Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, for 5-7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Drain off excess fat. Alternatively, you can skip this step and add raw ground beef directly to the crockpot.

Add the browned (or raw) ground beef to the crockpot. Add the diced bell peppers, diced onion, minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juices, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce.

Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together to combine.

Place the lid on the crockpot. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the peppers are completely tender and the flavors have melded together.

If adding rice directly to the crockpot: In the last 30-45 minutes of cooking, stir in the uncooked white rice, replace the lid, and cook on HIGH until the rice is tender and has absorbed some of the broth. Add an extra splash of broth if the soup looks too thick.

Preferred meal-prep method: Cook the rice separately according to package directions and add a scoop directly to each bowl at serving time. This prevents the rice from soaking up all the broth when storing leftovers.

Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper, and seasonings as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, fresh chopped parsley, and a dash of hot sauce if desired. Serve immediately.