When I was a youngster, my father rarely cooked dinner, and when he did, there were only three options: mac and cheese, sausage on the grill, or stuffed peppers. Stuffed peppers were infrequently enough that they felt novel to me, so I adored them and remember them warmly as a favorite childhood dish. (Though I know that stuffed peppers are not a typical “childhood food” for most!) But for me, they represent comfort. Soup also represents comfort. And that is exactly why the two had to meet in this Stuffed Pepper Soup.

If you have leftover white rice, this is an excellent way to use it. You will need two cups. You’ll also need a pound of ground beef, two bell peppers, an onion, some garlic, beef stock, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. The ingredient list isn’t particularly big, but it’s full of good, healthy stuff.I have additional good news for you: it just takes 30 minutes to put together.

Brown the beef and onion, then stir in the remaining ingredients (except for the rice) and boil for fifteen minutes. You don’t need all day to combine these flavors. The rice is added at the end to avoid absorbing too much liquid, and after five minutes of heating in the pot, you’re ready to go!This dish features the same qualities as Stuffed Bell Peppers, including mellowed harshness from the pepper, substantial beef, chewy rice, and sweet tomato. If I ever saw comfort in a bowl, this is it!