Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Served with a large salad and a crusty slice of bread, this Roasted Red Pepper Soup can be a delicious and warming meal all on its own!
This post was originally sponsored by Share our Strength as part of a virtual progressive dinner supporting childhood hunger in the United States. I was published December 9, 2010. It has been updated from the archives with additional information and new photos.
Creating This Red Bell Pepper Soup Recipe
Did you know that nearly 1 in 4 children in the United States faces hunger? That is a sobering thought, but especially during this season when time should be spent with family rather than worrying about where the next meal will come from.
I’d like to help spread that message and that’s why I’ve teamed up with Share our Strength and 50 food bloggers to put together a delicious virtual progressive dinner this Holiday Season.
As the mother to two young children, I personally cannot even fathom how heartbreaking and difficult it is to truly go hungry. I hear “I’m starving,” “I need a snack,” or some variation of those phrases many times throughout the day, but to really mean those words. That is something else.
The hope is that with the Share Our Holiday Table progressive dinner, we will be able to raise awareness of childhood hunger in our own country. My contribution to the Share Our Holiday Table menu is a Vegetarian Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Smoked Paprika and Cilantro Cream.
It is adapted from a recent cookbook purchase, Soups, Stews and Chilis. The photo was just too vibrant and beautiful to pass up the recipe!
★★★★★
Reader says –
“Made your soup yesterday. It tasted like it came from a 5 star restaurant. I used chicken broth and yogurt for the cream. Only had 4 peppers on hand so I made half a batch. I’m so sad not to have leftovers. What a treat this soup was!” — Susan
Roasted Red Pepper Soup Ingredients
In addition to the roasted red bell pepper soup itself, I’m also sharing a delicious cilantro cream to swirl into the soup when you serve it. Here’s what goes into the soup and cream:
- Sour cream
- Whole milk
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Red bell peppers
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Red onion
- Herbs and spices
- Tomato pasta
- All-purpose flour
- Veggie broth
- Half and half
- Dry sherry
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make roasted red pepper soup, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Soup
I love how easy this roasted red pepper soup recipe is! Here’s how it’s made:
- Cook the oil and garlic together in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until the garlic is foamy and straw-colored.
- Stir in the onion and cook until the onion is tender.
- Stir in the cumin and smoked paprika, cooking until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and flour, then gradually whisk in 3 cups of broth. Stir in the bay leaves and chopped roasted peppers.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook until the peppers are very tender.
- Remove the bay leaves. Puree the soup in a food processor, about 1/3 of the amount at a time, until smooth.
- Stir in the half and half, sherry, and additional broth if needed. Heat the soup over medium-low heat until hot.
- Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve each portion drizzled with the cilantro cream. (see the full recipe for details on how to make it!)
The above is simply a quick summary of the instructions for this roasted red pepper soup. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Roasted Red Pepper Soup FAQs
Got questions about how to make this red pepper soup recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Can I Substitute the All-Purpose Flour?
Yes, you can also use cornstarch to thicken this soup. Cornstarch is a good alternative thickening agent if you are avoiding wheat or gluten. Cornstarch is more powerful than flour, so you’ll use half as much cornstarch for the same results as achieved using flour.
And if you can’t have cornstarch, then use arrowroot powder. Arrowroot powder is more powerful than cornstarch and even more powerful than flour, so you’ll need much less. Start with using this rule of thumb: 1 teaspoon of arrowroot powder = 1 tablespoon of flour.
Can I Omit the Dry Sherry?
If you don’t have sherry on hand or prefer not to use it, you may omit it entirely.
Can I Freeze This Soup?
Definitely! This red bell pepper soup freezes incredibly well WITHOUT the cilantro cream stirred into it. Check out this post on how to freeze soup for more instructions.
I like to store the soup in individual containers (like mason jars) so I can reheat single servings for lunches throughout the week.
What to Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Soup
This roasted red bell pepper soup pairs well with crusty bread and a side salad.
- Beer Batter Muffins
- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Rosemary Potato Buttermilk Biscuits
- Whole Wheat Baguette
- Italian Mixed Greens Salad
- Copycat Olive Garden Salad
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
Try this Roasted Red Pepper Soup!
Next time you’re looking for a way to mix up your dinner recipe ideas, give this roasted red pepper soup a try!
Did you love the smoky flavor of the soup paired with the tangy cilantro cream? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me @goodlifeeats #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this soup!
