Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Creamy, smoky, flavorful. What more would you want in a tomato soup? This is my variation on the comforting classic. (Have you try my dill + roasted garlic potato soup? It's another twist on a classic.)

Roasted red pepper adds such dimension to tomato soup. I'm of the opinion that they should always go hand in hand. Have you tried roasting red peppers on a gas stove? This is one of my favorite things to do in the kitchen. It's fun to watch the immediate results and it will make your house smell amazing. I'm really all about those food smells while I cook. Anticipation is half the fun! 

Take a look at the images below for a visual on roasting bell peppers! Then check out the recipe notes where I explain in more detail. 

Charred skin after roasting on the gas burner. Approximately 10 minutes total time, turning every 2-3 minutes with heat-safe tongs. 

Foil pocket to allow further steaming for 15 minutes.

After roasting and steaming, the skin is easily removed! This 'naked' pepper yields creamier results when blending. 

Are you convinced yet? Add this soup to your meal plan this week and let me know how you like it! It also makes amazing leftovers! 

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Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup 

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 TBSP EVOO

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/8 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp sea salt

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 red bell pepper, roasted and roughly chopped*

2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, no salt added (15 oz)

4 + 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (homemade or store-bought), divided

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours or overnight

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Method

Soak cashews in a small bowl for 2 hours or overnight**.

Roast your bell pepper - see note*. Prep veggies and measure out all ingredients!

Place a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add EVOO and diced onion. Saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent.

Add garlic, spices, salt/pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add roughly chopped bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and 4 cups veggie broth. Stir and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.

While soup is cooking, prepare the cashew cream. Drain and rinse cashews. Add to a food processor or blender with the remaining 3/4 cup veggie broth. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Remove soup from heat. Fold in cashew cream and nutritional yeast. I chose to blend with an immersion blender at this point for a smooth and creamy soup. (No immersion blender? Allow soup to cool and add to the bowl of a heat-safe food processor or blender in 2 batches.) You can also leave soup chunky, the choice is yours!

To serve, top with vegan parmesan*** or fresh basil, if desired. I like to enjoy this soup with crusty whole grain bread and a crisp romaine salad. Bon Appetite!

Notes:

*Roasting Pepper on the gas stove: Wash and pat dry. On a gas stovetop, add the bell pepper directly to the burner. Turn heat on medium-high. Using tongs, turn the pepper every 2-3 minutes for even roasting. The skin will begin to look black and charred. When evenly roasted, remove from heat and place in a foil pocket to steam while you finish prepping other ingredients. After about 15 minutes, remove from foil and cool for 5 minutes. Then gently remove charred skin, using your hands or a paper towel. Try not to rinse the pepper with water because you will lose flavor! When most of the charred skin is gone, remove the stem and seeds, roughly chop and set aside. You can do this 2-3 days before and store in an airtight container. For longer storage, roasted peppers freeze well. Layer with wax paper to keep from sticking together! 

If you don't have a gas oven, you can roast the whole bell pepper in the oven on a baking sheet for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until skin is mostly charred. 

**Forget to soak your cashews? You can do a quick soak by adding cashews to a small saucepan, covering with water, and bringing to a low boil. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Remove,  drain, and rinse. Prepare as needed. 

***Vegan parm: 1 cup raw walnuts, 2 TBSP nutritional yeast, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1 garlic clove. Blend in high speed blender until mix resembles rough sand!  Enjoy :) 

Nutrition: 

Serving Size: 1/6 recipe (approx. 1 cup)  Total Calories: 254  Total Fat: 12 g

Sodium: 230 mg  Total Carbohydrate: 28 g  Fiber: 10 g  Sugar: 9 g  Protein: 9 g

Vitamin A: 35%  Vitamin C: 20%  Calcium: 38%  Iron: 128% (Percent Daily Value)