Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
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Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup tastes just like stuffed peppers, but it’s way easier to make! Made with bell peppers, ground beef or turkey, rice and beans, this soup is a satisfying one-pot family meal.
While you’re here, be sure to save my skillet version of this recipe. It’s a quick 30-minute meal!
Photos and recipe updated January 27, 2022. Originally published September 6, 2019.
I’m a huge fan of soup. I especially love the kind of the soup that is filled with colourful veggies, healthy protein and doesn’t leave me hungry an hour later. This Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup recipe is all of those things.
I was inspired to make this pressure cooker soup when I ordered a similar version at a take-out restaurant near my office. I paid a fortune for one bowl and thought, “I can make this at home”. So I did! I made some improvements, like increasing the ratio of bell peppers to rice and also adding the kidney beans for extra protein and fibre.
After making this soup many times since I originally published it, I made some improvements (like a shorter cook time) and simplified the recipe. If you’ve made it before, I think you’ll enjoy it even more now!
Ingredients and Variations
- Lean ground beef – ground turkey or chicken are great options too
- Onion and garlic – for flavour
- Chicken Broth – we like to use chicken Better Than Bouillon and water; vegetable or beef broth will also work
- Bell peppers – I prefer the red, orange and yellow colours, because of their sweeter flavour
- Canned kidney beans – if you’re not a fan of beans, you can leave them out!
- Canned diced tomatoes – we like to use petite-diced so the pieces of tomato are very small to let the bell peppers shine
- Tomato paste – to boost the tomato flavour of the broth. It also acts as a thickener.
- Italian seasoning – you can also make your own blend. See the Notes section in the recipe card below.
- Uncooked long-grain white rice – I used jasmine. Be sure to rinse it to remove some of the excess starch.
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice – added after cooking to brighten the flavour
How to make it
Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Add the ground beef and sauté until almost cooked through, then add the onion and garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are softened and the beef is fully cooked.
Deglaze the insert. Add a small amount of broth and use a spatula to scrape up any food stuck to the bottom. This will help to prevent a burn warning.
Add the rest of the broth, then layer on the bell peppers, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and sea salt. Add the rice on top and push it down until it’s just submerged in the broth. Do not stir.
Pressure cook on High for 5 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure.
Stir in the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and season with more salt to taste. Serve with chopped fresh parsley and grated parmesan, if desired.
How to reheat
Stovetop: Reheat in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F. The soup will have thickened in the refrigerator as the rice will absorb some of the liquid. You can leave it thicker like a stew, or add more broth when reheating to keep the soup consistency.
Microwave: Heat individual portions on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring partway for even heating.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes! To make it vegan, replace the ground meat with another can of kidney beans or vegan ground veggie crumble. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
More Instant Pot soup recipes
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetable and Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Dairy Free!)
- Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Instant Pot Black Bean Soup (Vegan)
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup (Vegan)
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup (Vegan)
- Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
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Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
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Ingredients
- olive oil (optional, if using chicken or turkey)
- 1 lb lean ground beef (can sub ground chicken or turkey)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups chicken broth (or 5 teaspoons chicken Better Than Bouillon + 5 cups water)
- 3-4 bell peppers, diced
- 19 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 5.5 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (see note 3 to make your own spice blend)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste after cooking)
- 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed (I used jasmine rice)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
For serving
- fresh parsley, chopped
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot. Wait until the screen says hot, then add the ground beef and sauté until almost cooked through. Add the onion and garlic and continue to sauté a couple minutes more until the onion is softened and the beef is fully cooked.
- Next, deglaze the insert. Add about ¼ cup of the broth and use a spatula to scrape off any brown bits stuck to the bottom. Be sure you get it all to avoid a burn warning.
- Add the rest of the broth, then layer on the bell peppers, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and salt. Add the rice on top and push it down until it's just submerged in the broth. Do not stir.
- Close the lid, set the vent to sealing and cook on Manual High pressure for 5 minutes. (Your Instant Pot model may have a "Pressure Cook" button rather than a "Manual" button). It will take 25-30 minutes to come to pressure.
