Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion (diced)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
• Optional: shaved parmesan and roughly chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Steps

1. 1

   Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break it up. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the beef until browned, stirring occasionally. Once fully cooked, drain the beef and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in the pot, then add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, and thyme and saute another 30 seconds.

3. 3

   Add the ground beef back to the pot along with the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and beef broth. Cover the pot, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, and stir occasionally for 20 minutes. Note: if you haven't yet pre-cooked your rice, you can cook it while the soup is simmering.

4. 4

   Stir in the cooked rice. If you'd like a slightly thinner soup, feel free to add more broth. To serve, ladle into bowls and top with freshly chopped parsley.