Easy Roasted Red Pepper Soup
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The blend of sweet and smoky is what I love about this Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Roasted peppers, mellow garlic, and smoked paprika give it plenty of flavor, with a little cayenne to keep things interesting.
My advice? Give the peppers time to blister in the oven. Roasting brings out their sweetness, and the garlic goes right on the same baking sheet. Once everything is simmered and blended, you get a smooth, creamy soup without adding any cream.
Serve it with crusty bread for dipping and a Caesar salad for lunch or a light dinner. If sweet and smoky soups are your thing too, try my sweet potato soup, or go classic with creamy tomato soup.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Why you’ll love this
The peppers and garlic roast together on one baking sheet, then everything finishes in a single pot. There’s no cream to stir in or flour to thicken it – blending the vegetables gives the soup its smooth texture.
- Simple ingredients. Fresh peppers, garlic, onions, stock, and a few spices.
- Easy to adapt. Adjust the cayenne for less heat, skip the optional sumac, or use vegetable stock.
- Naturally dairy free. You get a creamy texture without milk or cream.
- Great for making ahead. Have lunch ready in the fridge or freeze portions for another day.
Do you have to peel peppers for soup?
Yes! But, roasting them makes it super easy. You can wait til they cool and slide them right off, or place them in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, and then they’ll peel easily.
What to Serve With Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Crusty bread is my first choice – you’ll want something to swipe around the bowl and get every last bit. Add a Caesar salad for a light dinner, or serve the soup with a grilled cheese sandwich when you want something more filling. A handful of croutons on top adds a little crunch, too.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Key Recipe Ingredients
Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.
- Bell peppers. Red peppers give this soup its sweet flavor, but you can mix in yellow or orange peppers like I did in the photos. Skip green peppers here – they aren’t as sweet.
- Garlic. Leave the cloves in their papery skins while roasting so they soften without burning. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out the garlic and discard the skins.
- Onion. Cook until softened before adding the stock so it blends smoothly into the soup.
- Smoked paprika. This gives the soup its smoky flavor. Regular paprika won’t give you the same result, so use smoked if you can.
- Sumac. Optional! It adds a little lemony tang, but there’s no need to buy a jar just for this soup.
- Cayenne pepper. Adds a little heat alongside the sweet peppers. Start with less if you’re sensitive to spice – you can always add more at the end.
- Chicken stock. Use homemade chicken stock or a store-bought stock or broth. Swap in vegetable stock to keep the soup vegetarian.
How to make this recipe
This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Get prepped. Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Halve the peppers and remove the stems, seeds, and white membranes. Dice the onions and separate the garlic into cloves, leaving the papery skins on.
- Roast the peppers and garlic. Arrange the peppers cut side down on a large baking sheet with the garlic tucked between them. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the pepper skins are wrinkled, blistered, and dark in spots. Let everything cool enough to handle, then peel away the pepper skins and squeeze the softened garlic out of its papery coating.
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- Build the flavor. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn translucent. Stir in the roasted garlic, smoked paprika, sumac, cayenne, salt and pepper. Give everything a quick stir until you can smell the spices.
- Let it simmer. Add the peeled peppers and stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
- Blend until smooth. Let the soup cool slightly, then blend in small batches until smooth, following your blender’s instructions for hot liquids and allowing steam to escape. An immersion blender works too, if you’d rather blend right in the pot.
- Taste and finish. Return the soup to the pot and warm it gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning before ladling into bowls. Add a swirl of cream or a spoonful of sour cream if you like, and get some bread ready for dipping.
Kylee’s Notes
- Give the peppers some space. Arrange them in a single layer, using two baking sheets if needed. Crowded peppers steam instead of roasting.
- Keep the skins facing up. Place the peppers cut side down so the skins get direct heat and blister evenly.
- Check the garlic early. Smaller cloves may soften before the peppers are ready. Pull them out when tender so they don’t burn.
- Save the pepper juices. Add any juices released by the peeled peppers to the pot along with the stock.
- Skip rinsing freshly roasted peppers. Peel them with your fingers rather than washing away those flavorful juices.
- Don’t worry about chopping perfectly. Everything gets blended, so roughly cut peppers are fine. Keep the onion pieces fairly even so they soften together.
- Start with a little less stock. Pepper sizes vary. Hold some stock back, then add more after blending to get the consistency you like.
