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This Vegan Stuffed Pepper Soup is a hearty meatless dish that will remind you of the flavors and textures of traditional stuffed peppers. It’s quick and easy comfort food that’s loaded with healthy vegetables and will keep you feeling cozy all season long.
Bell peppers are one of our most favorite veggies!
We love them stuffed, grilled, roasted, sautéed, blended in dips and sauces, and simply raw for snacking.
Needless to say, this vegan Stuffed Pepper Soup is a family fave and I’m sure you’re going to love it, too!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Rice ~ White or brown varieties of rice will work in this recipe. I like to use quick-cooking rice or Jasmine or Basmati rice which all cook in about 15 to 20 minutes.
You’ll want to simmer the soup until the rice is al dente, or just tender, as it will continue to soak up some liquid and soften.
Be sure to read your package of rice and cook the soup for the amount of time needed to cook the rice.
Quinoa ~ Traditionally, stuffed pepper soup is made with ground beef, which obviously we aren’t using in this meatless, vegan version. I use lentils to replace meat in chili, but the texture of lentils just didn’t seem right for this soup. Quinoa combined with the rice comes close to resembling the texture of ground meat.
If you don’t have quinoa, you could use bulgur, couscous, or just use more rice.
Peppers ~ Sweet bell peppers are the star of the show in this stuffed pepper soup recipe. I like to use one red and one green, but any color will work.
You can even throw in a hot pepper if you like a little spicy kick.
Tomatoes ~ Canned crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce lend the perfect flavor. Diced tomatoes can be used instead of crushed. Opt for fire-roasted crushed or diced tomatoes for extra depth of flavor.
Seasonings ~ You likely have these dried herbs – oregano, basil, and parsley – handy as they are all pantry staples. You could opt for Italian seasoning instead if you have that.
I also add liquid aminos for a savory, salty flavor that is typically found in meat products. Soy sauce or gluten-free tamari may be substituted.
A dash of liquid smoke adds a subtle smokiness. This ingredient is optional, but highly recommended. If you don’t have it, add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika instead.
Broth ~ Low sodium vegetable broth is my go-to. Use regular veggie broth if you have it. I like to have more broth ready than the recipe calls for in case the soup gets too thick.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
Sauté the onions, garlic and peppers until soft (1). Add the rice and quinoa and stir well (2).
Add the spices, seasonings and canned tomatoes (3) then add the broth and stir to combine (4).
Simmer the soup, stirring frequently to prevent the rice and quinoa from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the grains are just tender. Do not over cook the rice or it may become mushy.
Serving suggestions
This soup is hearty enough on its own, but feel free to top it off with some vegan shredded cheese or vegan parmesan. It would also be great with a drizzle of southwest vegan ranch dressing over the top.
Toss on some sliced green onions, fresh diced bell peppers, sliced avocado, chopped fresh parsley, or some fresh cracked black pepper.
Serve it alongside a hunk of crusty bread, a vegan grilled cheese sandwich, or a quick kale apple slaw.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze this vegan stuffed pepper soup. Let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or zip-top plastic bag. It should keep well for up to 3 months.
Please note – the texture will change slightly upon thawing and reheating. The rice and quinoa will be more tender from absorbing the liquid.
Reheat: You may need to add additional broth when reheating as they rice will continue to soak up some liquid as it sits.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Be sure to read the instructions on your package of rice and cook the soup for the appropriate amount of time until al dente, or just tender. Do not over cook the rice!
~ Instead of quinoa, try bulgur, couscous or just add more rice.
~ Stir frequently as the soup simmers as grains tend to stick to the bottom of the pot.
~ Taste and adjust seasonings to your tastes!
~ For an oil-free option, sauté with water or broth instead of oil.
~ If you have leftovers, you may need to add additional veggie broth or water when reheating, as the rice and quinoa will continue to soak up some liquid.
FAQs
Traditional stuffed peppers are made with ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and cheese. If you want to use vegan ground, brown it in the pot after cooking down the onions, then continue with the recipe leaving out the quinoa.
The rice and quinoa will continue to soak up liquid as the soup sits. Feel free to add more broth or reduce the amount of rice/quinoa if you like a thinner soup. You will likely need to add more broth (or water) when reheating leftovers as well.
Yes, this veggie rice soup freezes well. Cool the soup completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or plastic zip-top bag. It should keep well in the freezer up to 3 months.
More vegan soup recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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Vegan Stuffed Pepper Soup
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil or ¼ cup broth or water for an oil-free version
- 1 onion diced
- 2 bell peppers diced (any color)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teapsoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke optional
- 1 cup Jasmine, Basmati or quick-cook white or brown rice
- ½ cup quinoa rinsed well and drained (or bulgur or couscous or just add more rice)
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 6 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat n a large soup pot and sauté the onion for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add the peppers and garlic and sauté another 3 to 4 minutes, until starting to soften.
- Add the parsley, oregano, basil, salt, liquid aminos, and liquid smoke, stir well, and sauté for 1 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the rice, quinoa, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and veggie broth. Stir well.
- Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice and quinoa are just cooked through. Do not over cook!
- Taste and adjust seasonings according to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Brea says
Excellent!!
