Description
This Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Soup features oven-roasted fresh red peppers blended into a smooth, flavorful soup with a smoky and mildly spicy kick from smoked paprika, cumin, and harissa paste. Perfectly balanced with sautéed onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and tomato puree, this cozy soup is ideal for a comforting meal and can be paired beautifully with a grilled cheese sandwich.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Red Peppers
- 2.6 lb / 1.2 kg Red Peppers, roughly diced (approx 7 medium red peppers)
- 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Soup
- 3 cups / 750 ml Chicken Stock, or as needed
- 1 large Onion, finely diced
- 1 large Carrot, finely diced
- 1 large rib of Celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste)
- 2 tbsp Harissa Paste
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Cayenne Pepper, to taste (optional for more spice)
Instructions
- Roast the Peppers: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the roughly diced red peppers with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper on a large baking tray. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until soft and lightly charred.
- Sauté the Aromatics: While the peppers roast, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion, celery, and carrot, and sauté until softened and beginning to pick up color, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add Tomato and Harissa Pastes: Stir in the tomato puree and harissa paste, cooking for 2-3 minutes to deepen the flavors.
- Combine Roasted Peppers and Stock: Add the roasted peppers to the pot. Use a little chicken stock and a plastic spatula to scrape any roasted bits from the baking tray into the pot. Then pour in the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer gently for about 20 minutes to marry the flavors and soften the peppers fully.
- Blend the Soup: Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to blitz the soup until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper as desired. If the soup is too thick, add more stock; if too thin, simmer uncovered until thickened.
Notes
- Harissa Paste can be found in most supermarkets near the spice section.
- The spice level depends on the harissa brand, usually mild with 2 tbsp. Adjust cayenne pepper gradually to increase heat.
- For best results, use fresh roasted red peppers instead of jarred ones, as the brine in jars can affect the soup’s flavor.
- The soup pairs wonderfully with a Boursin grilled cheese sandwich (use 8 slices of bread, 150g Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin cheese, 100g Mozzarella, and butter as needed).
- Make ahead by cooling fully and storing in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for long-term storage. Reheat gently on the stove.
- Nutritional information is based on the soup divided into 4 servings without the grilled cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 300 ml)
- Calories: 403
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
