Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Printable View)

A vibrant, silky soup featuring sweet roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, and harissa for a warming, flavorful experience.

# What You 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
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

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Cut red peppers in half, remove seeds and membranes, and place 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 peppers and garlic for 25 to 30 minutes until 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 paste; 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 - Puree 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. Serve with crusty bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but honestly comes together in under an hour.
  • The roasted garlic becomes so mellow and creamy that even garlic skeptics come around.
  • One bowl satisfies that craving for something warm, elegant, and deeply flavorful without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the charring step on the peppers—that burnt, blistered skin is where the complexity lives, not a flaw to avoid.
  • Harissa heat varies wildly between brands, so start with less and taste your way up rather than making your whole pot inedible in one stir.
03 -
  • A tiny splash of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar stirred in at the end brightens everything without making it taste acidic.
  • If you want to go deeper, a pinch of ground cumin or a small splash of pomegranate molasses adds another layer of intrigue that guests always notice.
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