Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup combines all the familiar flavors of stuffed peppers—bell peppers, ground meat, tomatoes, rice, and warm spices—into a comforting, one-pot soup you can make quickly in a pressure cooker. It’s a hearty family favorite that’s perfect for weeknight dinners or packed lunches.
With cold weather still lingering in Ohio, I turn to big bowls of warm, satisfying soup. This Instant Pot version of stuffed pepper soup is both quick and filling. It makes a generous batch, so you’ll have leftovers for lunches or another dinner.
The recipe below uses ground beef, but you can substitute ground turkey, chicken, or pork, or make it meatless by adding beans. The soup features bell peppers, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, rice, and a blend of dried herbs and paprika for depth of flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
This simple, flavorful recipe uses pantry-friendly ingredients and comes together in the Instant Pot.
- Meat: Any ground meat works—beef, turkey, chicken, or pork. Omit for a vegetarian version and add beans if desired.
- Vegetables: Diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, bell peppers, and celery make this soup colorful and nutritious.
- Rice: Use uncooked long-grain white rice; it cooks well in the pressure cooker and thickens the broth.
- Spices: Dried basil, thyme, oregano, paprika, and a touch of cayenne (optional) provide warmth and balance.
Recipe Modifications
- Meat: Swap ground beef for turkey, chicken, or pork, or make it vegetarian with chickpeas, white beans, or kidney beans.
- Peppers: I like using two colors—red and green—but yellow or orange bell peppers work nicely too.
- Vegetables: Add carrots, mushrooms, or fire-roasted tomatoes for extra texture and flavor.
- Garnishes: Top with fresh parsley, green onions, diced red onion, or a sprinkle of mozzarella or Parmesan.
Recipe Tips
- When cooked in the Instant Pot this soup tends to be thick because the rice absorbs liquid during pressure cooking.
- If you prefer a thinner soup, stir in an extra cup of broth after pressure release to loosen the texture.
- Leftovers thicken in the refrigerator; add a splash of water or broth when reheating to restore the consistency.
- Brown the meat well and drain excess fat before adding the other ingredients to reduce greasiness.
Storage Tips
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. The rice will continue to absorb liquid, so add extra broth or water when reheating.
More Soup Recipes
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Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground meat of your choice (beef, turkey, chicken, or pork)
- 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 5 cups broth (chicken or beef), divided
- 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot’s sauté function and heat the olive oil. After about two minutes, add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground meat and cook 4–5 minutes, breaking it up, until browned. Drain excess fat and return the meat to the pot.
- Turn off sauté. Add the diced bell peppers, celery, 4 cups of the broth, uncooked rice, basil, thyme, oregano, paprika, cayenne (if using), salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce on top but do not stir them into the rice and broth layer.
- Cover and seal the valve. Cook on Manual/High Pressure for 3 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, do a quick release to release all pressure. Carefully open the lid and stir in the remaining 1 cup of broth if you prefer a thinner soup. Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley, green onions, red onion, and cheese if desired.
Notes
- To store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days. The rice will absorb liquid; add broth or water when reheating.
- To freeze: Cool completely in the refrigerator before freezing. Store for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.