Jenn Sebestyen says
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
Kristen says
This soup was so yummy!! I made a few changes to it because my husband can’t have wheat. I put extra rice instead of bulgar. I don’t have liquid smoke, so I used hickory bbq sauce. I added probably a 1/4 cup of that. I also chopped up sweet pickled banana peppers and threw them in my bowl for a bit of spice. Exquisite!
Jenn Sebestyen says
I’m so glad you loved it, Kristen. Your adaptations sound delicious!
Michelle Giroux says
How about in a crockpot?
Jenn Sebestyen says
Hi, Michelle. I haven’t personally used a slow cooker for this soup, but I would say you could cook on high 3-4 hours or low 4-6 hours, adding the bulgur and rice with about 2 hours left in cooking time. Enjoy!
Jes says
This was good!! Eating my first bowl now. I added green Chiles and two jalapeños as well and didn’t have Blugar so just used 1 3/4 cup of basmati rice. Used an orange and yellow pepper. Will def be coming back to your blog for more veggie recipes as my husband is a new vegetarian (not me, but i am more than happy to make veggie meals!)
Jenn S. says
So glad you enjoyed it! The rest of my family is not vegan, or even vegetarian, but they happily eat these recipes too. I hope you both find some new things to love! Thanks, Jes!
Barb says
Making this soon. Is the rice or bulger cooked before adding?
Jenn S. says
Hi, Barb! No, you add the rice uncooked. I hope you like it! Let me know how it turns out.
Monique says
Oh man this has quickly become one of my favorite recipes! It is so delicious! And I like that the leftovers are less soupy. I had a big bowl of soup the first night and then used the leftovers to stuff some bell peppers. Cook once, and get 2 different meals! This made enough for 2 big bowls of soup and then there were enough leftovers to fill 6 bell peppers!! Everyone loved it! Thank you SO much!! We will make it again and again!
Jenn S. says
So glad you love it, Monique. And I LOVE the idea of stuffing peppers with leftovers! I’m totally trying that next time!
Christie Anderson says
This is my most favorite soup recipe! Thank you, so much. I could eat this every day. It is so hard to find good meatless recipes these days and this one is a hit.
Jenn S. says
Oh, thank you so much, Christie! That makes me so happy! It’s one of our favorites too. Thank you so much for stopping by to leave me a comment. Much appreciated! Enjoy your week!
Christie Anderson says
Made it again tonight. I used a mix of peppers. I also add a tad bit of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar and tomato paste which gives it a taste like my Grandmother’s galumpki sauce.
Jenn S. says
Oooooh, galumpki! YUM!!! My mother’s side of the family is Polish and I grew up on galumpki. I don’t know why I have never though to veganize them, but I’m so going to now! Thanks for the inspiration, Christie! And thanks for making this soup and loving it! 🙂
Paulina says
By mistake added more tomato sauce than needed. I added the beefless crumble along with some TVP. If you like tomatoes, this soup is out of this world delicious! It will be a new staple at my house! Thank you for a fabulous recipe 🙂
Jenn S. says
I’m so glad you liked it, Paulina! Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know!!
Joanne says
Could you use freeka instead of rice
Jenn S. says
Hi, Joanne! I’ve actually never cooked with freeka. I think it’s a bit thicker than rice, so might change the texture just a little bit, but I’m sure it would probably be great. Let me know if you try it!
jill says
i also made some adjustments, but absolutely love this soup! you really don’t elaborate on preparing the peppers, so i roasted mine first, almost a little burnt. i don’t add the liquid amines or smoke since i didn’t have them, and don’t think you need it when peppers are roasted. fabulous! thanks so much.
Jenn S. says
So glad you liked it, Jill! I just throw in the peppers as is, but I love that you roasted them first. I can see why that would eliminate the need for the liquid smoke. Thanks for stopping by to let me know how it turned out!
Betty McLean says
Of all of the recipes I’ve made from blogs, this is the first time I’ve felt compelled to comment. This soup is fabulous! It was so easy to put together and absolutely delicious! I used only a few dashes of liquid smoke because a little goes a long way for me, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. Definite comfort food and made plenty to freeze. Thanks for the great recipe!
Jenn S. says
Betty, you just totally made my day! Thank you so much for your comment. I’m so delighted to hear you loved it. I hope you find a few more recipes here that you love as well!
Heathery says
I just made this with a few adjustments (no bulgur) and 1 of the crushed tomato cans replaced with 1 can of Rotel. This was so delicious! Definitely going in my “favorite recipes” folder!
Jenn S. says
I’m so glad you liked it! Did you replace the bulgur with something else or just leave it out entirely? I never thought of adding Rotel, but I bet that was delicious!
Michelle B. says
This was a great recipe. I did a Pinterest search for vegetarian stuffed pepper soup and found you. Followed your recipe and made some minor changes based on what I had on hand – barley instead of bulgur (worked well, also gave a nice chewy texture), I added some Worcestershire too. Everyone loved it and it was really satisfying. It was also really quick to put together and then I used the slow cooker on low for a couple of hours. Turned out great! Thanks:)
Jenn S. says
I’m so glad you liked it! I love barley…will have to try that next time too!