Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
This roasted tomato and red pepper soup turns ripe summer tomatoes and sweet red peppers into a deep, silky, naturally vegan bowl. Roasting the vegetables first caramelizes their edges and concentrates their flavor, so it tastes far richer than a quick simmered soup, yet still comes together in under an hour.
There is a canned tomato soup most of us grew up with, and this is my grown-up apology to it: same comfort, far more flavour. Roasting the tomatoes and peppers until their edges caramelize turns them sweet and deep instead of sharp and tinny. I make a big pot when tomatoes are cheap and freeze half. Serve it with something to dunk; soup without a vehicle for dunking is just a sad beverage.
Roast until the edges actually char
Halve the tomatoes and quarter the peppers, toss with olive oil and a good pinch of salt, and roast at 200C (400F) for 30 to 40 minutes. You want the edges genuinely browned and a few blistered black spots on the pepper skins; that char is where the sweet, almost jammy flavour lives, so resist pulling the tray early. Roast the tomatoes cut-side up so they lose water and concentrate rather than stew in their own juice.
Choosing your tomatoes and peppers
Ripe, even slightly overripe tomatoes are ideal, since firm supermarket ones stay watery and sour no matter how long they roast. Roma or vine tomatoes carry less juice and give a thicker soup than big beefsteaks. Red bell peppers bring the sweetness, so skip green ones, which turn bitter. Out of season, a tin of good whole tomatoes plus a jar of roasted red peppers is a genuinely solid shortcut. Onion and garlic go on the same tray to build the savoury base, and a handful of fresh basil stirred in off the heat keeps it bright.
Getting it silky, plus swaps that work
- Peel the peppers. Once roasted, let them steam under an upturned bowl for a few minutes, then slip off the blistered skins for a smoother, subtly smoky soup.
- Blend to taste. An immersion blender gives a fully silky texture; stop early and leave some texture if you like it rustic.
- Round off the acidity. A splash of plant cream or a spoonful of cashew cream softens the sharp edge without dulling the tomato flavour.
- Add warmth. A pinch of chili flakes, or a whole chili roasted on the tray, gives a gentle background heat.
Storing and freezing this soup
- Fridge: keeps for up to 4 days in a sealed jar, and the flavour deepens overnight.
- Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months in portions. If you know you will freeze it, leave the plant cream out and stir it in fresh on reheating, since cream can split when thawed.
- Reheat: warm gently on the stove and loosen with a splash of water or stock if it has thickened in the fridge.
For more cozy soups, try our roasted tomato soup with feta, cream of avocado soup, or classic Italian minestrone soup.
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Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
Equipment
- Large pot
- Immersion blender
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 lb tomatoes ripe, halved
- 2 red bell peppers halved and seeded
- 1 onion quartered
- 4 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup basil fresh
- ¼ cup plant cream optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large baking tray.
- Spread the halved tomatoes, red peppers (cut side down), onion, and garlic on the tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the peppers are blistered and the tomatoes are soft and caramelized at the edges.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then peel the pepper skins if you want a smoother soup and squeeze the garlic out of its skins.
- Tip everything into a pot, add the vegetable broth and basil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, then stir in the plant cream if using.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, add chili flakes if you like, and serve warm.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Roasting is optional but worth it. Roasted tomatoes add a deeper, sweet-caramelized flavor to the soup. If you are short on time, fresh tomatoes simmered with the onion and garlic still make a delicious soup.
For a smooth soup, blend it with an immersion blender until silky. For a more rustic, chunky soup, blend only part of it or simply leave the cooked tomatoes as they are.
Yes. Stir in a splash of plant cream, a spoon of cashew cream, or a little coconut milk at the end for a creamy tomato soup that is still vegan.
Yes. It freezes very well. Cool it completely, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Yes. Out of season, good-quality canned whole or chopped tomatoes make an excellent soup. Use about 800 g, or two 14-ounce cans, in place of the fresh tomatoes.
Yes. The soup is naturally vegan and gluten-free, made from tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, and olive oil. Serve it with gluten-free bread to keep the whole meal gluten-free.
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