Un Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup (Vegan)

This vegan soup captures every flavor of a classic stuffed bell pepper and puts it in a bowl. Brown basmati rice, diced bell peppers, onions, celery, and carrots simmer in a tomato paste-based broth seasoned with oregano, basil, celery seed, chili powder, and tamari.

The bell peppers go in at two stages. Diced peppers cook with the rice from the start, breaking down into the broth and building a sweet pepper backbone. Larger chopped squares go in later so they keep some texture and bite in the finished soup.

Brown basmati rice adds a nutty flavor and holds its shape through the long simmer better than white rice, which would turn to mush.

Kitchen Tips

• Simmer covered. The lid traps steam that helps the rice cook evenly in the broth. Uncovered, the water evaporates too fast and the rice stays crunchy.
• Tomato paste instead of diced tomatoes gives the broth body without adding chunks. Twelve ounces is a generous amount that turns the soup a deep, rich red.
• Add the tamari and chili powder at the end. Soy sauce intensifies during long cooking, and adding it late lets you control the saltiness.
• For a creamier broth, stir in a few tablespoons of powdered vegetable broth at the end. It thickens and enriches without adding dairy.

Variations

• Add crumbled vegan sausage or cooked lentils for protein.
• Use a mix of red, green, and yellow peppers for color variety.
• Stir in a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes with the second batch of peppers for a smokier flavor.