Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup
This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup balances deep, rustic flavours with velvety cold-weather comfort. By roasting the bell peppers skin-on for a rich, smoky char, this recipe extracts maximum sweetness before simmering in a savoury vegetable broth. A little bit smoky and a little bit sweet, it’s hearty and warming and ready in about an hour.
Ingredients
- 4 good-sized red bell peppers halved, cored and seeded
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven or grill to 425ºF (220ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil. Place pepper halves cut-side down / skin-side up on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Roast for 35 minutes until the skins are deeply blistered and caramelized.
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and sauté for 5–6 minutes until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until deepened in colour. Add the smoked paprika, stirring constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spice.
- Slice or tear the red pepper halves in half and add them (and any reserved pepper juices) into the pot. Pour in the 5 cups of vegetable broth and add the sprig of fresh rosemary. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a generous grind of fresh black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it gently simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn off heat, remove rosemary sprig and discard. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until it's completely smooth and velvety. (If using a standard countertop blender, let the soup cool slightly, blend it in small batches with the lid vented to let steam escape, and pour it back into the pot).
- Place the pot back over low heat, stir in the ½ cup of heavy cream, and let it warm through for 1–2 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Make it dairy free: Sub dairy free butter or extra-virgin olive oil. If you prefer to go with plant-based milk, I recommend using a mild-tasting, unsweetened version.
Should I peel the peppers? Once you’ve roasted the peppers until soft there's no need to peel them. You will find that even many jarred versions retain the smoky charred skins for added flavour.
Substitute jarred peppers: Depending on the time of year, jarred roasted peppers may be more readily available and cost less. Substitute two (2) 370 ml jars red peppers (drained) for a delicious soup that you can have ready in under 30 minutes!
Broth: This recipe will also work well with chicken broth or substitute bone broth for added nutritional value.
Optional toppings: There are so many ways to enjoy this soup! Freshly grated Parmesan, crème fraiche, fresh basil, a drizzle of pesto, croutons or crispy roasted chickpeas, chili flakes or more fresh herbs would all be delicious additions.
Make ahead and storage: Roasted red pepper soup is incredibly make-ahead friendly – it tastes even better the next day! Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in a well-sealed container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw to room temperature and bring to a simmer in a saucepan, stirring until warmed through. Thin with a little more vegetable stock if needed.