Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
This recipe for roasted red pepper and tomato soup celebrates the end of summer heat. Make a giant batch to freeze for cooler weather!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
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This roasted red pepper and tomato soup is more than just a recipe—it’s a celebration of the end of the summer heat. It’s the option in between gazpacho and creamy tomato soup. As the temperature finally calms down, I implore you to make this soup with the last ripe bell peppers and tomatoes.
This lovely, light soup is slightly spicy. It tastes more strongly of roasted red peppers than tomatoes, and the light smokiness brings Spanish cuisine to mind. It’s vegan as written, though you certainly add cream for a creamier soup. Perhaps the best thing about this soup is that it freezes well for later.
I originally shared this recipe over ten years ago on a rainy day with my dog, Cookie, by my side. It’s still one of my favorites, and revisiting it brings those moments back to life. I really miss my pup.
We’re growing both peppers and tomatoes in our backyard garden this year, though not enough to make a proper batch of this soup. Grace’s favorite thing to do is, “Pick some ’matoes,” and she checks for more cherry tomatoes at least twice a day. She pops them straight into her mouth and can’t get enough.
Now that I’ve bottled up my favorite summer flavors, I’ll soon be ready for creamy fall bisques and hearty vegetarian chili. What are you making next?
How to Make Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
You’ll find the full recipe below. To summarize, you’ll first roast all of the produce on two baking sheets—tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and garlic. Then, you’ll bring vegetable broth to a boil, add all of the roasted veggies, and simmer for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors. Lastly, blend the soup with an immersion blender or stand blender.
Recipe Variations
This red pepper and tomato soup is wonderfully flavorful and light as written. Here are a couple of variations that you might enjoy as well.
Make it creamy: For a more creamy texture and mellow flavor, blend some heavy cream or half and half into the soup (see the recipe notes for suggested amounts). Or, you can serve individual bowls with a drizzle of cream, or a dollop of sour cream or vegan sour cream.
Add fresh basil: For even more garden-fresh flavor, add anywhere between 5 to 15 fresh basil leaves to the blender at the end. Start with 5, blend, and add more if desired.
Watch How to Make Red Pepper & Tomato Soup
How to Freeze Soup for Later
This soup yields a large batch and freezes well. I recommend freezing soup in glass canning jars. Fill them no further than the freezer line (they need at least one inch of room at the top for expansion). Lightly screw the lids on, freeze fully, and then finish screwing the lids on (otherwise, pressure will build during the freezing process).
To defrost, transfer the jar to the refrigerator overnight. I love to use small, half-pint canning jars for freezing single servings of soup, which defrost more quickly than larger containers.
What to Serve with Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
I’ll vouch that this soup goes great with grilled cheese sandwiches and simple quesadillas. For a dairy-free option, try my hummus quesadillas. I also love it with avocado toast and basically any green salad.
More Warming Soups to Make
Here are just a few more of my favorite tomato-based soups and stews on Cookie and Kate. These are all designed for canned tomatoes rather than fresh.
- Classic Minestrone Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans)
- Seriously Good Vegetable Soup
- Tomato Soup (Lightened Up!)
- Tortilla Soup
View more soup and stew recipes here. As always, please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
Roasted red pepper and tomato soup to celebrate the end of summer heat. Make a giant batch to freeze for cooler weather! Recipe yields a lot of soup (about 12 cups), and leftovers freeze well.
Ingredients
- 8 to 9 medium tomatoes (about 5 pounds), cored and quartered
- 3 red bell peppers (about 1 pound), seeded and quartered
- 2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges about ¾” wide on the outer edges
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (omit if sensitive to spice)
- Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the upper third and middle of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the tomatoes on one of the prepared baking sheets. Place the bell peppers and onions on the other baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over each baking sheet.
- Gently toss the tomatoes until lightly coated in oil, then position the tomatoes so the skin sides are facing down. Set aside.
- Gently toss the onions and red peppers until they are lightly coated in oil (try to keep the onion wedges intact as best you can). Position the red peppers with the skin sides facing down. Place the unpeeled garlic cloves on the sheet, too.
- Place the tomatoes on the top rack of the oven and the peppers and onion on the middle rack. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender throughout and turning nicely golden on the edges.
- When the vegetables are done, bring the vegetable broth to boil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Peel your garlic and toss it in. Add the roasted vegetables, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, if using, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to maintain a steady simmer.
