Description
A thick, chunky, and deeply flavorful vegetarian soup that deconstructs the classic stuffed pepper into a comforting one-pot meal. Packed with brown rice, lentils, and seasonal peppers, it’s a hearty, freezer-friendly dish perfect for autumn.
Ingredients
- 3 medium bell peppers (mix of red, yellow, and green), diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium)
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
- ½ cup dried brown or green lentils
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Prep vegetables: Dice onions, mince garlic, and chop peppers, carrots, and celery into bite-sized pieces.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and carrots, cooking for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add celery and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and oregano, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add peppers and tomatoes: Add diced bell peppers and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in diced tomatoes (with juice) and vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice and lentils are tender and peppers are soft but not mushy. Add more broth if the soup becomes too thick.
- Season and finish: Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed. Stir in fresh parsley and lemon juice. Let the soup sit off the heat for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and serve hot with crusty bread, optional Parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
[‘Use leftover cooked brown rice to save time; add it in the last 10 minutes of cooking.’, “Smoked paprika is key for the ‘stuffed pepper’ flavor; do not substitute with regular paprika if possible.”, ‘Toast spices in the oil for 30 seconds before adding garlic to enhance flavor.’, ‘Soup thickens as it sits; thin with broth or water when reheating.’, ‘Freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight before reheating.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 10
Keywords: vegetarian soup, stuffed pepper soup, brown rice soup, lentil soup, one pot meal, fall recipes, healthy comfort food, gluten-free soup