High-Protein Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup With Ground Turkey and White Beans

This **slow cooker stuffed pepper soup** turns the familiar flavors of stuffed peppers into a spoonable, low-hands-on dinner. Ground turkey, white beans, colorful bell peppers, tomatoes, and Italian-style seasonings cook into a hearty soup, while cooked rice is added only at the end or served separately so it does not turn overly soft during a long cook.

It is especially useful from late summer into early fall, when bell peppers are easy to find and a warm, practical dinner starts sounding appealing again. The slow cooker does most of the work, with one quick stovetop step to brown and break up the turkey.

Quick recipe summary

• Recipe summary: Tomato-based stuffed pepper soup with ground turkey, white beans, bell peppers, and optional cooked rice.
• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 4 to 5 hours on LOW or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH
• Total time: About 4 hours 20 minutes on LOW
• **Slow cooker:** 5 to 6 quart slow cooker
• Safe internal temperature: Ground turkey must reach 165°F, measured with a food thermometer.
• Best for: Weeknight dinners, make-ahead lunches, and flexible family meals.

Why this stuffed pepper soup is protein-focused

Ground turkey and white beans give this soup its satisfying base. The turkey brings savory flavor and crumbled texture, while the beans make each bowl more substantial without requiring a separate side dish.

The peppers, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and broth keep the recipe rooted in classic stuffed-pepper flavors. White beans are mild enough to blend into the tomato broth without taking over, and their creamy texture is a welcome contrast to the tender peppers.

Rice is optional here by design. Keeping it separate lets each person choose how much to add, and it keeps the base soup in better shape for refrigerated or frozen portions.

Ingredients for slow cooker stuffed pepper soup

Ground turkey

Use 1 pound of ground turkey. Browning it first gives you the chance to break it into small, even crumbles and drain off any excess liquid before it goes into the slow cooker.

Bell peppers

This recipe uses three medium bell peppers. A mix of red, yellow, orange, or green peppers gives the soup a more traditional stuffed-pepper look and a slightly varied flavor. Cut them into bite-size pieces, about 1/2 inch wide, so they are easy to eat with a spoon.

White beans

Two cans of cannellini beans add a creamy, filling component. Drain and rinse them before adding them to the slow cooker. Great northern beans are also a good choice if that is what you have.

Tomatoes, sauce, and broth

Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce create the rich red broth. Choose regular diced tomatoes rather than heavily seasoned varieties, since the soup gets its main flavor from the aromatics and Italian seasoning. Chicken broth keeps the flavor light enough for turkey, though turkey broth can also work.

Rice, optional

Use already cooked rice, not uncooked rice. Stir it into the soup just before serving or spoon it into individual bowls and ladle the soup over it. Cauliflower rice can be used in the same way for a lighter vegetable-forward option.

How to make slow cooker stuffed pepper soup

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Confirm the turkey reaches 165°F with a food thermometer.
2. Transfer the cooked turkey to a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
3. Add the diced bell peppers, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, chicken broth, drained white beans, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir well.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the peppers are tender and the soup is hot throughout.
5. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. If you prefer a looser broth, stir in up to 1 additional cup of warm chicken broth.
6. Serve the soup as it is, or add cooked rice to individual bowls. Finish with parsley, basil, grated Parmesan, or shredded mozzarella if you like.

Rice and texture options

Stuffed pepper soup often includes rice, but adding dry rice at the beginning can make the final texture unpredictable. Rice keeps absorbing broth as it cooks and continues to soften as leftovers sit in the refrigerator.

For the most flexible result, choose one of these approaches:

• Stir in cooked rice near the end: Add 2 cups cooked rice during the last 10 to 15 minutes on LOW, just long enough to warm it through.
• Serve rice in each bowl: Spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup cooked rice into each bowl, then ladle the hot soup on top. This is the best option for meal-prep portions.
• Use cauliflower rice: Add thawed cauliflower rice to a serving bowl, or stir it into the soup during the last 10 minutes. It will add a softer vegetable texture without making the broth starchy.
• Skip the rice: The turkey, beans, and vegetables make a substantial soup on their own.

Practical tips for a flavorful, spoonable soup

Brown the turkey in small crumbles

Do not leave large pieces of turkey in the skillet. Breaking it up well gives the soup the familiar ground-meat texture associated with stuffed peppers and makes every serving more even.

