Soups and Broths
Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
Capture the essence of peak harvest with this deeply flavored, oven-roasted soup. The natural sweetness of vine-ripened tomatoes and charred bell peppers creates a luxurious texture without the need for thickeners.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 275 kcal
Method
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Halve the tomatoes and place them cut-side up on the sheets. Arrange the red pepper halves, shallots, and the whole head of garlic (drizzled with a little oil and wrapped in foil) alongside the tomatoes.
Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining olive oil and season generously with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes until the tomato skins are shriveled and the peppers have some charred black spots.
Once cool enough to handle, pinch the skins off the roasted peppers and discard. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins directly into a large heavy-bottomed pot.
Transfer the roasted tomatoes, peppers, and shallots into the pot, ensuring you scrape in all the juices from the roasting pan.
Add the stock and smoked paprika. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and let it cook for 10 minutes to marry the flavors.
Use an immersion blender to process the soup until completely smooth. For a truly professional finish, you can pass the soup through a fine-mesh sieve, though it is not strictly necessary for a home kitchen.
Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk) and the balsamic vinegar. Heat through for another minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper as needed.
Serve hot, garnished with torn fresh basil and an extra drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
If your tomatoes are out of season and lacking sweetness, a teaspoon of maple syrup can help balance the acidity.
For a dairy-free version, soaked and blended cashews provide an even creamier texture than coconut milk without the coconut flavor.
To make it a full meal, serve with a thick slice of sourdough or top with crispy roasted chickpeas for a grain-free crunch.
Always use the pan juices! That liquid contains the most concentrated flavor from the roasted vegetables.
