Description
A vibrant and spicy roasted red pepper soup featuring smoky paprika, cumin, and harissa paste, simmered to perfection and blended until silky smooth. Perfectly paired with a creamy Boursin grilled cheese sandwich for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Red Peppers
- 2.6 lb / 1.2 kg Red Peppers, roughly diced (approx 7 medium red peppers)
- 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Soup
- 3 cups / 750 ml Chicken Stock, or as needed
- 1 large Onion, finely diced
- 1 large Carrot, finely diced
- 1 large rib Celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 2 tbsp Harissa Paste
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Cayenne Pepper, to taste (optional for more spice)
Grilled Cheese (Optional Serving)
- 8 medium slices Bread
- 5 oz / 150 g Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin Cheese
- 3.5 oz / 100 g Mozzarella
- Butter, as needed
Instructions
- Roast the Peppers: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Add the diced red peppers to a large baking tray and toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the peppers are soft and lightly charred.
- Sauté Vegetables: While the peppers roast, melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown. Then add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Tomato and Harissa Paste: Stir in 2 tablespoons each of tomato puree and harissa paste into the sautéed vegetables. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Add Roasted Peppers and Stock: Add the roasted peppers to the pot. Pour a splash of chicken stock onto the roasting tray and use a plastic spatula to scrape up any flavorful bits, then add this liquid to the pot. Pour in the remaining stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and peppers to soften completely.
- Blend the Soup: Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to blitz the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a blender. Adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to desired spice level. If the soup is too thick, thin it with more stock; if too thin, simmer a few extra minutes until thicker.
- Serve: Serve the soup hot. For a delightful meal, pair with a Boursin grilled cheese sandwich made by spreading Boursin and mozzarella between bread slices, buttering the outside, and grilling until golden and melty.
Notes
- Harissa Paste can be found in most supermarkets near the spice section.
- The level of spice depends on the harissa brand; it is generally mild, so adjust heat with cayenne pepper gradually.
- Fresh roasted red peppers are preferred over jarred, as the brine in jarred peppers can alter the soup’s flavor.
- Make the grilled cheese sandwiches by using 8 slices of bread, 150g Boursin cheese, 100g mozzarella, and butter for grilling.
- Make ahead and storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze long-term. Reheat gently on the stove. Thaw in the fridge first if frozen.
- Calories provided are based on the soup alone divided into 4 servings, 403 calories per serving including the grilled cheese sandwich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350 ml soup)
- Calories: 403
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
