Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

This easy Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup brings quick weeknight dinner ideas to the table with a simple roasting method. The best part is its silky texture and warm smoky smell as the peppers and Roma tomatoes caramelize. What makes this version different is the trick of blending the roasted vegetables before adding cream, which keeps the color bright and the flavor bold. It's a healthy meal prep choice and cozy option for a holiday lunch, potluck or casual party.

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Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup recipe, creamy tomato pepper soup, roasted red pepper tomato soup

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 5

Servings:

Calories: 349kcal

Ingredients

3 large red bell pepper Stemmed, seeded and quartered so broad surfaces blister against the pan.
6 medium Roma tomato Halved lengthwise because their firm flesh roasts with less water than slicing tomatoes.
1 large yellow onion Peeled and cut into 8 wedges for sweet browned edges and a soft center.
6 large garlic clove Peeled and kept whole so the centers soften before the surfaces turn bitter.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Used to coat the vegetables and encourage even blistering.
1 teaspoon kosher salt Divided between roasting and simmering so the vegetables season from the start.
3/4 teaspoon black pepper Freshly ground and divided between roasting, simmering and the final garnish.
2 tablespoons tomato paste Cooked briefly in the pot to deepen colour and add concentrated tomato body.
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth Adds enough liquid for blending while keeping the final salt level adjustable.
1 teaspoon smoked paprika Adds a gentle smoky note that supports the blistered pepper flavour.
1 teaspoon dried thyme Crushed lightly before adding so its herbal oils release during simmering.
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Adds mild background heat without overpowering the sweet vegetables.
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar Added during the final simmering minute to sharpen roasted sweetness.
1/2 cup heavy cream Use 6 tablespoons in the soup and reserve 2 tablespoons for loose finishing swirls.
1/4 cup fresh basil Torn just before serving so the leaves stay fragrant and naturally irregular.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Heat the oven to 425°F. Quarter 3 red bell peppers and halve 6 Roma tomatoes lengthwise. Cut 1 yellow onion into 8 wedges and keep 6 garlic cloves whole. Spread everything on an 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Turn each piece once to coat. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes and rotate the pan at minute 18. The pepper skins should blister dark brown while the tomato edges slump and caramelize. You'll smell sweet garlic and smoky pepper near minute 28. (I tried 400°F first, the peppers softened but never blistered enough.) Pull them early and the soup tastes grassy. Roast at 425°F because high heat concentrates sugars before tomatoes release too much water.
Transfer the roasted vegetables and every pan juice into a heavy 6-quart Dutch oven. Set it over medium heat at about 5 on a 10-dial. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste for exactly 90 seconds. Then add 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Scrape the bottom in slow circles. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes and stir every 3 minutes. The chunks will soften further and the broth will turn brick orange with small steady bubbles. Stir in 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar during the final minute. Go past 12 minutes and the garlic can taste harsh while the broth reduces too far. Simmer briefly because the liquid loosens roasted fond and hydrates the tomato paste.
Take the pot off heat and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes until it drops near 180°F. Pour it into a high-speed blender jar and keep the jar under two-thirds full. Hold a folded towel over the vented lid. Blend on low for 20 seconds and then on high for 60 to 90 seconds. Pause once and scrape down any pepper pieces. The soup should change from a chunky brick-orange mixture into a smooth and glossy orange-red puree. Stop when no pepper skin flecks remain and the surface forms a slow spiral. Overfill the jar and hot steam can force the lid upward. Blend while warm because softened vegetable fibers break down more evenly at 180°F.
Pour the blended puree back into the same 6-quart Dutch oven. Set it over medium-low heat at about 3 on a 10-dial. Stir in 6 tablespoons heavy cream with a flexible spatula using broad figure-eight strokes. Warm Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup for 5 to 7 minutes and keep it below 190°F. Scrape the bottom twice during heating. The colour should soften to a vivid coral-orange while the surface stays glossy and gently steaming. A spoonful should coat the spoon and leave a clean trail when you swipe it. Let it boil and the cream may separate into pale specks. Keep it below 190°F because gentle heat protects the cream emulsion.
Let the soup rest off heat for 3 minutes and serve it between 160°F and 170°F. Ladle one generous portion into each of 4 gray stoneware bowls. Drizzle the reserved 2 tablespoons heavy cream in loose uneven curves. Scatter 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves across the bowls and finish with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Keep the garnish off-center and naturally irregular. The finished bowls should show a glossy coral-orange surface with lighter and darker swirls. The cream should remain distinct while a few basil leaves partly overlap. Serve above 180°F and the cream lines disappear before the bowl reaches the table. Rest briefly because cooler soup holds the cream swirl and basil aroma.

Notes

Cool Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup to room temperature within 2 hours. Refrigerate it in a shallow airtight glass container for up to 4 days. For freezing, portion the soup into 2-cup freezer containers and leave 1 inch of headspace. Freeze for up to 3 months. The texture stays smoothest when you freeze the blended base before adding heavy cream. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir often and stop when the center reaches 165°F. If the soup thickens, whisk in 2 tablespoons vegetable broth or fresh cream. Discard it if you notice sour dairy smells, fizzing bubbles or a visible gray film. Don't reheat the same batch more than once.

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