Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Printer-friendly)

Silky soup with roasted peppers, garlic, and harissa for a warming Mediterranean-inspired bowl.

# What You'll 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, adjusted to taste
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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Cut the red peppers in half, remove seeds and membranes, and place them 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 foil, and place on the baking sheet.
03 - Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until the pepper skins are charred and blistered. Remove 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; 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 with an 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 Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really spent forty minutes total.
  • The harissa gives it a warmth and depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • It freezes beautifully, so you can have comfort in a bowl anytime.
02 -
  • Don't skip the charring step on the peppers; that blistered skin isn't a mistake, it's the whole point of the flavor deepening.
  • If you blend hot soup without letting steam escape, it can explode, so either leave the lid off your blender or let the soup cool slightly first.
  • The harissa is measured in teaspoons for a reason; heat builds fast, so taste before you add the full amount.
03 -
  • Make this soup the day before and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator; flavors deepen and meld in ways that taste almost completely different and better.
  • A splash of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar stirred in at the end brightens everything and makes people ask what you did to make it taste so alive.
  • This soup freezes for up to three months, so double the batch and have comfort waiting in your freezer for dark afternoons.
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