Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Printable)

Silky roasted red pepper soup with caramelized garlic and harissa heat. Ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large red bell peppers
02 - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
03 - 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
05 - 1 celery stalk, chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 3 cups vegetable broth
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Flavorings

08 - 1 to 2 teaspoons harissa paste, to taste
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnishes

12 - 0.25 cup crème fraîche or plain yogurt
13 - Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
14 - Crusty bread, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place red peppers and unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until peppers are charred and soft and garlic is caramelized.
02 - Transfer roasted peppers to a bowl and cover with a plate or plastic wrap. Let steam for 10 minutes, then peel and deseed the peppers. Squeeze roasted garlic from its skins.
03 - In a large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
04 - Add roasted peppers, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and harissa paste to the pot. Stir well and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
06 - Use an immersion blender to puree soup until silky smooth, or transfer soup in batches to a countertop blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with crème fraîche or yogurt and fresh herbs. Add crusty bread on the side if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honestly it takes less time than you'd think.
  • The roasted garlic turns buttery and sweet, which is the secret to why this tastes nothing like regular pepper soup.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and it freezes beautifully if you want to make double.
02 -
  • Don't skip the steaming step for the peppers; those charred skins come off in seconds when they're hot and steamed, but they're stubborn if they cool down.
  • Harissa heat varies wildly between brands, so taste as you add it rather than dumping in the full amount and hoping for the best.
03 -
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender works fine; just let the soup cool slightly and blend in batches, holding the lid on with a kitchen towel to avoid splatters.
  • The quality of your vegetable broth matters more here than in soups with lots of other ingredients, so choose one you'd actually drink on its own.
Go Back