Say hello to this vegetarian and vegan friendly, hearty, warming and one pot stuffed pepper soup. Only, it is the unstuffed pepper soup that we all need for cold nights.
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Reason 123324221 to love my Instant Pot is because making soups in it is such a breeze. And this un-stuffed pepper soup is no exception. Truly a one pot delight, this comes together in 30 minutes.
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What is stuffed pepper soup?
Traditionally, stuffed peppers are made by stuffing peppers with ground beef or turkey or sausage and rice. This stuffed pepper soup is a deconstructed version of this but in this case, it is vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Onions and garlic – White onions are what I have used but red or yellow ones work well too.
- Green lentils – You can use canned pinto beans, kidney beans or whole brown lentils instead.
- Jasmine rice- Brown rice and long grain Basmati are great substitutes here.
- Canned chopped tomatoes and tomato paste – If you do not have canned chopped tomatoes, use canned tomato soup. This stuffed pepper soup with tomato soup is a refreshing variation.
- Chopped red bell peppers– While red bell peppers lend that vibrant red hue to this soup, they can be replaced with green and yellow peppers too.
- Vegetable stock – I have used low sodium vegetable stock in this recipe. Anything works well.
- Italian seasoning, smoked paprika- If you want to add more heat, feel free to switch the smoked paprika to cayenne.
- Pepper and salt
- Parsley and sweet basil for garnish
Dietary Specifications
Vegan and gluten free naturally, this soup also does not have any soy or nuts. If you are concerned about the sodium levels, choose low sodium vegetable stock and canned tomatoes.
Un-stuffed pepper soup- FAQs
Yes. If you plan on freezing this soup, add the rice after reheating. When the soup is frozen with the rice added, the rice tends to become mushy after thawing.
Brown rice will work well in this recipe. Increase the cooking time by 1 minute and proceed with the process as shared here.
Variations
If you want to switch things up a bit and bring about variations in this recipe, here are some things you can try.
- Switch the jasmine rice to quinoa or brown rice.
- Instead of the green lentils, use canned pinto beans or kidney beans. While using, drain and rinse them in a colander.
- For a unique version, use orzo instead of rice or quinoa.
- Many traditional pepper soups call for cheese. You can add ½ cup shredded parmesan or cheddar to this soup too.
- Cauliflower rice is a brilliant substitute for rice and lentils if you are looking for a keto-friendly or low carb soup.
- To minimize prep time further, I recommend using frozen diced peppers instead of fresh.
Recipe Notes
- You can make this soup in the Instant Pot, Dutch oven or in a crockpot also.
- This soup is a bit thick, much like a stew. If you prefer your soup to be runny, then I recommend adding 1 more cup broth.
- Soaking the rice and lentils helps reduce cooking time. Please do not skip this step. If you do not soak the rice and lentils, they won’t cook well.
- For a spicier soup, add 1.5 teaspoon cayenne or regular red paprika along with the seasonings mentioned here. A fresh deseeded jalapeno added, while sautéing the onions and garlic, is also a good way to add heat.
- If you plan to use cauliflower rice to this soup, then stir it in towards after the soup is done cooking. Press CANCEL, close the lid, turn the VALVE to SEALING and let the soup sit for 10 minutes undisturbed.
- When switching the rice to quinoa, use the same soaking and cooking time.
- For brown rice, the cooking time will be 6 minutes instead of 5 minutes. The rest of the procedure remains the same.
Method
Prep work
Place the rice and lentils in a colander and wash well. Soak them in 2 cups hot water for 30 minutes. While they soak, prep and assemble the remaining ingredients.
Making the soup
Insert the inner pot into the inner pot. Tip in the onions, chopped garlic.
Drain the soaked rice and lentils mixture. Add the drained rice and lentils along with the chopped red bell peppers and seasonings to the inner pot.
Now, add the canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste and vegetable stock and stir to combine.
Finally, tip in the cayenne and mix well. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid.
Close the lid, turn the VALVE to SEALING. Plug in the Instant Pot and press PRESSURE COOK- HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 5 minutes.
Wait for the cooking cycle to complete. When done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, do a gradual quick pressure release by turning the VALVE to SEALING.
Open the lid and stir the soup well. At this stage, if you find the soup too thick, feel free to add 1 cup broth and let the soup simmer for 2 to 3 mins on SAUTE mode -NORMAL for 2 minutes.
Finish with a garnish of finely chopped parsley and basil. Serve hot.
Crockpot stuffed pepper soup
Making this in your slow cooker or crockpot is so easy too. Simply follow the prep work. Then, add the ingredients to your crockpot. Stir well.
Cook covered on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. When done, open, stir and garnish before serving.
📖 Recipe
Healthy vegetarian stuffed pepper soup
Equipment
- 1 six quart Instant Pot
- 1 slotted spoon/ladle
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Rice and lentils
- ¼ cup Jasmine rice
- ⅓ cup green lentils
- 2 cups hot water
For the soup
- 3 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 cup white onions finely chopped
- 1 can chopped tomatoes (I have used a 14 oz can here)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cups red bell peppers chopped
- 4 cups vegetable stock add 1 more cup broth if you prefer a thin soup (refer notes in the blog post)
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cayenne
- Salt to taste
For garnish
- 2 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon sweet basil finely chopped
Instructions
Prep work
- Place the rice and lentils in a colander and wash well. Soak them in 2 cups hot water for 30 minutes. While they soak, prep and assemble the remaining ingredients.
Making the soup
- Insert the inner pot into the inner pot. Tip in the onions, chopped garlic.
- Drain the soaked rice and lentils mixture. Add the drained rice and lentils along with the chopped red bell peppers and seasonings to the inner pot.
- Now, add the canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste and vegetable stock and stir to combine.
- Finally, tip in the cayenne and mix well. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid.
- Close the lid, turn the VALVE to SEALING. Plug in the Instant Pot and press PRESSURE COOK- HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 5 minutes.
- Wait for the cooking cycle to complete. When done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, do a gradual quick pressure release by turning the VALVE to SEALING.
- Open the lid and stir the soup well. At this stage, if you find the soup too thick, feel free to add 1 cup broth and let the soup simmer for 2 to 3 mins on SAUTE mode -NORMAL for 2 minutes.
- Finish with a garnish of finely chopped parsley and basil. Serve hot.
Notes
- You can make this soup in the Instant Pot, Dutch oven or in a crockpot also.
- This soup is a bit thick, much like a stew. If you prefer your soup to be runny, then I recommend adding 1 more cup broth.
- Soaking the rice and lentils helps reduce cooking time. Please do not skip this step. If you do not soak the rice and lentils, they won't cook well.
- For a spicier soup, add 1.5 teaspoon cayenne or regular red paprika along with the seasonings mentioned here. A fresh deseeded jalapeno added, while sautéing the onions and garlic, is also a good way to add heat.
- If you plan to use cauliflower rice to this soup, then stir it in towards after the soup is done cooking. Press CANCEL, close the lid, turn the VALVE to SEALING and let the soup sit for 10 minutes undisturbed.
- When switching the rice to quinoa, use the same soaking and cooking time.
- For brown rice, the cooking time will be 6 minutes instead of 5 minutes. The rest of the procedure remains the same.
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
More Instant Pot Soups
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