This soup is one that you can eat any time of year. Cold and rainy spring day (like today)? Perfect. Snowy winter day? Windy fall day? There is nothing better than a Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup, paired with some crusty bread or even some Black Pepper Focaccia.
As always, I do include a few affiliate links in this post for products I truly use and love. This just means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I'll earn a little money (at no cost to you) to keep the kitchen up and running, which I promise to use to create more fun content like this! One of those affiliates is with Amazon, which requires a very clear disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you have any questions about affiliates, please reach out!
Ingredients you'll need
- Red bell pepper: we'll roast the pepper for extra flavor before it goes into the soup.
- Unsalted butter: you could start the soup with olive oil instead, but the butter gives the soup such a nice, rich flavor.
- Onions: 3 lbs. may seem like a lot, but I promise it'll be delicious! I like to use Spanish onions.
- Garlic: two garlic cloves help give a bit of bite.
- Canned diced tomatoes: you will use the tomatoes as well as the juices for this soup. If you have any straggler tomatoes that you need to use up, throw those in as well!
- Chicken broth: you can make your own homemade chicken stock, or vegetable broth works well here, too.
- Granulated sugar: this is to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Dairy-free milk: a bit of milk helps make this soup nice and creamy. I like to use Lactaid milk or an A2 milk so it has a very similar flavor to regular milk, but of course, no lactose. I've also made this soup with almond milk, and it worked well! Keep in mind that you may taste some of the flavor of the milk you use.
- Fresh basil: for topping
- And a few pantry staples including kosher salt, red pepper flakes, ground black pepper, and honey.
Equipment you'll need
Soups are supremely easy, but a few things I like to use that make it easier:
- The Dutchess Dutch Oven from Great Jones: you can use a Dutch Oven or a large soup pot.
- Cuisinart Blender from Amazon: I know it's a hot take, but I don't like immersion blenders. I prefer to use a regular blender and blend the soup in batches.
Roasting the pepper
To get started, cut the red pepper in half and discard the seeds, membrane and stem. Lay it cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pepper is blackened, very soft, and deflated. The pepper may only deflate once you take the pepper out of the oven, so be sure to check. Allow the pepper to cool until it can be handled, which takes just a few minutes. Peel off and discard the skin, then coarsely chop the pepper and set aside for the soup.
A note on the onions
To start the soup, melt the butter in a Dutch oven. Add the onion and garlic and stir occasionally, until transparent and fragrant, about 20 minutes. Don't brown the onions in this step, you only want the onions to soften and have the opportunity to heat in the butter before you add the other ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to roast the pepper before adding it to the soup?
If you wanted to skip this step, you could add the pepper to the soup raw. This will give you a very different flavor profile, but would work if you need to cut down the time.
What kind of milk should I use in this recipe?
I prefer to use a Lactaid or A2 milk here so it has the flavor of regular milk. I've also successfully used almond milk. Keep in mind that you will slightly taste the flavor of whatever kind of milk you use.
How should I store the soup?
Once fully cooled, this soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat soup in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop.
Can this soup be frozen?
Yes, this soup can be frozen. Once the soup is cooled, store it in an airtight container, then freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Below is my recipe for Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound onions chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk
- fresh basil for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut the pepper in half and remove seeds, stem and membrane. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes until the skins are blackened. The peppers will deflate when you take them out of the oven. Let them cool until they can be handled, then peel and discard the skins. Coarsely chop the pepper and set aside.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent but not browned, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, roasted red pepper, chicken stock, sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom of the pan. Stir in the honey.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Using an immersion blender, or in batches with a regular blender, blend until smoothe. Once all the soup is blended, stir in the milk. Serve warm, topped with fresh basil, salt and pepper.
Leave a Reply