A delicious roasted red pepper and tomato soup, starting with fresh tomatoes and peppers, that are quick roasted. Garnished with feta, for a delicious and satisfying soup.
Why you’ll love this red pepper and tomato soup
This roasted red pepper and tomato soup is not only a delicious way to eat more vegetables, but the roasting makes the most of less than perfect Winter tomatoes.
Roasting the vegetables takes a little extra time, but using a hot oven means it can be done quickly and easily. The result is a homemade vegetable soup that is chock full of flavour.
I love to top this soup with crumbled feta cheese. The salty feta pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the tomatoes and bell pepper. Add some fresh basil and a few drops of cream, to round out this soup.
This soup makes a great side-soup with a sandwich for lunch. To enjoy as a dinner soup, you can make it heartier by adding some chunky, crispy homemade croutons or simply a toast up some great bread and enjoy together.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Tomatoes – the ideal tomato for this soup would be Roma or plum tomatoes, as they have more tomato and less liquid and seeds. They roast up beautifully and develop a lovely, rich tomato flavour. I only had tomatoes on the vine when I made this soup this time, but they work as well. I scoop out and discard the excess liquid and seeds in this type of tomato.
If all you have is canned whole tomatoes, you can still just go ahead and use them. If you happen to have fire-roasted canned tomatoes, they would be ideal! You will need two large (28oz) cans of whole tomatoes. Simply drain off the liquid in the can and then add the whole canned tomatoes directly to the soup, roasting only the bell pepper.
Red Bell Pepper – Use a red bell pepper for best flavour and colour in this soup. You can use orange or yellow, but the colour of the soup may become a little muddy. The flavour will be the same. Green bell pepper is not recommended.
In a pinch, you can use jarred roasted red peppers. Simply add 2 or 3 large pieces directly to the pot.
Chicken or Vegetable Broth – either chicken or vegetable broth will work here. I prefer chicken for flavour, but vegetable is a great option for a vegetarian soup.
Step-by-Step Photos
- Start by preparing the fresh vegetables and popping into a hot oven.
- Meanwhile, melt some butter and soften the onions.
- Add the broth to the pot.
- Part way through roasting the vegetables, drizzle with some balsamic vinegar.
- Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and add to the soup pot.
- Add some seasoning to the soup, then simmer 15-20 minutes, to blend the flavours and further soften the vegetables.
- Use an immersion blender (or blender, in small batches), to puree the soup.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
Cook’s Notes
I highly recommend the red pepper flakes good for a Winter soup, as it adds a touch of much needed warmth to the soup.
Salt makes soup! Be sure to taste the soup at the end of cooking and add salt as needed. If the soup tastes like it’s “missing something” or flat in flavour, it probably needs salt. Add a bit, taste and repeat until you are happy with the flavours.
While I garnished my soup and it always looks nice, there is no reason you can’t just stir the feta and basil right into the soup. Feta holds up well in soup and the flavour of the fresh basil will flavour the soup, as well.
Topping and garnish options
I love adding crumbled feta cheese, chopped fresh basil and a few drops of heavy cream. The salty feta pairs beautifully with the sweeter tomatoes and bell pepper.
Goat cheese crumbles would also work nicely here.
For a heartier soup, add some homemade croutons to the soup. Simply toss some bread cubes in olive oil and maybe some dried basil and saute over medium-high heat in a skillet on the stove-top. Set aside to cool, then use to top the soup.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This soup is perfect for making ahead and then re-heating to serve, as it retains texture and flavour in the fridge.
Leftover soup will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
This soup should freeze beautifully, for 2-3 months.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
Ingredients
For the roasted vegetables:
- 2 lbs. Roma or plum tomatoes, or *see Note 1 for other tomato options
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and seeded and cut into chunks, or *see Note 2 below for jarred roasted red peppers
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
For the soup:
- 1 Tbsp butter, or olive oil, if you prefer
- 1 cup onion, diced
- Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Pinch dried thyme
For garnishing (optional):
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Heavy cream, to drizzle
- Fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roast the vegetables: Cut the tomatoes in half and place on prepared baking sheet, cut side up. *If using regular tomatoes (not Roma), use a spoon to spoon out and discard the liquid/seed bits, as much as you easily can. Cut the sides and bottom from the red pepper and slice away and discard the white core bits. Place on baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sugar and season with salt and pepper. Place into preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, then return to the oven for 10 minutes more (30 minutes total).
- Meanwhile, heat butter in a large pot on the stove-top over medium heat. Add onion and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened and just starting to colour, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, dried basil and dried thyme to the pot. Reduce heat to low, to keep warm until the roasted vegetables are ready.
- When the roasted vegetables are done, add to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, to blend the flavours and soften the vegetables.
- Using an immersion blender in the pot, or in a regular blender in small 1-cup batches, puree the soup. You can puree as much or as little as you like, from a little chunky to completely smooth.
- Taste soup and add salt, as needed. It will probably need some, depending on the saltiness of the broth you used. If the soup tastes like it is missing something, it's probably salt! Add some freshly ground pepper, as well.
- Serve soup garnished with crumbled feta, chopped fresh basil and a few drops of heavy cream (or see Notes below for other options).
Notes
- You can use regular tomatoes, if you don't have Roma/plum tomatoes on hand. Remove seeds and extra liquid as specified before roasting. Alternately, if you only have canned tomatoes on hand, you can use two cans (28oz) drained, adding the whole tomatoes directly to the soup and only roasting the red pepper.
- You can use jarred roasted red peppers, if that's all you have on hand. Simply add 2 or 3 large slices directly to the pot.
Goat cheese crumbles would also work nicely here. For a heartier soup, add some homemade croutons to the soup. Simply toss some bread cubes in olive oil and maybe some dried basil and saute over medium-high heat in a skillet on the stove-top. Set aside to cool, then use to top the soup.
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
This soup is shockingly good! Thanks for a great – and easy – recipe Jennifer. I had a case of not so delicious tomatoes that roasted up beautifully for this. I used a regular blender – I find once you start using a regular blender vs the immersion for soups, it’s hard to go back. Thanks again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Nick! And yes, a blender is definitely the path if you like a smooth soup. Thanks so much :)