Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

There are few things more comforting on a chilly evening than a warm bowl of creamy tomato soup. It’s a classic for a reason, but today, we’re giving it a massive flavor upgrade with one simple, game-changing technique: the “deep roast.”

Instead of just simmering everything in a pot, we’re going to roast our red peppers, tomatoes, and garlic until they are sweet, deeply caramelized, and slightly smoky. This one step creates an incredible depth of flavor that is simply out of this world. Blended until velvety smooth with a touch of cream and some fresh basil, this is the most luxurious, soul-soothing tomato soup you will ever make. It tastes like it’s been simmering for hours, but it comes together with surprisingly little effort.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredible Depth of Flavor: Roasting the vegetables is the secret weapon. It makes the soup intensely flavorful, sweet, and a little smoky.
• Velvety Smooth Texture: Blending the roasted vegetables with a touch of cream creates a soup that is unbelievably smooth and luxurious.
• Simple, Wholesome Ingredients: It’s a beautiful way to turn simple, beautiful vegetables into a truly special meal.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s make the most comforting soup imaginable. Here’s how.

First, let’s gather our fresh, vibrant ingredients.

Next, the “deep roast.” We’ll toss our peppers, tomatoes, and garlic with a little olive oil and roast them in a hot oven until they are soft, blistered, and beautifully caramelized. This is where all that amazing flavor comes from!

Now, let’s blend. We’ll transfer our beautiful roasted vegetables to a blender (or use an immersion blender) with some broth and blend until the soup is completely smooth and velvety.

Finally, a touch of cream. Stir in a little heavy cream to give the soup a final touch of richness, then ladle it into bowls and finish with a “sprinkle” of fresh basil.

Ava’s Notes

• Don’t Be Afraid of Color! Those dark, almost-charred bits on the roasted vegetables are your best friend. That’s where all the sweet, smoky flavor is hiding.
• To Peel or Not to Peel? For a super-smooth soup, you can peel the blistered skins off the peppers after they roast. If you have a high-powered blender, you can often skip this step!
• What to Serve with It? This soup is begging for something to dip into it. Our Brown Butter Grilled Cheese Croutons would be absolutely incredible here.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

A deeply flavorful and velvety smooth soup made by roasting red peppers, tomatoes, and garlic before blending. The ultimate comforting meal.

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs ripe plum tomatoes, halved

• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and quartered

• 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges

• 1 head garlic

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 c vegetable or chicken broth

• 1/2 c heavy cream

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

• Prep for Roasting: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Roast the Vegetables: On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the halved tomatoes, quartered bell peppers, and onion wedges with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut the top 1/4 inch off the head of garlic to expose the cloves, drizzle with a little olive oil, wrap it in foil, and place it on the baking sheet with the other vegetables. Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender and deeply caramelized at the edges.
• Blend the Soup: Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully squeeze the soft, roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and into a large blender. Add the rest of the roasted vegetables from the pan, along with any juices. Pour in 2 cups of the broth. Blend on high until the soup is completely smooth and velvety.
• Finish the Soup: Pour the blended soup into a large pot or Dutch oven. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of broth and the heavy cream. Place over medium heat and warm gently, stirring, until the soup is heated through. Do not let it boil.
• Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with a “sprinkle” of fresh basil leaves.

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