This vibrant stuffed pepper soup brings all the comforting flavors of classic stuffed peppers into an easy, one-pot format perfect for busy weeknights. Featuring savory ground beef, colorful bell peppers, and tender cauliflower rice, this hearty meal is as nourishing as it is satisfying. It is designed to be efficient, using your pressure cooker to develop deep flavors in a fraction of the traditional time.
List of ingredients
- 1 lb grass fed ground beef
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 1 med onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 bell peppers, chopped
- 3 cups bone broth
- 15 oz can tomato sauce, no salt added
- 3/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 2 cups cauliflower rice
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Minced parsley for garnish
step-by-step instructions
- Prep: Have all ingredients prepped and ready to go before beginning.
- Brown: Set your Instant Pot to “sauté” and once hot, add the ghee and ground beef, breaking up lumps to evenly brown.
- Sauté: Once beef is 90% browned, add the onions and garlic, then sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and stir. Add the Italian seasoning and paprika and cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Simmer: Add the peppers and stir, then pour in the broth, tomato sauce, and add the salt. Cancel the sauté function, stir, and place the lid on the Instant Pot, venting to the sealed position.
- Pressure Cook: Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Once done, quick release the pressure.
- Cauliflower: Sauté cauliflower rice in ghee with onion and garlic powder until just softened, or steam it to add when serving.
- Serve: Serve soup hot with the cauliflower rice and garnish with parsley.
Practical Cooking Pointers
Sautéing Cauliflower for Texture
While you can add cauliflower directly to the pressure cooker, sautéing it separately is the gold standard for maintaining a firm, rice-like texture. When pressure-cooked, cauliflower can break down quickly and become mushy. By keeping it separate, you maintain the structural integrity and individual bite of each grain, which mimics traditional rice much more effectively.
Selecting the Right Bell Peppers
Using a mix of red, orange, and yellow bell peppers provides a subtle variation in sweetness and nutrient density compared to strictly using green peppers. Red peppers in particular offer a sweeter profile that balances the acidity of the tomato sauce. Ensure you chop your peppers into uniform pieces so that they soften at the same rate during the short pressure-cooking cycle.
Managing Beef Leaness
If you prefer a higher lean-to-fat ratio, such as 90% lean or higher, you may find that the soup lacks a bit of richness. In these instances, do not skip the ghee or oil called for in the recipe, as it acts as a flavor carrier for the Italian spices. If you choose a very lean beef, you can also consider adding an extra teaspoon of bone broth or water to ensure the soup remains sufficiently hydrated.
Substitutions and Variations
Alternative Vegetables
While bell peppers are central to this dish, you can incorporate other vegetables like diced zucchini or yellow squash for added bulk. Add these vegetables during the final stage of the sauté process or just before closing the lid to prevent them from disintegrating under pressure. Ensure any additions are chopped to a similar size as the peppers to ensure even cooking.
Spice Adjustments
If you prefer a bit of heat, consider adding a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes during the spice-toasting step. For a smokier profile, replace standard paprika with smoked paprika, which pairs exceptionally well with the beef and tomato base. You can also experiment with dried basil or oregano if you want to emphasize specific herbal notes over the balanced Italian blend.
Serving and Storage Advice
Optimal Serving Pairings
This soup serves as a complete meal on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a side of steamed green beans or a crisp garden salad dressed in olive oil and lemon. Since the soup is quite filling due to the protein content of the beef, keep side dishes light and acidic to cleanse the palate between bites of the savory, tomato-based broth.
Storage Guidelines
Store any leftover soup in an airtight glass container to prevent flavor absorption from other foods in the refrigerator. The soup will keep well for up to four days, and the flavors often improve the next day as the spices continue to permeate the beef and vegetables. Avoid storing the cauliflower rice directly inside the soup if you intend to keep it for more than a day, as it will continue to absorb liquid and soften.
Freezing the Soup Base
You can successfully freeze this soup for up to three months. It is best to freeze the soup base without the cauliflower rice, as the rice tends to lose its texture upon thawing. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the soup base on the stovetop and prepare a fresh batch of cauliflower rice to serve alongside it, which keeps the dish tasting freshly made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen cauliflower rice?
Yes, frozen cauliflower rice works perfectly for this recipe. If you are using frozen rice, ensure you sauté it in the ghee until all excess moisture has evaporated to achieve the best texture. If you add it frozen directly to the pot, it may release too much water and thin out the broth.
How do I make the soup less acidic?
If you find the tomato sauce too sharp, you can balance it by increasing the quantity of sautéed onions or adding a small amount of diced carrot during the sauté phase. Carrots provide natural sweetness that tempers the acidity of tomatoes without the need for sweeteners. Additionally, ensure you are using high-quality, unsalted tomato sauce to avoid unwanted additives.
Can I cook this in a standard pot?
Yes, you can adapt this for a stovetop pot by browning the meat and aromatics in a Dutch oven before adding the liquids. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes until the peppers are tender, then add your pre-cooked cauliflower rice. You will need to increase the amount of broth slightly, as the stovetop method allows for more evaporation than a sealed pressure cooker.
How do I adjust for more servings?
This recipe can be easily doubled, provided your pressure cooker has enough capacity. Ensure you do not fill the pot past the maximum fill line, typically marked on the inside of the insert. If doubling, maintain the same pressure-cooking time, as the internal volume will heat through effectively within the 3-minute window.
Should I rinse the cauliflower rice first?
Rinsing is not necessary unless you are using a specific type of pre-packaged cauliflower rice that contains added preservatives or excessive moisture. Simply shaking the rice in the pan over medium heat is usually sufficient to draw out the desired texture and flavor profile required for this soup.
Print
Stuffed Pepper Soup In the Instant Pot
- Total Time: PT25M
- Yield: 8 servings
- Diet: Keto, Paleo, Whole30
Description
This stuffed pepper soup is loaded with everything you’re craving! Italian spices, savory ground beef, garlic and onions, bell peppers, and cauliflower “rice” make this a hearty soup that’s also super healthy for you. Gluten-free, dairy-free, keto and Whole30 friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 lb grass fed ground beef
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 1 med onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 bell peppers, chopped
- 3 cups bone broth
- 15 oz can tomato sauce, no salt added
- 3/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 2 cups cauliflower rice
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prep: Have all ingredients prepped and ready to go before beginning.
- Brown: Set your Instant Pot to “sauté” and once hot, add the ghee and ground beef, breaking up lumps to evenly brown.
- Sauté: Once beef is 90% browned, add the onions and garlic, then sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and stir. Add the Italian seasoning and paprika and cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Simmer: Add the peppers and stir, then pour in the broth, tomato sauce, and add the salt. Cancel the sauté function, stir, and place the lid on the Instant Pot, venting to the sealed position.
- Pressure Cook: Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Once done, quick release the pressure.
- Cauliflower: Sauté cauliflower rice in ghee with onion and garlic powder until just softened, or steam it to add when serving.
- Serve: Serve soup hot with the cauliflower rice and garnish with parsley.
Notes
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this soup to serve later on.
- Prep Time: PT10M
- Cook Time: PT15M
- Category: Lunch/Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 221 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 318 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg