Super flavorful and incredibly easy to make, this instant pot stuffed pepper soup is the bomb! It’s delicious, comforting and satiating.
The taste tester in this family, mainly my husband, gave this recipe a huge thumbs up. We actually ate it for 3 dinners in a row with not one complaint and many yums exclaimed! We’re talking tasty, comforting and hearty here.
If you’ve ever made stuffed peppers before, you know that they’re quite a bit of work. This recipe gives you all the flavor with a lot less fuss.
About Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
This soup is a vegan version of stuffed pepper soup. It’s filled with colorful red and green bell peppers and flavorful fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies. You’ll want to make this recipe again and again – I know I do!
I can’t help but sing the praises of this soup. It’s not only healthy and delicious but its savory flavors are so satisfying and its heartiness is satiating and comforting.
This instant pot stuffed pepper soup is thicker than most soups. It’s not a super brothy soup. The addition of the beef-less crumbles gives it more texture. And the rice soaks up a lot of liquid and thickens up the soup, making it more stew-like.
Why the Instant Pot?
I love my Instant Pot for soups, stews and beans because it’s so handy to use. Make it and forget about it is what I like. And, besides, while the soup is cooking, it gives me time to catch up on the dishes so that afterwards clean up is a breeze.
It’s true that sometimes the Instant Pot isn’t much quicker than making a stove-top recipe because of the time to build pressure and the time to naturally release. But, like I said earlier, I really like that I don’t have to watch and stir the soup while it’s cooking. I let the Instant Pot do its magic.
Helpful Ingredient Tips
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies give this soup a light smoky flavor and a small kick of spice that really enhances the recipe. If at all possible, try to use the fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies in the soup – it really makes a delightful difference!
- I used Trader Joe’s brand canned fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies. ROTEL brand makes a canned fire roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies also.
- If you can’t find either of those, you can use a regular 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes and a 4 oz. can of fire roasted diced green chilies instead. Even a can of ROTEL brand “original” diced tomatoes & green chilies would work well in this recipe.
PRO TIP: You can add a pinch or two of smoked paprika to your recipe if you’re using regular canned diced tomatoes and not the fire roasted variety.
- For the rice in this recipe, cook some in a separate pot while your soup is cooking in the Instant Pot. White Basmati rice was what I used for this recipe.
- A 10 oz. bag of frozen Beyond Beef “Beefy” Crumbles is what I used in this soup.
The frozen Beyond Meat “Beefy” crumbles were my choice in order to make this a vegan version of stuffed pepper soup. Typically ground beef is used in stuffed peppers.
I thought they were a good meat substitute but probably any brand of veggie crumbles would work just as well. They definitely add a “meaty” texture and a little more heartiness to the soup.
If you’re not into meat alternatives, add 1 or 2 cans black beans in place of the Beyond Beef.
You can substitute ground beef for the Beyond Meat if you’re not vegan or vegetarian.
How to make this soup
PRE-STEP
Make the rice while the soup is cooking, according to package directions, and set aside. You’ll need to end up with 2 – 2 1/2 cups of cooked rice.
STEP ONE
Turn the Instant Pot onto Sauté mode with the lid off and add the oil.
STEP TWO
Sauté the onions and bell peppers for about 4 minutes with a couple pinches of salt, then stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more and turn off the Sauté mode.
STEP THREE
Add all the other ingredients except the rice and the frozen Beyond Meat crumbles.
STEP FOUR
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the top black valve to “sealing” and manually set for 15 minutes at high pressure.
STEP FIVE
When the Instant Pot beeps turn it off and let the pressure naturally release.
STEP SIX
Once the pressure is released, then you can turn the top valve to venting and open the Instant Pot. (*knowing when the pressure is released is indicated by the round silver floating valve that’s to the right of the black “sealing” valve. When it drops down, turn the top black valve to “venting”, then you can open the pot.*)
STEP SEVEN
With the lid removed, turn the Instant Pot back to Sauté mode and stir in the frozen Beyond Meat crumbles and the already cooked rice.
STEP EIGHT
Stir together and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes until crumbles and rice are hot.
STEP NINE
Ladle up portions and enjoy!
Because of the added rice, this soup is quite thick and not overly brothy. It’s more like a stew than a soup.
SO, feel free to add a bit more vegetable broth if you prefer more liquid in your soup. Or you can add less rice.
Some other delicious vegan soups
Curried Coconut Butternut Squash Soup
Thanks for dropping by Vegelicious Kitchen. I hope you enjoy this recipe. A comment below and a star rating would be greatly appreciated
Thanks so much friends, xo
Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies in juice
- 1 ½ cups tomato sauce
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 4 tsp garlic granules
- 4 tsp onion granules
- 4 tsp basil
- 4 tsp oregano
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 10 oz. pkg Frozen Beyond Meat "Beefy" Crumbles
- 2 ½ cups cooked rice, white or brown
Instructions
- Remove the lid from your Instant Pot, plug in and press the "Saute" button and add the oil.
- Add the peppers and onions and saute for about 4 minutes with a pinch or two of salt, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in the diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies, the tomato sauce, vegetable broth, onion and garlic granules, basil and oregano, salt and pepper.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the black pressure valve on top to sealing.
- Press the "Manual" button and set for 15 minutes. Make sure it's set to High Pressure. When it beeps, press the "Cancel" button and wait for the pot to Natural Release the pressure before opening.
- Once the pressure is released, press the Saute button with the lid off and stir in the frozen Beyond Meat "Beefy" crumbles or other frozen meat alternative crumbles and the already cooked rice. Cook, stirring frequently until heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- To serve, ladle about 2 cups of the soup into bowls and garnish with some chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Notes
- If you refrigerate any leftovers, the soup will become a bit thicker when it’s chilled. It’s delicious to heat it up just as it is or, if you prefer, you can add more broth when reheating.
- And if you don’t have the canned diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies, you can substitute regular canned diced tomatoes with their juice and add a 4 oz. can of diced fire roasted green chilies and maybe a small sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you want a little more heat.
- Also, you can substitute a can or 2 of black beans for the Beyond Meat beef crumbles if you prefer.
- If you’re not a vegan or vegetarian, substitute ground beef.
Going to make this later for dinner, using my IP for the first time. I’m going to use black beans instead of the crumbles this time. It looks delicious!
Thanks Kim! I hope you like it.
I made this and it was fabulous! Another great recipe! And your photography is stunning.
Thanks so much Elaine for both compliments! So happy you liked it.