Spanish Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup Recipe
A smooth, creamy soup with an intense flavor of roasted peppers and tomatoes, with a light note of garlic and smoked paprika. It’s like a warm cousin of gazpacho – instead of a chilled soup you get a bowl of comforting, warming cream. Perfect for an autumn lunch or dinner, when beautiful peppers are still in season but evenings are getting cooler.
Roasting the peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic in a hot oven concentrates their natural sweetness and adds a subtle smoky note, giving the soup a deep, complex flavor with very simple ingredients. The texture is silky and creamy, yet still light enough for an everyday meal.
Chef's tips
Roast the vegetables until they are really well browned – don’t be afraid of darker spots on the skins, as long as they are not completely burnt. This is what gives the soup its characteristic depth. If your blender isn’t very powerful, strain the soup through a fine sieve for an ultra-smooth texture. Adjust the amount of vinegar at the end: a little acidity beautifully brightens the flavor of the roasted vegetables.
How to serve
Serve with crunchy croutons or slices of toasted baguette rubbed with garlic. A spoonful of natural yogurt or Greek yogurt on top works well instead of cream. For a more substantial meal, add a side of grilled cheese sandwiches or a plate of Spanish-style tapas such as olives and marinated peppers.
Ingredients
- pepper red bell peppers, ripe - 4 pieces
- tomatoes ripe, fleshy - 5 pieces
- onion yellow or white - 1 piece
- garlic - 4 cloves
- vegetable stock hot - 700 ml
- olive oil extra virgin - 3 tablespoons
- sweet paprika ground - 1 teaspoon
- wine vinegar red or white - 1 tablespoon
- cream for cooking - 50 ml
- bread for croutons - 2 slices
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Wash the peppers, cut them in half and remove the seeds and membranes. Cut the tomatoes in half. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Leave the garlic in its skin.
- Place the peppers skin-side up on the tray, then add the tomatoes, onion and garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lightly salt.
- Roast the vegetables for 25–30 minutes, until the skins of the peppers and tomatoes are well browned and darkened in spots. Those charred bits will give the soup its intense flavor.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with a plate or foil for 10 minutes – the steam will help loosen the skins. After this time, peel the peppers and tomatoes, and squeeze the garlic out of its skins.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the roasted onion, peeled peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, stir and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Pour in the stock, add the vinegar, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend the soup with a hand blender until completely smooth.
- Stir in the cream, taste and season with salt and black pepper. If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water.
- Cut the bread slices into cubes and toast them in a dry pan or in the oven until golden and crisp to make croutons.
- Serve the soup hot, topped with croutons and a little cream or olive oil for decoration.
Storage
Zupę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku, najlepiej bez śmietanki, którą możesz dodać dopiero przy podgrzewaniu. Nadaje się do mrożenia do 2 miesięcy; rozmrażaj w lodówce i podgrzewaj na małym ogniu, mieszając.
