This roasted red pepper soup is an easy, comforting weeknight meal. Roasting sweet red bell peppers, onion, and garlic builds a rich, smoky base that simmers with carrots, celery, crushed tomatoes, and broth. After blending to a silky consistency and finishing with a touch of heavy cream and fresh herbs, you get a flavorful, vegetarian soup that’s also gluten-free and lower in carbs.
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
The recipe features roasted peppers as the star, balanced by tomato, garlic, and Italian herbs. A splash of heavy cream gives the soup a velvety finish. Serve it as a cozy family dinner or keep it on hand for quick lunches during the week — it’s satisfying, nutritious, and simple to make.
Ingredients for Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Below is an overview of the main ingredients. Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card further down.
- Red bell peppers (quartered), yellow onion (sliced), garlic cloves (whole), carrots (chopped), celery (chopped), canned crushed tomatoes — you can mix in yellow or orange peppers if you like.
- Avocado oil (or your preferred cooking oil such as olive or canola).
- Vegetable broth and heavy cream — swap chicken broth if not vegetarian, or use coconut milk/cashew cream for a dairy-free option.
- Italian seasoning, fresh basil, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper for seasoning.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Soup
This vegetarian soup comes together quickly. Follow the steps below for a smooth, flavorful result.
Roast peppers, onions, and garlic
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone liner. Toss quartered peppers, sliced onion, and whole garlic cloves with half the oil so everything is well coated. Arrange in a single layer with pepper skin side up and roast about 18 minutes, then finish under the broiler for 2 minutes to get charred bits.
Sauté carrots and celery
In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the chopped carrots and celery and cook 5–6 minutes until softened. Add fresh basil and sauté another minute until fragrant.
Simmer
Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then add the roasted vegetables and garlic. Simmer for about 5 minutes to marry the flavors.
Blend
Carefully puree the soup until smooth. You can use an immersion blender directly in the pot or transfer batches to a blender or food processor. Return the blended soup to the pot if needed, stir in the heavy cream and thyme leaves, warm gently, then serve.
Once blended, return the soup to the pot if needed, stir in heavy cream and thyme, and adjust seasoning before serving.
How to serve roasted red pepper soup
Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs for an attractive finish. A little grated Parmesan is optional. The soup pairs beautifully with grilled cheese, crusty bread, or a simple salad for a light vegetarian meal.
Low-carb side ideas
- Spinach stuffed mushrooms
- Chaffle grilled cheese (use keto chaffles instead of bread)
- Keto three-cheese biscuits
- Homemade croutons made from low-carb chaffles
- Zucchini fritters
Storage and reheating
- Cool the soup completely before sealing in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 5 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave at 50% power in 1-minute intervals, stirring between, or reheat the whole pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
Freezing
This soup freezes well. Cool completely, place in freezer-safe containers leaving room for expansion, and store up to six months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for best texture.
Tips for the best red pepper soup
- Use store-bought jarred roasted peppers if you need to save time (about 24 oz). If you use jarred peppers, sauté the onion and garlic with the carrots and celery instead of roasting them.
- For deeper garlic flavor, roast a whole head of garlic and add extra cloves while simmering.
- Try a mix of red, yellow, and orange peppers for a multi-dimensional flavor; roast them the same way as red peppers.
- If you don’t have crushed tomatoes, diced or whole canned tomatoes work — the soup is blended so texture will be smooth.
Other soups you might enjoy
- Easy mushroom soup
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- Butternut squash soup (dairy-free option)
- Slow cooker potato soup
- Quick and easy tomato soup
- Roasted cauliflower soup
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or pot
Ingredients
- ¼ cup avocado oil, divided
- 4 red bell peppers, quartered and seeds removed
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 8 cloves garlic, whole
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet.
- Toss quartered peppers, sliced onion, and whole garlic cloves with 2 tbsp oil. Arrange in a single layer (peppers skin side up) and roast 18 minutes. Turn oven to broil and broil 2 minutes for charred bits.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots and celery and cook 5–6 minutes until softened. Stir in basil and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Add vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then add the roasted vegetables and garlic and boil 5 minutes.
- Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or by working in batches in a counter-top blender. Return soup to the pot, stir in heavy cream and thyme, adjust seasoning, and serve.
Notes
If using store-bought roasted peppers, you’ll need about 24 oz; skip roasting onion and garlic and sauté them with the celery and carrots. This soup is delicious on its own or with grilled cheese or crusty bread. Though primarily a roasted pepper soup, it has a noticeable tomato character and aromatic herbs.
Nutrition
Serving size: 1.5 cup • Calories: 254 kcal • Carbohydrates: 23.7 g • Protein: 4.6 g • Fat: 17.1 g • Cholesterol: 22.4 mg • Sodium: 848.5 mg • Fiber: 6.1 g • Sugar: 13.9 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Main Course • Cuisine: American, Italian
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