Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Printable)

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
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:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Cut red peppers in half, remove seeds and membranes, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 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.
03 - Roast peppers and garlic for 25 to 30 minutes until pepper skins are charred and blistered. Remove from oven and let cool.
04 - Once cooled, peel the 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 onion, carrot, and potato. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
06 - Stir in tomato paste and harissa paste, cook for 1 minute.
07 - Add roasted peppers, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
08 - Purée the soup in batches using a blender or immersion blender until silky smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls, swirl with crème fraîche or yogurt, and garnish with fresh herbs as desired. Serve with crusty bread.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The roasting process concentrates the peppers natural sweetness, creating a depth you simply cannot achieve with raw or sauteed peppers.
  • Its deceptively elegant without being fussy, the kind of dish that makes guests think you spent hours when the oven did most of the work.
02 -
  • Charring the peppers properly is non-negotiable, dont be afraid of some blackened spots, this is where the sweetness intensifies.
  • Allow the soup to cool slightly before blending or you risk a hot explosion, no matter how eager you are to taste it.
03 -
  • Reserve a small piece of roasted pepper for garnish, finely diced and sprinkled on top with a few drops of good olive oil for a professional-looking finish.
  • When reheating, add a splash of broth if the soup has thickened too much, and whisk vigorously to bring back the silky texture.
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