This Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup is loaded with bell peppers, tomatoes, rice, and plenty of savory sausage, then finished with shredded sharp cheddar. Hot breakfast sausage and Rotel give this version a little extra kick while the slow cooker does most of the work.
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Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup: What You Need to Know
Last week, we made Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers - and this week, we're turning that recipe into a soup!
If you love a hearty, tomato-based soup that can simmer away while you get on with your day, this Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup is an easy dinner to put on repeat. We'll add instant rice near the end, so you don't even have to use a separate pot before serving. It's as simple as browning sausage, dumping everything in the Crock Pot, and simmering away.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Serves: 6
I hope this recipe comes in clutch on one of those busy winter weeknights!
Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full list and exact ingredient measurements.)
- Hot breakfast sausage: Brown the sausage first and drain off the excess grease before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Bell peppers: Use any color you like, or mix colors for a little variety.
- Rotel: Keep it undrained so the tomatoes, green chilies, and juice all become part of the soup.
- Chicken broth: Broth, chicken stock, or even beef broth will work, if that's what you have. This gives you that liquid for the soup and helps cook the rice added near the end.
- Salt, black pepper, and sugar: Just a tiny bit of sugar helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Your soup won't be sweet, I promise!
- Instant rice: Very important here: use uncooked instant rice, like Minute Rice. We'll add it during the final 30 minutes rather than at the beginning.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: I prefer to grate my own cheese - it melts much smoother into your soup. If you need a shortcut, go with pre-bagged shredded cheese!
Additions & Substitutions
- Make it milder: Swap the hot breakfast sausage for mild breakfast sausage.
- Change the peppers: Use green, red, yellow, orange, or a combination of bell peppers. I know green bell peppers are usually a good bit cheaper than yellow or red - those are totally fine!
- Use a different cheese: Try Monterey Jack or a cheddar-Jack blend in place of sharp cheddar.
- Use ground beef: Ground beef can be used instead of sausage, but you may need to adjust the seasoning since sausage contributes extra flavor.
- Use cooked rice: If you have cooked long-grain white rice on hand, feel free to stir it in just before serving. I don't recommend adding uncooked regular rice in place of the instant rice - the liquid amounts and cooking time in this recipe aren't designed for it.
How to Make Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Brown the sausage. Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add everything to the slow cooker. Transfer the sausage to a 7-quart slow cooker. Add the chopped onion, chopped bell peppers, minced garlic, tomato paste, undrained Rotel, tomato sauce, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Cook on LOW. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Add the rice. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in 1 cup of uncooked instant rice. Replace the lid and continue cooking.
- Check the rice. If the rice is still crunchy after 30 minutes, continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
What to Serve With Stuffed Pepper Soup
Because of the sausage, rice, vegetables, and cheese, this is already a pretty hearty soup all on its own. If you want to serve something with it, I'd keep the side simple. Crusty bread, garlic bread, cornbread, or a basic green salad would all work well with the tomato-based soup.
For extra toppings, try chopped parsley, sliced green onions, more shredded cheddar, or even a spoonful of sour cream.
Leftovers & Storage
Storage: Let leftovers cool, then transfer them to an airtight container for refrigeration. I'd recommend serving any leftovers within 3-4 days of making the soup.
Because this soup contains rice, expect it to get thicker in the fridge. You can add a little bit of chicken broth (or even a splash of water) when reheating if needed.
Reheating: Reheat individual servings in the microwave or warm the soup in a saucepan on the stovetop until thoroughly hot. (I don't recommend using a Crock Pot to reheat - it takes way too long!)
Freezing: You can freeze leftovers, but the texture of cooked rice can become softer after freezing and thawing. If you're making this just to freeze, I recommend leaving the rice out before freezing and adding just before serving.
Leslie's Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Add the rice near the end: Stir it in about 30 minutes before serving so it doesn't overcook during the long slow-cooker time.
- Drain the sausage: Removing the excess grease before adding the sausage keeps the soup from becoming too greasy.
- Don't drain the Rotel: Add the tomatoes, green chilies, and their liquid to the slow cooker.
- Adjust the consistency: The rice will continue absorbing the broth as the soup sits. You can add a splash of chicken broth if the soup becomes thicker than you like.
- Prefer softer peppers? You can chop them into smaller pieces so they have plenty of time to soften during the long cook.
FAQs
I hope you love this Stuffed Pepper Soup! If you give the recipe a try, I'd love to hear what you think below. And follow along if you're loving the recipes on LL Eats!
Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound hot breakfast sausage
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 bell peppers (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces canned Rotel (undrained)
- 8 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅔ cup minute rice (uncooked)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown the breakfast sausage in a skillet; drain grease.
- Add all ingredients except the rice and cheese to a 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours total.
- During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the minute rice. Check before serving; if still firm, cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- Serve bowls of soup garnished with shredded cheddar cheese.
Notes
- Use uncooked instant rice, such as Minute Rice; regular uncooked rice isn't a direct substitute.
- Add the rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking so it doesn't get mushy.
- If the rice is still firm, cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the browned sausage well before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Don't drain the Rotel; the liquid helps form the soup base.
- Leftovers will thicken as the rice absorbs broth; add a splash of broth when reheating.
- For the best freezer texture, freeze the soup without the rice and add rice after reheating.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 17 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
