This easy roasted red pepper and tomato soup recipe is full of flavour, rich in colour and packed with antioxidants. Quick and easy to make, it is ideal for making the best of leftover, or overripe produce. Vegan and naturally gluten free.
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Tomato and red pepper soup
Nothing says home comforts like a bowl of freshly made soup, and this is no exception. Light but filling, it’s a great way to get some extra veg into your diet. Having said that, there’s nothing ‘worthy’ about this dish.
Bright, zingy and appetising with a slightly piquant edge, my red pepper and tomato soup is like a burst of sunshine on cooler days. The roasted red pepper and tomato gives this soup an intense, concentrated flavour.
This recipe is fantastic for using up veggies, as roasting really makes the most of them. It doesn’t matter if they have been hanging around for a while, losing crispness. All that wonderful flavour is still there.
Soup is the perfect lunchtime dish, as it is filling without leaving you tired. If you need to take lunch to work, a flask of soup will set you up for the day, with a nutritious and affordable meal to keep you going through to dinner time.
Why make tomato and roasted red pepper soup
- Perfect for using up veggies that are not quite ripe or past their prime.
- This roasted red pepper and tomato soup recipe is delicious and also quite light. Pair with some good bread to impress guests!
- It is packed with vegetables. Each portion contains two of your five a day – hurrah for extra veg!
- It is frugal – ideal for using tomatoes that are not quite ripe, or past their prime.
- Bright red vegetables like tomatoes and red peppers are packed with healthy antioxidants and other nutrients.
- It is seriously easy, as well as largely hands-off – no fine chopping, frying, stirring, or pots to watch! Fuss-free cooking at its finest!
- It is ideal for batch cooking as it can be frozen. Double or triple the recipe to make use of a glut with very little extra work.
Roasted tomato and red pepper soup ingredients
- Tomatoes – Any with a good flavour, big or small. It doesn’t matter if they are a bit past their best and looking a bit tired, or even if are not quite ripe.
- Red peppers – or yellow or orange. It doesn’t matter if they are past their best and starting to soften or wrinkle. What they lose in crispness, they often gain in sweet flavour.
- Onions & Garlic – Red or white onions, shallots, or even a leek or stick of celery. Use what you have.
- Herbs – I’ve used a mix of thyme and oregano, but any Mediterranean/Provençale mix would be ideal. Tarragon or basil lends a touch of summery aniseed flavour.
- Stock/Broth – Use your favourite.
- Lemon – Add a squeeze of juice at the end. Lemon or a drop of apple cider vinegar works as a flavour enhancer in much the same way that salt does. Lightening and brightening the entire dish. Try it – it makes a massive difference.
How to make red pepper and tomato soup – Step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips, so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – First prepare the vegetables, ready to be roasted. These can be nice and chunky as we are going to blitz the soup – no need for fine chopping here!
- Slice the onion in half, then “top and tail” to remove the stalk and root. Then peel off the papery skin. Chop each half into quarters.
- Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters depending how big they are, removing any stalks.
- Cut the peppers into chunks, discarding the core, seeds, and stalk.
- Peel the garlic, and chop any large cloves in half.
Step Two – Spread the onion, tomatoes, peppers and garlic out in a large roasting pan. Add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, herbs, and chilli or paprika if you want to use it. Then drizzle the oil over.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
You want a nice big roasting pan so you can spread the vegetables out to a single layer, so they will actually roast. If you cram them in, they will steam. If necessary, use two pans.
Step Three – Put the pan in the oven and roast the vegetables at GM 6 / 400°F / 180°C (fan) for 35 minutes, until soft and starting to brown.
Why roast the vegetables?
All vegetables contain a lot of water, and the way to get the most flavour out of them is to remove some of that water. Roasting your vegetables intensifies the flavours. As they lose water, the edges caramelise, resulting in sweeter, richer veg. Roasting is a great way to use older veg that are getting a little bit past their best for other things.
You could fry the vegetables if you prefer, but roasting is actually easier, as you can walk away and leave them to cook. I find you get better results this way, too.
In addition to concentrating the flavour, roasting also reduces the volume of your vegetables. If you have a glut to store, roast your veg, pack into freezer trays and keep them to use later in the year.
Step Four – Put the roasted vegetables in a saucepan. Give the roasting pan a good scrape and deglaze the pan with a splash of stock, adding it all to the saucepan.
Add the rest of the stock to the roasted vegetables and bring to a simmer for a minute or two.
