Ingredients
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 bell peppers, diced (any color)
Liquids and Tomatoes
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
Seasonings and Grains
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Toppings (Optional)
- Shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown the Meat and Onion: In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef along with the diced onion until fully cooked through. Drain any excess grease to keep the soup from becoming greasy.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Transfer to Crockpot: Pour the cooked beef, onion, and garlic mixture into the slow cooker basin.
- Add Vegetables and Liquids: Add the diced bell peppers, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, beef broth, and Italian seasoning to the crockpot. Stir all ingredients together thoroughly.
- Slow Cook: Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the peppers to soften.
- Add Rice: About 30–40 minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the uncooked rice to let it cook fully and absorb the soup’s flavors.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Serve the soup warm, topped with shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese if desired.
Notes
- Cooking the rice separately is an option to prevent it from soaking up too much broth, especially if you prefer a thinner soup.
- For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
- You can use any color of bell peppers depending on your preference or what you have on hand.
- Add more broth if you want a soupier consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
