This pizza soup with pepperoni tastes like a bowl of pizza — warm, cheesy, and comforting. It’s an easy, one-pot fall favorite that both kids and adults will enjoy.
Pizza soup is the ultimate comfort food. Most kids are drawn to anything called “pizza,” and grownups love that familiar mix of tomato, cheese, and savory meats. Serve with breadsticks, rolls, or crusty French bread to soak up the flavorful broth — my seven-year-old insists on breadsticks!
This one-pot recipe is easy to adapt: add mushrooms if you like, use extra ground beef, swap in sausage, or leave out the meat entirely for a vegetarian twist. The basic method stays the same and yields a rich, hearty soup every time.
Pizza Soup
I first shared this pepperoni soup recipe in 2014. The photos back then weren’t great, so I updated the post more recently. (I meant to include process shots, but they were accidentally deleted — lesson learned!) Despite that, the recipe is straightforward and simple to follow.
How to make it
Season generously and taste as you go — remember that ingredients like beef base, parmesan, and pepperoni already contribute salt, so adjust accordingly.
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess fat and set the beef aside.
- Sauté the diced red bell peppers for about 5 minutes, then add the onions and cook until translucent.
- Stir in the tomato paste and fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds.
- Return the browned ground beef to the pot. Add the pepperoni, unsalted butter, beef base (or bouillon), water, Italian seasoning, parsley flakes, oregano, crushed red pepper, a pinch of sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Remove the lid, stir in the heavy whipping cream and grated parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve topped with shredded mozzarella or pass the mozzarella for everyone to add their own.
Pizza Soup
April Boller Wright
10 minutes mins
20 minutes mins
40 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 14.5 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 5 oz pepperoni (turkey pepperoni works well)
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 2 1/2 tsp garlic powder and onion powder (each)
- 2 tsp parsley flakes
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tsp grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- shredded mozzarella cheese, for serving
Instructions
-
Heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef. Drain the fat and set the beef aside.
-
Sauté the diced peppers for about 5 minutes, then add the onions and cook until translucent.
-
Stir in tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
-
Return the beef to the pot along with pepperoni, butter, beef base, water, Italian seasoning, parsley, oregano, crushed red pepper, sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
-
Uncover and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve topped with shredded mozzarella or let guests add their own.
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 21 g
Fat: 36 g
Saturated Fat: 16 g
Cholesterol: 98 mg
Sodium: 963 mg
Potassium: 637 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 10 g
Vitamin A: 2874 IU
Vitamin C: 86 mg
Calcium: 119 mg
Iron: 3 mg
Like this? Leave a comment below!Let us know how it was!
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