- At the end of cooking time, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes (just leave it), then quick release remaining pressure. Mix in the apple cider vinegar and season with more salt to taste, if needed. Serve topped with chopped parsley or finely grated parmesan, if desired. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Notes
- Inactive time indicates time for Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure after cooking time.
- This recipe was tested in both 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models.
- Original recipe used the following spice blend: 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
Nutrition Estimate
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review below and share your results!
My husband has had a few bad memories of stuffed peppers so he was disappointed I was making this soup. He ended up loving it! I will definitely add it to my rotation. I was out of kidney beans so I omitted them all together and it still turned out great!
So happy you both enjoyed it!
My husband asks me to make this soup. Not any others. We love it!
So happy you both enjoy it!
Loved this. Can I freeze the leftovers or will the rice get mushy?
I find the rice soaks up a lot of the liquid, so this soup isn’t the best for freezing! If you know ahead of time you want to freeze the soup, I would make it without the rice and add freshly made rice to the soup when you reheat it.
I’ve made this recipe many times. It is so easy and so yummy.
Made this with ground turkey and it was delicious! Thank you for an easy recipe that tastes so good!!
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! It’s very cold here in ON, Canada, (-16) so this was perfect for tonight. I added a few “personal taste” modifications.
I used ground pork, because that’s what I had.
I added 1 tbsp of dry mustard to the spices
After cooking:
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp of smoked paprika
The timing was close for me – since I used an 8qt IP, it didn’t take as long to get to pressure, but the difference is negligible. I will make this again, for sure!
Yes, it was a chilly day (I’m in Ontario too!). Your customizations sound delicious. So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Janet!
Amazing user ranch style beans instead of kidney beans added tomato paste and garnished with green onions
So happy you enjoyed it, Jessica!
This was fantastic! It was so easy and so yummy! Next time I think I’ll try it with ground turkey because that’s easier to find near me. I wonder how different it would be if I swapped the tomatoes for rotel?
My only question is, was I supposed to drain the kidney beans? I did. Either way, delish! Will make again!
Rotel would be great! Another reader added some chili powder for heat and really enjoyed it.
You were right to drain the kidney beans. I clarified this in the recipe, so thank you!
I’m always looking for new soups to make in the cold Canadian winter and this really hit the spot. I like how it’s both healthy and satisfying. I added extra spice for my personal taste (chili powder while cooking, sriracha in the bowl). Also served it with your biscuits which were perfect for dipping. Thanks!
Great idea to add some heat! Thanks Julia!
Is there a sub for rice? Not a fan of it but this looks amazing!
Hi Cris, you could use a small pasta like macaroni, shells or orzo, or even quinoa! For the quinoa, I would use a little less, maybe 1/3 of a cup. For all of these options, reduce the cook time to 3 minutes at high pressure. Pasta and quinoa need less time to cook than the rice. Hope this helps!
I used riced cauliflower instead. Tasted just as good and that also cut the carb count way down.
Hi there! I am eager to try this recipe as it looks delicious!
Wondering if it’s possible to make this in the slow cooker?
thanks!
Hi Jenny! I haven’t tested it in the slow cooker, but I think you could cook it that way with a few adjustments. I would cook the ground chicken on the stove top before adding it to the slow cooker, and I would use brown rice instead of white rice (brown rice will hold up better to the longer cook time). Another option is to add white rice about an hour before the cook time is done, or add it fully cooked at the end. For cook time, I would try 3-4 on high or 5-6 on low. Let us know how it goes if you make it this way!
Hi Laura,
I just made this your stuffed pepper soup. Ate 3 bowls, so good. Today was a meatless Saturday so I through in a can of cannellini beans. I’m just an old single man who bought an Instant Pot about a month ago and really enjoy recipes like yours. Thanks!!
I love hearing this! So happy you liked it!
Comforting and great for meal prep! Will be making again.
I have made this recipe twice now and both times with 2 different friends and they absolutely loved it!!! Thanks for the wonderful IP recipe
I’m thrilled to hear that, Ann! Thanks for taking the time to review!
Made the vegan version but melted some cheese on top when eating. It was delicious. Love being able to use the instant pot to make a soup for lunches on a busy weekend when we don’t have time to simmer a soup on the stove for hours!
So delicious and easy too!