- Add toppings to individual bowls. A swirl of cream, a spoonful of yogurt, or crunchy croutons lets everyone finish their soup their own way.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze cooled soup in individual portions for up to 3 months, leaving room in each container for expansion. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating Tips
Warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout. Add a splash of stock or water if needed. For individual portions, microwave in short bursts, stirring between each.
Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting
- The soup is too thin. Simmer uncovered to reduce it, stirring occasionally, until you’re happy with the consistency.
- The soup is too thick. Stir in a little extra stock at a time until it pours easily.
- The texture isn’t smooth. Blend a little longer, making sure the onions and peppers are completely soft first. Any stubborn bits of pepper skin can be caught by pouring the soup through a fine mesh strainer.
- The flavor tastes flat. Start with a little more salt, then taste again. A small squeeze of lemon juice can brighten things up without needing the optional sumac.
- The soup tastes bitter. Remove the blackened pepper skins before blending, and discard any garlic cloves that burned rather than softened.
- The peppers are difficult to peel. Put them in a bowl and cover to trap the steam for a few minutes. The skins should loosen and come away more easily.
FAQs
No. An immersion blender lets you blend directly in the pot. Take your time and move it around to catch any pieces of onion or pepper.
Absolutely. Stir in a splash at the end and warm gently. You can also add a swirl to individual bowls.
Yes. Roast, cool, and peel them, then refrigerate in a covered container until you’re ready to make the soup. This is a handy way to split up the prep.
More recipes to love
Love soup recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Butternut Squash Soup (with apple) – my all-time favorite soup, it’s healthy AND low-fat!
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup – hearty and warming with just the right amount of spice, blended with cheese, topped off with jalapenos, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips.
- Chunky Loaded Baked Potato Soup– thick, delicious and like comfort in a bowl!
- Thick & Creamy New England Clam Chowder – an old classic, but a good one! It has bacon, so I mean…
- Best Ever Corn Chowder – quite a lofty title, but it’s true. It really is the best!
- ALL SOUP RECIPES
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Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 6 red bell peppers
- 1 head garlic separated into cloves, skins left on
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 onions finely diced
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sumac optional
- ¼-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 cups chicken stock divided, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Get prepped. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the peppers in half and remove the stems, seeds, and membranes. Dice the onions and separate the garlic into cloves, leaving the skins on.
- Roast the peppers and garlic. Place the peppers cut side down on a large rimmed baking sheet. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves between the peppers. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and rub lightly to coat.6 red bell peppers, 1 head garlic
- Roast for about 20 minutes, until the pepper skins are blistered and browned or blackened in spots. Remove the garlic early if the cloves are soft before the peppers are ready.
- Peel the peppers and garlic. Let cool until comfortable to handle. Peel off and discard the pepper skins. Squeeze the garlic out of its papery skins and discard the skins.
- Cook the onions and spices. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.2 onions
- Stir in the roasted garlic, smoked paprika, optional sumac, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Cook briefly, stirring, until fragrant.3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon sumac, ¼-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, Salt and pepper
- Simmer the soup. Add the peeled peppers, any juices from the baking sheet, and 4 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.5 cups chicken stock
- Blend the soup. Remove from the heat. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or cool slightly and blend in small batches in a countertop blender suitable for hot liquids, allowing steam to escape.
- Finish and serve. Return the soup to the pot if needed. Stir in the remaining stock a little at a time until the soup reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Warm gently until heated through, then ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
- Roast peppers cut side down in a single layer. Use two baking sheets if needed.
- Remove garlic cloves once soft if they’re ready before the peppers.
- Cool peppers enough to handle, then peel. Don’t rinse away the roasted juices.
- Sumac is optional. Start with less cayenne and adjust to taste.
- Hold back a little stock, then add after blending to get your preferred thickness.
- Blend in small batches using a blender suitable for hot liquids, allowing steam to escape, or use an immersion blender.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
Kylee, this was so creamy and not a drop of dairy was used! To be honest, I was a little skeptical at first, but I should know better than to doubt you. 🙂 We passed on the salad, because you know – salad! But, we did eat quite a bit of grilled baguette dipped into the soup. I also drizzled a bit of chili oil into each bowl before serving. It was absolutely delicious!
Roasted garlic is already enough to make a dish taste incredible. Add roasted red peppers and the flavor will go through the roof. In theory. Can’t wait to try it in practice now with this delicious recipe 🙂
I’ve never had red pepper soup. Red peppers are one of my absolute favorite vegetables, so this has to be amazing!
Soup and salad is totally on my weekly mealplan.