Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

My roasted red pepper and tomato soup is rich and velvety, filled with lots of zesty flavor perfect for any season. Brimming with a combination of sweet roasted red peppers and tangy tomatoes, this recipe tastes deliciously gourmet, yet is simmered up in only twenty minutes!

A bold, zesty and gourmet-tasting soup, made quick and easy

As a soup lover, nothing tickles my taste buds quite like a gourmet-tasting, bistro-inspired soup made with just a small list of ingredients, and in no time flat.

Perfect for a lazy day or a busy weeknight, my roasted red pepper and tomato soup definitely checks those boxes. It's zesty, rich, and savory, yet made with minimal effort. That's always a plus when bellies are hungry, and energy is in short supply!

Brimming with sweet, colorful roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic and dried herbs, this roasted red pepper and tomato soup totally hits the spot. And for a more substantial meal, we cozy it up with my gourmet grilled cheese sandwich.

Perfect anytime as a light yet flavorful offering, or when we're craving some kick, it's just the quick and easy soup to whip up to make hungry bellies very content!

My recipe for roasted red pepper and tomato soup

It never ceases to amaze me how the right combination of just a handful of ingredients (many of which are pantry staples, by the way!) can be put together to yield such an incredibly delicious, bistro-inspired soup.

This roasted red pepper soup recipe makes use of a couple of jars of good quality roasted red peppers (drained of juices), and a large can of organic whole tomatoes (with juices) as the main players.

As for the aromatics, I use an onion, some garlic, and a hefty dash of herbes de Provence, all for that earthy, herby, and savory flavor.

For some rich and crunchy texture, I love to make a quick batch of my crispy and buttery homemade croutons when time allows. In a pinch, you can just substitute some good quality store-bought croutons for this recipe.

When added to the soup as it simmers, the croutons break down and almost dissolve into the broth. And when the soup is blended, the croutons completely melt in and offer a little thickening power to create that luxuriously velvety texture—they also add a touch more savory flavor.

Here's a glance my roasted red pepper and tomato soup recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I sauté my aromatics in a soup pot, just until fragrant.
2. Next, I add in the roasted red peppers and tomatoes (which I have roughly crushed or chopped), along with some chicken stock and the croutons. I then allow the soup to gently simmer.
3. After 15 minutes, I turn the heat off and add some chopped parsley (or basil).
4. Then, using my handheld immersion blender (or even a regular blender, working in batches), I purée the soup until smooth and velvety.
5. To serve, I ladle the soup into bowls and top with my homemade croutons. I'll even add a fine dusting of freshly-grated parmesan, if desired.

Recipe

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This velvety roasted red pepper and tomato soup is brimming with rich, zesty flavor, yet is incredibly quick and easy to prepare!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 260 calories per serving

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 2 (12 ounce) jars roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes (with juices), roughly crushed or chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 ½ ounce bag garlic croutons (about 2 ¼ cups), plus extra for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, or basil
• Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Place a large soup pot (about 4 to 6 quart) over medium heat, and drizzle in a generous 2 to 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Once hot, add in the chopped onion, plus a pinch of salt and black pepper, and stir to combine.
3. Sauté the onions for about 3 to 5 minutes, until they begin to become translucent and tender. Then, add in the red pepper flakes (if using), as well as the garlic and the herbes de Provence, and stir together until things become aromatic, about 1 minute.
4. Next, add in the drained and chopped roasted red peppers and stir those into the aromatics to coat, then pour in the crushed/chopped tomatoes with juices, and stir those in to incorporate. Add another good pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Pour in the chicken stock, and add in the 4 ½ ounces (or 2 ¼ cups) of croutons, stirring those in. Adjust the heat to medium-high or high, and bring the soup to a vigorous simmer.
6. Once the soup begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 15 minutes. (The croutons will begin to soften and break down, which is exactly as it should be.)
7. After the soup has simmered for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and check to see if any additional salt/pepper is needed. Stir in the chopped parsley.
8. Using a handheld immersion blender (or working with a regular blender in batches), purée the roasted red pepper and tomato soup until smooth and silky.
9. To finish, drizzle a little more olive oil into the soup to enrich the flavor, and stir to incorporate that. Serve the soup topped with extra croutons, if desired.

Tips & tidbits for my roasted red pepper and tomato soup recipe:

• Make this soup vegetarian: If you prefer the soup to be vegetarian, simply sub vegetable stock in place of chicken stock. If you'd like to make it vegan, then also sub vegan croutons (or sub olive oil for butter when preparing them yourself), and skip the cheese as garnish.
• Roasted red peppers, or a combo of colors: I'm opting for red roasted peppers here. But if you can't find those, or only see a combo of jarred red and yellow roasted peppers (which is sometimes how they sell them), then those are terrific here as well.
• Use gluten-free croutons for a gluten-free diet: These days, you can readily find gluten-free croutons in the market, so feel free to sub those if you're following a gluten-free diet. You can also leave them out altogether, but the texture of the soup will be much thinner and much more brothy.
• Prep the soup the day before for more intense flavor: Just as with any soup or stew, if you prep this soup a day or two ahead of when you'd like to enjoy it, the flavor will deepen more as it sits. So for convenience, and for more intense flavor, feel free to prep a day or two before enjoying.
• Use my homemade garlic butter crouton recipe: If the idea of homemade croutons tickles your taste buds, then you can use my easy garlicky and buttery crouton recipe, instead of store-bought—either will work great!

Craving more delicious and cozy soups? Check out my recipe for Italian Vegetable Soup with Spicy Sausage, Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup, Grilled Cheese Tomato Soup, Tomato Basil Soup, Green Minestrone Soup with Chicken, or even my recipe for Tuscan Kale and Sausage Soup!