Instant Pot stuffed pepper soup takes all the flavor of stuffed peppers and turns it into a fast soup. It uses ground turkey, diced bell peppers, tomatoes, and rice. It cooks under pressure in just 4 minutes. The whole meal is ready in under 40 minutes.
Regular stuffed peppers take time. You hollow out each pepper, stuff it, and bake it in the oven. This soup skips that step. You get the same taste in one pot, and in far less time.
My husband will not touch a raw bell pepper. He picks them off a veggie tray and sets them aside. But dice those same peppers small and cook them soft in a soup, and he cleans his bowl every time. That is why I make this soup so often. It lets me use up the peppers I love, and no one at the table complains.
I have made this soup more than a dozen times. I have tweaked the seasoning. I have tweaked the cook time too. Below is the version that turns out right every time. I also share the mistakes I made along the way, so you can skip them.
This recipe is for home cooks who own an Instant Pot. You do not need any fancy skills. If you do not have an Instant Pot, I have added stovetop and slow cooker steps too.
Recipe Quick Facts
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes (10 minutes to build pressure, 4 minutes to cook, 8 minutes to release)
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Difficulty: Easy
Before You Get Started
- Dice the peppers small. Big chunks stay firm even after they cook under pressure. Small pieces turn soft in every bite.
- Cook your rice on the side. On my second try, I poured raw rice right into the pot. It soaked up too much broth and turned thick and starchy. Now I cook rice on its own and add it to each bowl.
- Swap the meat if you like. Ground turkey keeps this soup light. Ground beef or ground chicken both work well in the same amount.
- Look for discount produce boxes at your store. Some grocery apps sell near-expired food boxes for cheap. They often have bell peppers and onions inside.
- Freeze extra diced peppers. Spread them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Freeze until hard, then move them to a bag. Frozen peppers turn a bit soft after cooking, which works great in soup.
- Do not skip the slow release. A fast release on a full pot of broth can push hot liquid out of the valve.
- Taste before you serve. Canned tomatoes vary in salt from brand to brand. I always taste the soup near the end and add more salt if I need it.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 medium bell peppers, diced (any color)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping (optional)
- Sour cream, for topping (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Peppers and Onion
Dice the bell peppers and onion into small, even pieces. Mince the garlic. Cut it all up first. This keeps the next steps fast once the pot heats up.
Step 2: Brown the Ground Turkey
Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the ground turkey. Break it up with a spatula as it cooks. Cook it for about 5 minutes, until just barely pink in the middle. (I learned to pull it a bit early after one batch turned dry and tough. It still cooks a bit more under the lid. So a bit underdone at this step works best.)
Step 3: Cook the Peppers and Onion
Add the rest of the oil, along with the peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, and stir now and then. The peppers are ready when they turn a shade lighter and smell sweet, not sharp. Hit Cancel to turn off sauté mode.
Step 4: Add the Broth and Seasonings
Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. In my tests, herbs added now soak into the meat and broth. Herbs added at the end just sit on top instead.
Step 5: Pressure Cook the Soup
Lock the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Set the pot to Pressure Cook (or Manual) on high for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to build up pressure first.
Step 6: Release and Serve
Let the pressure drop on its own for 8 minutes. Then turn the valve to venting to let out the rest. (On my very first try, I vented right away and got a spray of hot broth across my counter. A full pot of broth needs that slow release first.) Spoon rice into each bowl, ladle the soup on top, and add cheese or sour cream if you like.
How To Make Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup (Quick Reference)
- Dice the peppers, onion, and garlic.
- Cook the turkey until barely pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add the veggies and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and herbs.
- Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- Let it release on its own for 8 minutes, then vent the rest.
- Serve over rice with cheese or sour cream.
Tips for Best Results
- Watch the color of the peppers, not the clock. They are done when they turn light and soft, around the 3- to 4-minute mark.
- Skip raw rice in the pot. It soaks up too much broth and turns gummy. Add cooked rice at the very end instead.
- Taste and season again at the end. Pressure cooking mutes flavor a bit. I always add a pinch more salt before I serve it.
- Try fire-roasted tomatoes for more depth. I switched to these after a batch made with plain tomatoes tasted flat.
- Let leftovers sit a few minutes after you reheat them. The flavor tastes fuller than soup eaten straight off the stove.
- Double the base if you meal prep. I often cook two batches of turkey and peppers at once. Then I freeze half before adding rice, so a second dinner is ready fast.
Ingredient Swap Guide
| Original Ingredient | Swap | Effect on Taste/Texture |
| Ground turkey | Ground beef | Richer, heavier taste; more fat in the broth |
| Ground turkey | Ground chicken | Light taste, almost the same texture |
| Chicken broth | Beef broth | Deeper, richer base, great with the beef swap |
| White rice | Brown rice | Chewier bite; cook it a few minutes longer |
| White rice | Cauliflower rice | Low-carb, soft texture, mild taste |
| Fresh bell peppers | Frozen diced peppers | Softer after cooking; adds a bit more liquid |
Storage & Reheating
Store the soup (without rice, if you can) in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the rice in its own container so it does not turn mushy.
To freeze it, let the soup cool all the way. Then freeze it in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before you heat it.
To reheat, warm it on the stove over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, and stir now and then. Or microwave a bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, and stir halfway through. Add a splash of broth if the soup looks too thick after it sits in the fridge.
FAQs
Can I make stuffed pepper soup without an Instant Pot?
Yes. On the stove, cook the turkey and veggies in a large pot. Then add the rest and let it simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. In a slow cooker, brown the turkey and veggies first. Then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Why is my stuffed pepper soup watery?
This soup is meant to be brothy, much like a tomato-based veggie soup. If it feels too thin, let it simmer on sauté mode for a few minutes after cooking. This will cook off some of the liquid.
Can I add raw rice right to the Instant Pot?
It is not a great idea. Raw rice soaks up broth in an uneven way and can turn gummy. Cook the rice on its own and add it at serving time. This gives you better texture and lets you control how much rice you get.
What is the best ground meat for stuffed pepper soup?
Ground turkey keeps the soup light. Ground beef adds a richer taste. Ground chicken is close to turkey but a bit more mild. All three work well with the herbs in this recipe.
Can I freeze stuffed pepper soup?
Yes, for up to 3 months in a sealed, freezer-safe container. Leave the rice out before you freeze it. Add fresh cooked rice after you reheat it, since frozen rice tends to turn mushy.