This roasted red pepper soup is made with fire-roasted tomatoes and warm and smoky spices like smoked paprika and cumin. It is full of rich flavor from freshly roasted red bell peppers.
This tasty soup is easy enough for a weeknight meal yet elegant enough for company. For the ultimate finish, garnish with heavy cream and chopped fresh Italian parsley.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Bell peppers: Use red, orange, or yellow. I threw in a few elongated peppers I got on sale at the market.
- Smoked paprika: Not to be confused with sweet paprika. The red peppers are smoked over an oak fire before grinding. This spice adds a lot of flavor dimension.
- Broth: Preferably low-sodium vegetable broth, but you can substitute low-sodium beef or chicken broth.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: If you can not find them, you can substitute regular diced tomatoes.
- Rotel fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Rotel has fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles. If you can not find them, use regular, mild, or, if you like things a little spicier, hot Rotel tomatoes with green chiles.
- Heavy cream: You can substitute whipping cream.
How To Make Roasted Red Pepper Soup
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Split the peppers in half, remove the stems and seeds. Place them cut side down on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Rub or brush the tops with olive oil. Roast them for about 30 minutes or until the skins are blackened and blistered.
- Put the peppers in a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let them steam for about 30 minutes and remove and discard the skins.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until the onion is soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes, tomato paste, and the roasted peppers.
- Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are very tender. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
Preparation Tips for Success
- You can roast and peel red peppers up to 3 days in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes really add to this recipe, so it is a bonus if you can find them.
- Swirl a little cream into the soup. Use a small cup and drizzle the cream into the soup in a spiral motion. Using a shish kabob stick, swirl the heavy cream in a figure eight or a crisscross pattern to form a web.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this with homemade dinner rolls, drop biscuits, and bacon jalapeno cheddar bread. For a healthier side dish, try summer succotash, chickpea salad, and Greek salad with homemade vinaigrette.
More Soup Recipes
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
This roasted red bell pepper soup is full of rich flavor from freshly roasted red bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, and warm and smoky spices.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 143kcal
Ingredients
- 4-5 red or orange bell peppers
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2-3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Split the peppers in half, remove the stems and seeds. Place them cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Rub or brush the tops with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast them for 30-40 minutes or until the skins are blackened and blistered.
- Put the peppers in a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let them steam for about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the skins.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until the onion is soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes, tomato paste, and roasted red peppers.
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the carrots are very tender. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Garnish with cream and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- Freeze thoroughly cooled soup in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 9420IU | Vitamin C: 160mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
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Melanie E
I have always been a pepper fan, fresh, roasted etc so this soup is something I know I would love. It would make a wonderful comforting and warming dish as it is is so cold at the moment.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Melanie! I am so happy that you liked it!
Stephanie
Freshly roasting the red peppers adds so much more flavor than buying the jarred roasted peppers! This is such a delicious soup and perfect for the cold weather we’ve been having here recently.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! We love it too!
Nikki Wayne
This is a comforting soup, I love soups and I am thankful that you’ve shared this.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Nikki!
alejandra
Delicious soup recipe. My family loves red bell peppers, especially roasted, so serving this soup was a big yes. They all loved it!
MayPal
I’ve not imagined making soup out of red bell peppers until recently when I saw a video. Roasting is really the first key step, it gives that distinct taste to the soup. I now use it also for pastas.
Amy
This roasted red pepper soup was so incredibly silky and vibrant! I love the deep, smoky flavor that roasting the peppers brings out. It’s the perfect light yet comforting meal to pair with a crusty piece of bread on a chilly day.
Kristin
This is absolutely delicious. I served it with grilled cheese for a spin on the classic pairing. Yummy!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it, Kristin!
Tammy
Such a comforting bowl for these cold winter days. This was delicious…I love a creamy soup that isn’t too thick but just rich enough to satisfy.
Ben
This soup is CRAZY good. I made it last night with grilled Swiss cheese sandwiches, and it was amazing.
Terri
This is so good! I love the extra flavor roasting the pepper gives this soup. It’s a new favorite for me!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Terri! So glad that you liked it.