★★★★★
Reader says –
“I made this yesterday for our Souper Bowl party and it was a HIT!” – Aletta
★★★★★
Reader says –
“Yay! Made this for the first time today and it was delicious! And, my husband loved it too. Thank-you for posting it!” — Sonya
More Easy Soup Recipes:
This Roasted Cauliflower Soup is thick, creamy, and flavorful without being loaded down with heavy cream. I served the cauliflower soup with bacon for added flavor.
Celebrate fall with this recipe for Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Walnuts. You’ll love the added soup toppings of toasted walnuts and blue cheese!
This Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup is warm and spicy. Plus, you likely have all the ingredients on hand!
I can have this Chicken Potato Chowder on the table in less than an hour, which is perfect for weeknight dinners.
Pumpkin and Turkey Black Bean Chili is a great fall chili recipe with tons of flavor. Even better, it’s super easy to make!
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Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Served with a large salad and a crusty loaf of bread this soup can be a delicious and warming meal all on its own. Roasted red pepper soup is vegetarian and very filling.
Ingredients
Cilantro Cream
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro leaves
- salt and pepper, to taste
Soup
- 8 red bell peppers, roasted, skins removed, and chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 - 4 cups vegetable broth, adjust for consistency as desired
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Cilantro Cream:
- Combine the sour cream, whole milk, and lime juice in a small bowl, whisking until combined. Stir in the fresh cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Chill, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the Soup:
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the garlic to the oil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 6 minutes.
- Add the onion to the garlic and oil and continue cooking until the onion is tender, about 5 - 7 minutes.
- Next, add the cumin and smoked paprika to the onion mixture. Cook, while stirring, until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and flour, cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the broth, gradually adding it 1 cup at a time and whisking in between additions. Make sure to whisk out any lumps so the mixture is completely smooth. After that, add the bay leaves and chopped roasted red peppers.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat until it begins to boil. Then, reduce to low and simmer until the peppers are very tender, about 7 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves after simmering. Carefully transfer soup to a food processor, about 1/3 of the soup at a time, and puree until smooth. Once pureed, return the soup to the pot. Alternatively, you can puree the mixture in the pot using an immersion blender until the soup is completely smooth.
- Add he half-and-half and sherry to the soup, and stir until combined. If desired, add additional broth until desired consistency is reached. Adjust the heat to medium-low and cook until heated through.
To Serve
- Just before serving, add in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle each portion with the prepared cilantro cream.
Notes
Adapted from Soups, Stews and Chilis
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 2241mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 4gSugar: 19gProtein: 7g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Sonya says
Yay! Made this for the first time today and it was delicious! And, my husband loved it too 🙂 Thank-you for posting it!
Thanks again!!!!!!!!
Sonya says
Thank-you for posting this recipe! I look forward to trying it tomorrow night. I LOVE Cook’s Country, Cook’s Illustrated, and America’s Test Kitchen, but I don’t have this cookbook. I was looking for recipes to use a big jar of smoked paprika that I have on hand. I’ve also got some sherry and sour cream and cilantro to use up, so this will be perfect! Thanks again!!!
Susan Scully says
Made your soup yesterday. It tasted like it came from a 5 star restaurant. I used chicken broth and yogurt for the cream. Only had 4 peppers on hand so I made half a batch. I’m so sad not to have leftovers. What a treat this soup was. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Natasha says
I was just wondering if you can leave out the dry sherry in the recipe?? or is there something you can replace it with?
Katie says
You can leave it out.
aletta says
I made this yesterday for our Souper Bowl party and it was a HIT! I did not add the cream for our vegan friend until she was doen taking her portion and then added. Not really necessary, but adds to the creaminess. Also, buy the best quality smoked paprika you can find. It is worth it! Thanks!
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
That roasted red pepper soup looks so good!
Michelle @ Taste As You Go says
Maybe this soup will help me start liking roasted red peppers!
Cori Walleck says
I found this page through Facebook (my friend posted it). After reading it, I clicked Like and shared it myseld. More power.
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction says
I’m a few days late on commenting… But, I just wanted to say that this looks absolutely lovely!
Damaris @Kitchen Corners says
I’m a huge fan of soups and this one made me smile big, specially because of your activism. Way to go!
Gluten Free Diva says
Wow. This soup looks fantastic. I love that it is easily converted to gluten free. Thanks for sharing! Incredible pictures too!