I enjoy a good stuffed pepper. My memories of them are closely tied to my mother-in-law although I suppose it’s possible that I enjoyed them prior to dating Ed. The key to a good stuffed pepper is that it’s not too watery.  

This soup is inspired by stuffed peppers but comes together with fewer steps and pans. I like color so I started with one red, one orange and one yellow pepper. You can do any combination you like including using green peppers – I prefer the sweeter taste of red, orange and yellow peppers to green. The poblano pepper tastes similar to a green bell pepper with just a little bit of kick. If you like heat you could use more of them or substitute a jalapeño pepper or two.  

While Ed prefers stuffed peppers with sausage, I was going for a healthy soup, so I used ground turkey for this soup. Ground lean beef or chicken would also work well. Be sure to drain any fat that’s left after browning the meat.

Once all of the ingredients come together, the soup only takes about 20 minutes to cook. It is just the right amount of time to cook quick-cooking brown rice. You could also make long grain white rice but brown is healthier. If you only have traditional brown rice, I recommend cooking it separately and adding it to the soup just before it is all done. 

The Mexican influence comes from the cumin, coriander, cilantro and Monterey Jack or queso fresco (blanco) cheese for garnish. If you prefer an Italian profile, use oregano, basil and parsley in place of cumin, coriander and cilantro, and Italian cheese for topping. 

The end result is a flavorful and healthy soup. Ed likes to add a few dashes of hot sauce as a finishing touch.

Mexican Stuffed Pepper Soup

 

Mexican Stuffed Pepper Soup
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Author:
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 large bell peppers, chopped (your choice of colors)
  • 1 poblano pepper, chopped
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey (see Notes)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
  • Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese (such as Monterey Jack or queso fresco/blanco) and/or hot sauce
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts) over medium-high heat.
  2. Add onion, bell peppers and poblano pepper. Cook, stirring often, until starting to soften, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add turkey, garlic, cumin, coriander, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir and break up the turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in broth and rice and bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
  6. Serve the soup topped with cilantro and cheese, if desired.
  7. To make ahead
  8. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
* You can use ground lean beef or ground chicken in place of the turkey.
* Soup can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months.
* Want to make this Italian-inspired? Use 2 teaspoons dried basil and 2 teaspoons dried oregano in place of cumin and coriander. Use flat-leaf parsley in place of cilantro. Top with shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese.
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Source:  Variation on recipe from EatingWell, October, 2021