Description
A creamy, small-batch vegetarian soup that captures the classic flavors of stuffed peppers without the hassle of coring and baking individual peppers. Perfect for one or two people with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 150g)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 150g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked vegetarian ground “meat” or brown lentils
- 1/2 cup uncooked short-grain or Arborio rice
- 2 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium)
- 1 can (14oz) crushed tomatoes (no-salt-added)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: Fresh spinach, red pepper flakes, fresh basil
Instructions
- Dice the onion and bell pepper, and mince the garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and bell pepper; sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and Italian seasoning; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the vegetarian ground meat or lentils; cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. If using lentils or pre-cooked meat, just stir in.
- Add the uncooked rice and stir to coat in the oil.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes; stir well to scrape up any bits from the bottom.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut cream) and half of the shredded cheese.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency with more broth if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and top with remaining cheese, fresh basil, and a crack of black pepper.
Notes
Do not overcook the rice as it will continue to absorb liquid after removing from heat. For a vegan version, swap heavy cream for coconut milk and use vegan cheddar. This soup thickens as it cools; add extra broth when reheating. Not recommended for freezing due to rice texture and dairy separation.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1.5 cu
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 18
Keywords: vegetarian stuffed pepper soup, small batch soup, one pot meal, comfort food, vegetarian dinner, quick weeknight dinner, creamy soup