and I always double batch it. Tastes even better the next day after the flavors have melded.
Penny says
I’m so happy you are enjoying this recipe!
Penny💕