A deliciously hearty & healthy soup full of all the classic flavors of stuffed peppers like ground beef, onion, green & red bell pepper and brown rice.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!
I think we can all probably agree that as fun as the holidays are, they tend to be a time filled with lots of indulgences, and most of us are feeling perhaps a bit less healthy than usual. So now seems like the perfect time to enjoy a hearty and healthy soup!
There used to be a Zoup! close to my office when we lived in Chicago, and of the dozens of delicious options they have - the Overstuffed Bell Pepper Soup is hands down one of my favorites. So I wanted to recreate it at home!
I'm a huge fan of stuffed peppers, they are a healthy and filling meal that is pretty easy to put together and still looks kind of fancy! I like to play around with different variations, like these Sirloin and Sausage Stuffed Peppers and these Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers!
This recipe takes all of the classically wonderful flavors of stuffed peppers, but turns them into a soup instead! Each spoonful is full of savory lean ground beef, tender peppers and onions, a flavorful tomatoey broth, and nutty brown rice. It's super hearty and filling with the protein from the lean meat and whole grains from the brown rice - it's definitely one of those soups that easily stands alone as a meal.
Yummy noises await you!
Copycat Zoup! Overstuffed Bell Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice (or about 3 cups cooked)
- 1.25 lbs lean ground beef (90-93% lean)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 3.5 cups beef broth
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- In a small pot, cook brown rice according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and add ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook & crumble until no longer pink, about 6-7 minutes.
- Add peppers, onions and garlic and sauté until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add beef broth, vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- Stir in cooked brown rice and add more salt & pepper to taste (I typically add about 1 more teaspoon of kosher salt at this point, but the amount needed can vary depending on how salty your broths are). Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Wish I had some RIGHT NOW! Sounds delicious, Rachel!
Looks Yummy!!!! Perfect comfort food!
This is my follow up, just made this soup and it is so delicious! Perfect for a chilly day! Love it!!!
Yay! I’m so happy you liked it! 😊
Made it tonight for dinner, it was excellent. Definitely a do over. Even saved some for Eddie.
That’s awesome! I’m so happy you liked it! 😊😊
This looks so delicious and comforting, thanks for sharing, Rachel! 🙂
Thanks so much, Nicole!
Wyśmienita zupka! Zrobiłem wczoraj i jestem zaskoczony jak bardzo jest smaczna. Nawet córka, bardzo wybredna, jadła ze smakiem. Świetny przepis i bardzo prosty.
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 😊
Got a recipe for Zoup cheeseburger one - they don't serve it anymore
Ooo yum...I’ve never had that one!
Definitely one of my favorite soups to make. Thank you for the recipe.
So glad you enjoy it! It's a favorite for us too 🙂
Can you use white rice instead?
Absolutely!
I went looking for a copycat recipe of this soup when my local Zoup stopped serving this as often as they used to. I LOVE this recipe, and have made it about 5 times now! Thank you for sharing!
Ahh this makes me so happy! Thank you, thank you!
I'm so hoping this is a fantastic copycat recipe cuz I used to have an office downtown at Lasalle and Madison, right around the corner from Zoup and this was hands down my favorite soup! I found one on the Northshore when I was working from home because of the pandemic, but it ended up closing. I was just thinkin I needed some and hoped it was at the other downtown Chicago location this coming Friday when I was down there, but I might just be making this instead. Thanks for making the copycat!
I hope you love it! This has seriously become one of our family’s favorite soup recipes!
Same. I'd go to that location often for lunch.
They now have another spot at 62 W Adams, and it's been renamed Z!Eats.
Okay....posting AGAIN! Rachel, we made good use of your bumper crop of peppers! This is always a deliciously warm and flavorful favorite, especially on chilly fall days here in Michigan! Thank you for the peppers and once again, for this amazing recipe! Love it and YOU! 🙂