Stuffed Pepper Soup
When I make this stuffed pepper soup, it's the kind of dish that brings the family together every time, even if there's no special occasion. I cook it on the weekend or when I'm in the mood for something hearty, as it takes a bit of time, but the result is filling and satisfying. I've tried it several times, and the steps have become quite well established. It's not a quick recipe, but it doesn't have complicated steps or hard-to-find ingredients.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2.5-3 hours, depending on how quickly I boil the peppers and vegetables
Preparation time: 40-50 minutes
Cooking time: 1.5-2 hours
Servings: 10-12
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: lunch soup, suitable for family
Ingredients
a celery
a large onion
5 large carrots
3 parsley roots
2 parsnips
a kohlrabi
12 bell peppers
150 g rice
300 g mixed ground meat (pork and beef)
a veal bone with meat
salt
pepper
500 ml tomato juice
200 g homemade ketchup
celery leaves
parsley leaves
2 eggs
200 g sour cream
2 tablespoons flour
Preparation method
1. Put a large pot of water on the stove. Add the veal bone and a teaspoon of salt. When it starts to boil, skim off the foam a few times, then let it simmer.
2. Meanwhile, peel the vegetables (celery, onion, carrots, parsley, parsnip, kohlrabi), wash them, and cut them into small cubes. Wash the peppers, cut off the tops, and remove the seeds and veins.
3. After the bone has boiled for about 30 minutes, add the chopped vegetables to the pot and let them boil further.
4. Rinse the rice well under cold running water.
5. For the stuffing of the peppers: in a bowl, mix the ground meat with the washed rice, salt, pepper, and the two eggs.
6. Fill each pepper with the meat and rice mixture, being careful not to pack them too tightly, so they don't burst while boiling. Set the tops aside; I don't use them for this recipe.
7. When the vegetables are almost cooked, gently place the stuffed peppers directly into the pot, taking care not to break them.
8. Add the ketchup and tomato juice. Let everything simmer on low heat until the peppers are well cooked through.
9. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the sour cream with the flour. Gradually add a ladle of hot soup, stirring to avoid lumps. Once the mixture is warmed up, pour it back into the pot while stirring, so the sour cream doesn’t curdle.
10. Wash and finely chop the celery and parsley leaves. Add them to the soup when it's ready, after turning off the heat or at the end of cooking.
11. Taste for salt and pepper, and let it come to a few more boils.
12. The soup is served hot, with sour cream and hot peppers on the side, if someone wants.
Why I make this recipe often
I like it because it fills you up, keeps well, and I can use almost any ground meat I have on hand. The ingredients are simple, and if I make more, it's good the next day too. For the family, it's suitable as a main dish for lunch.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you have time, you can sauté an onion and the rice before mixing them with the meat – the stuffing turns out more flavorful.
After filling the peppers, don’t pack them too tightly. Leave a little space so they don’t burst while boiling.
Mix the sour cream well with the flour and hot soup to prevent it from curdling when you add it to the pot.
Substitutions
The ground meat can be just beef, just pork, or any mix.
The ketchup can be omitted if you don’t have it, or you can add a bit more tomato juice.
If you don’t have kohlrabi, you can skip it or use half a zucchini, but it’s not necessary.
The sour cream can be lighter or richer, according to taste and what you find.
Variations
If you want a more sour soup, you can add a bit of borscht towards the end.
You can make a roux from flour and a little oil, deglazed with tomato juice, and add it to the soup for a different texture and taste.
You can use bell peppers or smaller peppers if you don’t have large bell peppers.
Serving ideas
It goes well with cold sour cream on the side, possibly with hot peppers too. Some prefer to sprinkle fresh parsley on top, directly in the bowl.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use only beef or only pork?
Yes, there’s no problem if you use just one of them. The mix is more balanced, but either meat works well.
Can I prepare the peppers a day in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the stuffed peppers and keep them in the fridge, then add them to the soup the next day.
If I don’t have a veal bone, can I use just vegetables?
You can, but the soup won’t be as rich in flavor. It works without the bone, but for a more intense taste, the bone helps a lot.
What should I do if the sour cream curdles when I add it to the soup?
To avoid curdling, mix the sour cream with the flour and gradually with hot soup, then pour it into the pot in a thin stream while continuously stirring.
How long should the peppers boil in the soup?
It depends on their size, but usually 40-60 minutes, on low heat, until the rice in the filling is fully cooked and the peppers are soft.
Nutritional values
Estimation for one serving (out of 12): about 250-300 kcal/serving
Protein: 10-13 g
Carbohydrates: 25-30 g
Fats: 10-15 g
Values are approximate and may vary depending on the amount of sour cream, type of meat, and how much rice you use. It’s a fairly filling soup, with protein from the meat and eggs, fiber from the vegetables, and a moderate amount of fat.
Storage and reheating
The soup keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days, in a pot with a lid or a closed container. When reheating, do it on low heat to prevent the sour cream from curdling. If it thickens from the cold, stir gently when warming it up. The peppers can be transferred to another pot if there’s no room in the pot; they keep just as well.
Ingredients: one celery one large onion 5 large carrots 3 parsley roots 2 parsnip roots one kohlrabi 12 pieces of bell pepper 150 g rice 300 g minced meat mix of pork and beef one veal bone with meat salt pepper 500 ml tomato juice 200 g homemade ketchup celery leaf parsley leaf 2 eggs 200 g sour cream 2 tablespoons flour
