Italian Pepper Soup

Serves 4 (plus leftovers) | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes

This is a very hearty soup. For those who don’t think soup is a meal. This is great to meal prep and have for leftovers. Add some grains to it the next day to extend the batch.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS
1 cup small-diced yellow onion
2 yellow bell peppers core removed and diced medium
1 red bell pepper core removed and diced medium
4 garlic cloves minced
1 pound ground beef
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
One 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley plus more for garnish
2 cups riced cauliflower optional for serving (freshly riced, not frozen)

Chef Tips

Preparation

Step1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Step 2
Add the beef and the Italian sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a wooden spoon, until cooked through or no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off excess fat.

Step 3
Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined. Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, oregano, and parsley. Bring soup to a rapid simmer.

Step 4
Reduce the heat to a light simmer, cover and let cook to allow the flavors to mend, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 5
To serve, add about ¼ cup of raw, riced cauliflower to the bottom of a serving bowl (if using). Ladle the hot soup over the riced cauliflower. Garnish with more parsley, if desired.