Stuffed pepper soup: Easy and perfect for fall

As the weather changes and summer turns into fall, I start making soup again. This recipe is a variation of my mom’s recipe — it gives you the warming flavor of stuffed peppers, but it’s easier to prepare and to serve. The soup also freezes and rewarms well.

Stuffed pepper soup
Serves 8
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, diced
1.5 pounds ground beef
6 cups beef broth or 6 cups of water with 6 teaspoons of Osem beef consommé or the equivalent of bouillon cubes. The ratio for Telma cubes is 1 cube to 2 cups of water.
5 bell peppers; you can use all green, but I use 3 green and 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes.
1 can condensed tomato soup
2 15-ouonce cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup of ketchup
1 cup white rice
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste (optional; I find that this recipe really doesn’t need any)

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Add the oil to a large soup pot and sauté the onions for 10 minutes over medium heat.

Add the ground beef, chop and cook until browned, another 7-10 minutes.

Add the beef broth/bouillon and water, chopped peppers, and all other ingredients and spices except for the rice.
Bring to a boil, then bring the heat down to low and allow to simmer uncovered for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then stir in the rice, cover and turn off the heat.

Stir every 10 minutes and re-cover. Repeat 3 times. This allows the heat of the soup and the warmth from the turned-off burner to do the work without overcooking the rice.

Bless your hands and enjoy! PJC

Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.