Dad asks for this hearty bowl every single week. It is filling, savory, and effortless. Just 4 ingredients.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient stuffed pepper soup is my weeknight answer to that classic Midwestern craving for something hearty, tomatoey, and full of bell peppers and rice. It borrows its flavor profile from traditional stuffed peppers—ground beef, green peppers, rice, and tomato—but turns it into a brothy, spoonable bowl you can assemble in minutes. With only four ingredients and a hands-off simmer in the slow cooker, it’s the kind of recipe a busy household can put on repeat. In my house, this is the soup my husband asks for every single week because it’s filling, savory, and wonderfully effortless.

Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top with a little black pepper or a sprinkle of shredded cheese if you like. A simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the richness, and a crusty baguette or buttered toast is perfect for soaking up the tomato broth. If you’re feeding a hungrier crowd, pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich or garlic bread. For a lighter touch, serve smaller portions as a starter before a simple roast chicken or pan-seared fish.

Servings: 6

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, browned and drained

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, until no pink remains, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.

Add the browned ground beef to the slow cooker. Scatter the diced green bell peppers over the top.

Rinse the uncooked long-grain white rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well and add the rice to the slow cooker.

Pour the tomato pasta sauce over the beef, peppers, and rice. Add 2 to 3 cups of water, depending on how thick you like your soup, and stir everything together until well combined.

Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours, or on High for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the rice is tender, the peppers are soft, and the broth has thickened into a hearty, spoonable soup.

Stir the soup well before serving to redistribute the rice and beef. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt or pepper if desired (keeping in mind that many pasta sauces are already well seasoned). Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Because this recipe leans on just four ingredients, the pasta sauce you choose does a lot of the heavy lifting; use a basil- or garlic-forward sauce for more Italian character, or a plain marinara if you prefer a cleaner tomato flavor. If you like more broth, simply add extra water or a splash of beef broth as it cooks, stirring in another 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. For a slightly smokier profile, quickly char the diced peppers in the skillet after browning the beef before adding them to the slow cooker. You can also swap part of the ground beef for ground turkey without changing the method. To keep the 4-ingredient spirit but add a finishing touch at the table, offer grated Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, or a spoonful of sour cream as optional toppings rather than built-in ingredients.