Step Five – Finally, allow the soup to cool a little. Then blend your tomato and red pepper soup with a stick blender (or in the food processor or jug blender) until smooth. Add a little extra stock if you need to, to get the consistency you like. Then season to taste, and add a squeeze of lemon.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
You don’t need to spend a lot of money a fancy blender. I use a very basic stick blender from the supermarket that has lasted me for years.
Serving suggestion
I like to make the most of an attractive garnish when I serve soup. Scatter it with toasted seeds, chopped fresh herbs, a dab of pesto or a swirl of cream. Serve with good bread and butter.
Variations
- Add a little smoked paprika or even chilli.
- Vary the herbs to taste.
- Add a squeeze of orange or lemon juice.
Storage
Fridge – Allow your red pepper and tomato soup to cool, pack into containers, seal and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer – Once cold, pack into containers, seal and freeze. Store for up to 6 months.
Reheating – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or alternatively on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat your soup in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug for easy of handling.
Hints and tips
- It is important to spread the vegetables out in the roasting pan, as they will not roast properly if they are packed too close. You want them to caramelise and gain that lovely, sweet roast flavour.
- Let the soup cool a little before you blend it.
FAQS
Yes! Neither peppers nor tomatoes lend themselves to freezing in their watery, uncooked state but this soup will last well in the freezer.
I think most soup is a good choice when you are trying to lose weight. It is filling without being too densely packed with calories and is generally full of good nutrition. This is a fairly light soup, so as long as you don’t fill up too heavily on the bread, it’s a good option.
Yes, of course. Why not add a little fennel or even aubergine to the roasting tray?
No, everything will soften and break down nicely.
You can whizz it up in a power blender until you have the consistency you want. This will also reheat the soup!
More Tomato Soup Recipes
Tomato is probably the most popular soup there is, so try one of my easy versions
- Tomato, red pepper and red lentil soup – quick, easy, warming and packed with protein from the lentils
- Easy gazpacho – using canned tomatoes makes this soup a breeze to make
- Pappa Al Pomodoro – the Italian classic to use up stale bread, taught to me in Tuscany by an Italian nonna!
- Instant Pot tomato soup – throw it all in and press go with this easy “dump and start” recipe
More Soup Recipes
- Celeriac soup – Delicious rich soup which is dinner party worthy
- Roasted butternut squash soup – velvet smooth with a hint of spice.
- Carrot and lentil soup – nutritious, frugal and filling, with a touch of warming spice.
- All my easy soup recipes for you – whatever the season or weather I’ve got a soup for you!
- Make your homemade soup into a feast by serving with a slice of homemade bread!
Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 6 large tomatoes (about 450g / 1 lb)
- 3 red peppers
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp mixed herbs
- salt and pepper
- sweet paprika or chilli powder (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 700 ml vegetable stock (3 cups)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel the onions and roughly chop. Peel the garlic and cut any large cloves in half.2 onions, 3 cloves garlic
- Cut the tomatoes into quarters or halves, depending on size.6 large tomatoes
- Cut the peppers into chunks, discarding the core, seeds, and stalk.3 red peppers
- Spread the onion, tomatoes, peppers and garlic out in a large roasting pan. Add a generous sprinkling of the dried herbs, salt and pepper, and drizzle the oil over. You can add a little chilli or paprika at this stage too.½ tsp mixed herbs, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, sweet paprika or chilli powder
- Put the pan in the oven and roast the vegetables at GM 6 / 400°F / 180°C (fan) for 35 minutes until soft and starting to brown.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a saucepan. Deglaze the roasting pan with the stock.700 ml vegetable stock
- Pour the stock over the roasted vegetables and bring to a simmer for a few minutes.
- Cool the soup. Add the lemon juice. Then blend the soup soup with a stick blender (or in the food processor or blender) until smooth. Add a little extra stock if the soup is too thick. Then season to taste.2 tsp lemon juice
- Serve as is, or garnish with seeds and chopped fresh herbs or a swirl of yogurt or cream.
Notes
- Keeps for 3 days in a covered container in the fridge.
- Freezes well – allow to cool, pack into plastic boxes and reheat in a pan or in the microwave.
- Use yellow or orange peppers instead of the red. This will give you a more golden pepper, tomato and lentil soup. You can use jarred roasted red peppers too, in which case you don’t need to roast them, but do give them a good rinse first..
- No fresh tomatoes? Add a 400 g can of tinned tomatoes and a generous spoonful of tomato puree. If you do this, reduce the volume stock by about a third.
- Mix up the herbs and spices. Roasted red pepper and tomato soup is delicious with a little red chilli or a sprinkling of any warming spice blend over the roasted vegetables.
- Brighten and lighten the soup with a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
- This recipe is 5 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion.
Kathy Hester
This looks amazing – on my list for dinner this week!