Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Printable Version)

Silky soup with sweet roasted peppers, garlic, and harissa for warming flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large red bell peppers
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
04 - 1 head garlic
05 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Pantry

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
07 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
08 - 1½ teaspoons harissa paste, adjusted to taste
09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - ¼ cup crème fraîche or plain Greek yogurt
13 - Fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
14 - Crusty bread for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the red peppers in half, remove seeds and membranes, and place them cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
02 - Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil, and place on the baking sheet alongside the peppers.
03 - Roast peppers and garlic for 25 to 30 minutes until the pepper skins are charred and blistered. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
04 - Once cooled, peel the charred skins off the peppers and squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins.
05 - In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and potato. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
06 - Stir in tomato paste and harissa paste, cooking for 1 minute to bloom the flavors.
07 - Add roasted peppers, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
08 - Puree the soup in batches using a blender or immersion blender until achieving a silky smooth texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls, swirl with crème fraîche or yogurt, and garnish with fresh herbs as desired. Serve with crusty bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of roasting and blending creates a velvety texture thats impossibly smooth without a drop of heavy cream.
  • Its completely flexible to your heat preference, making it perfect for both spice lovers and those who prefer gentler warmth.
02 -
  • If you dont have time to peel the peppers, the soup will still taste delicious but wont have that velvety smooth texture.
  • Blending hot soup can be dangerous if youre not careful, so either use an immersion blender or let the soup cool slightly and blend in small batches with the blender lid vented.
03 -
  • For an intensified flavor, char the peppers directly over a gas flame instead of roasting them, watching carefully and turning frequently until blackened all over.
  • Save time by roasting extra peppers and garlic whenever you make this, then freeze the extras for your next batch.
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