Do not overcook the peppers

Start checking the soup at the earlier end of the cooking range. Bell peppers should be tender, but they do not need to collapse completely. Keeping a little structure makes the soup more appealing, especially if you plan to portion leftovers.

Adjust broth after cooking

Different canned tomatoes and beans can change how thick the soup looks. Add warm broth a little at a time after cooking if you want a more brothy consistency. Avoid adding extra cold liquid late in cooking, which can lower the temperature of the soup.

Choose your toppings at the table

A little grated Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, chopped parsley, or sliced basil works well with the tomato and pepper base. Add toppings to individual bowls rather than the whole slow cooker so leftovers remain more versatile.

Substitutions and serving ideas

Lean ground beef can replace the ground turkey in an equal amount. Brown it first, drain excess fat if needed, and make sure it is fully cooked before adding it to the slow cooker.

Cannellini beans and great northern beans are interchangeable. Navy beans can work too, though their smaller size gives the soup a slightly different texture.

Use any mix of bell-pepper colors you enjoy. Green peppers taste more assertive and traditional, while red, yellow, and orange peppers bring a sweeter note. Avoid hot peppers unless you want the heat, since they will change the soup's flavor profile.

Serve this slow cooker stuffed pepper soup with cooked rice, crusty bread, a simple green salad, or roasted vegetables. For other flexible slow-cooker meal ideas, see How to Make High Protein Slow Cooker Soup: 6 Add-Ins and Timing Tips, Slow Cooker Turkey Taco Meat: A Meal Prep Guide for Bowls, Tacos, and Salads, and Slow Cooker Chicken Ratatouille With White Beans.

Meal prep, storage, freezing, and reheating

For meal prep, portion the soup without rice into individual shallow containers. Store cooked rice separately so it keeps its texture better. Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room temperature is above 90°F.

Refrigerate cooked soup for 3 to 4 days. Freeze the cooled soup without rice in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. For best quality, use frozen soup within 2 to 3 months.

Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator. Reheat soup on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave, stirring as needed, until it reaches 165°F. Add cooked rice after reheating, or warm it separately before serving.

MACRO SIMMER RECIPE

High-Protein Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup With Ground Turkey and White Beans

A tomato-rich slow cooker stuffed pepper soup with browned ground turkey, white beans, tender bell peppers, and optional cooked rice served at the end.

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PREP

20 minutes

COOK

4 to 5 hours on LOW, or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH

TOTAL

4 hours 20 minutes on LOW

YIELD

6 servings

SLOW COOKER

5 to 6 quart slow cooker

SAFE TEMP

165°F for ground turkey

EquipmentLarge skillet, spoon or spatula, 5 to 6 quart slow cooker, can opener, food thermometer

Scale ingredients

1×2×3×

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
• 3 medium bell peppers, diced into 1/2-inch pieces, about 4 cups total
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can, 28 ounces, diced tomatoes, with juices
• 1 can, 15 ounces, tomato sauce
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 2 cans, 15 ounces each, cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 cups cooked rice, optional, for stirring in or serving
• Chopped parsley or basil, grated Parmesan, or shredded mozzarella, optional, for serving

Instructions

1. 1Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until it reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
2. 2Transfer the turkey to a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
3. 3Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, 4 cups chicken broth, cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Stir until combined.
4. 4Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the peppers are tender and the soup is hot throughout.
5. 5Taste and season with additional salt or pepper as needed. Stir in up to 1 cup warm broth if you would like a thinner soup.
6. 6Serve with cooked rice stirred in during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking, or spoon rice into individual bowls and ladle the soup over it. Add toppings as desired.

Allergens

This recipe is naturally egg-free and dairy-free without optional cheese toppings. Check the labels on chicken broth, canned beans, tomatoes, and seasonings if avoiding specific allergens or gluten.

Substitutions

Use 1 pound lean ground beef in place of ground turkey. Brown it fully, drain excess fat if needed, and add it in the same step.

Great northern beans may replace cannellini beans in an equal amount. Use any combination of red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers. Cooked cauliflower rice can replace cooked rice and should be added only near the end or served in individual bowls.

Storage, freezing and reheating

Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Refrigerate soup without rice for 3 to 4 days. Freeze cooled soup without rice for best texture, using freezer-safe containers and leaving room for expansion. Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F before serving. Store cooked rice separately and add it after reheating.