- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 3 large bell peppers any color diced
- 2 yellow onions diced
- 1 - 1½ lb. ground beef or other ground meat
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons dried optional
- ½ cup red wine optional
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable or beef broth
- 15 oz. canned crushed tomatoes or diced
- 1 cup rice any kind I used converted
- ½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Romano or parmesan cheese for serving optional
- I prefer lean ground beef for this recipe since olive oil is added to the soup, but any type works (remove some fat after browning if using fattier meat). Alternative meats like pork, turkey, chicken, lamb, or sausage can be used—watch salt if using sausage. Vegan substitutes work too. Homemade chicken stock or vegetable/beef broth alternatives are fine. Different rice types require different cooking times and liquid amounts; start with 4 cups broth and adjust as needed. Salt amount depends on broth's saltiness, start with ½ teaspoon and adjust after cooking. This soup freezes well up to 6 months in airtight containers. For a vegetarian/vegan version, use vegetable broth and vegan ground meat alternatives.
