When the weather turns cold and everyone comes in hungry, a simple slow cooker supper has a way of saving the day. This recipe takes the familiar flavor profile of classic stuffed peppers and turns it into something far easier to pull together, with only a handful of pantry and freezer staples doing all the work. It is especially useful on busy weekends, cabin trips, or long days outdoors when you want a hot, hearty meal waiting without much fuss.
This soup is satisfying on its own, but it also goes very well with buttered toast, saltine crackers, or a piece of crusty bread to catch the rich tomato broth. If you want to round out the meal, a crisp green salad or simple coleslaw adds a fresh contrast, and for a heartier spread you can serve it with shredded cheddar, a spoonful of sour cream, or extra black pepper at the table.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Stuffed Pepper Soup
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
3 green bell peppers, chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
Directions
1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and no longer pink, breaking it up into chunky crumbles as it cooks. Drain off excess fat.
2. Add the browned beef, chopped green peppers, diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, and uncooked white rice to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the peppers are tender and the rice is fully cooked.
4. Stir the soup, let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken slightly, then ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Add seasoning: Even though this is designed as a true 5-ingredient recipe, a pinch of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, or Italian seasoning can deepen the flavor if you have them on hand.
Rice texture tip: White rice cooks directly in the slow cooker here, which helps thicken the soup. If you know your slow cooker runs hot and the soup becomes too thick, stir in a splash of water near the end of cooking.
Use a different pepper: Green bell peppers give the most classic stuffed pepper flavor, but red, orange, or yellow peppers will make the soup a little sweeter and a bit more colorful.
Make-ahead note: You can brown the beef and chop the peppers the night before, then refrigerate them separately. The next day, just add everything to the slow cooker and start cooking.