- Purée the soup using an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender in batches, several cups at a time. Season to taste with salt (I added another ½ teaspoon) and pepper. This soup keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for 4 days in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
Adapted from Heidi Swanson’s recipe for roasted tomato and red bell pepper soup in Super Natural Cooking and Sara of Sprouted Kitchen’s recipe for roasted tomato soup.
Make it creamy option: Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream or ¼ cup half and half to the soup for a more creamy texture and mellow flavor (add more to taste). Or, serve bowls with a dollop of sour cream or vegan sour cream.
Basil variation: Add anywhere between 5 to 15 fresh basil leaves to the blender (start with less, taste, and add more as desired).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this soup last night and it was amazing- I added some fresh cilantro to the veggies and simmering broth and it got blended in with the immersion blender. I also added a teaspoon of creme fraiche and some fresh Parmesan cheese.
Quick note: there wasn’t mention of when to add the spices, so I assumed it was either when the veggies roast or when the broth is simmering. I added the spices to the simmering broth.
I can’t wait to have this again for dinner tonight! Thank you so much for amazing recipes- they’re right up my alley!
Yes, you are correct Alicia! I am happy you like it so much. It is an oldie, but a goodie. Thank you, for your review!
Hello, justing wondering when we are to add in the smoked paprika and cayenne? It doesn’t state in the directions.
Do you need to take the skins off prior to blending ?
Yes, please see step 2! :)
When do you add in the spices? When it’s put into the blender ? Or over the veggies ?
Thanks for the great recipies!
See steps 3 & 4. Hope this helps!
I use the recipes on this site every week and have loved almost all of them. I am truly grateful for you as a source of wonderful dishes. However, this tomato soup was one recioe that I didn’t care for at all.
I found the soup too smokey tasting (from the paprika) with too much heat from the cayenne. For ME, the soup lacked much flavor, other than the smokiness and heat. It seemed impossible that the beautiful flavors of the roasted tomatoes, red peppers and onions would be lost, but somehow, they were. Oh, also – the garlic cloves I roasted at the same time were IMPOSSIBLE to peel since the garlic within had become a paste at that point, and very difficult to remove from the cloves, so my soup also lacked garlic.
Finally, the instructions appear to lack the information on when to add the paprika/cayenne.
I will continue to cook and enjoy your recipes, but this one will not be a repeat.
Hi Lauren! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this one!
I love this soup! I always add shredded chicken, lime, and cilantro to it but otherwise it’s an amazing soup!!
Thanks for your review, Rob!
Amazingly flavorful. My new favorite mater soup version :)
Thank you for your feedback!
Absolutely love this recipe we are in a women’s refudge so meals like this go along way keep them coming!! The kids love it as well that says a lot 5 stars!
Wonderful, Caroline!
I have tried this recipe 2 or 3 time in the last couple of weeks, adapting quantities and ingredients, depending on what I have in at homeland how much time I have . Works like a charm each time, just love it.
PS: Have made it only with water, not stock , as I have not been able to get around to making it, tastes divine anyway.
Thank you for sharing, Padmini!
Can’t wait to make this!
Greetings from Greece.
Let me know what you think when you try it!
Thanks, Kate. I’ve made this recipe a few times and my family always loves it. This last time I was the recipient of a few dozen of my neighbor’s tomatoes and made a very large batch. I decided to can it and it did beautifully! I’m on to Split Pea and will can that as well.
I’m glad you love it, Moira! Thanks so much for your review.
Hi
Regarding your tomato and red pepper soup – you mention paprika and cayenne pepper in the list of ingredients but they don’t appear in the method. When do you add them please?
Thanks, Chris
Perhaps you should advise people to remove the tomato skins before blending them. I spent quite a while using a slotted spoon to fish the ribbons of tough unappetizing skins out. The flavor is good. I didn’t add all the broth because I wanted a creamy soup and added half and half. I will serve with dollops of sour cream and torn basil leaves.
Hi,
Am not a fan of spice so i just used garlic and i roated the peppers on the barbecue but WOW!!!! What a soup. I have been making soup for the last 30 odd yrs off and on. But this is amazing.
I let it cool overnight and tasted it cold. I could have eaten the whole bowl COLD or hot its delicious
THANK YOU☺
LOVE this recipe! I made it for the 2nd time this week so that I could freeze some for winter. I used less veggie stock (3 cups) bc the first time I made it didn’t have the creamier texture I wanted. I also doubled the paprika and added about 1/2 cup of fresh basil during the simmering at the end. Yummy ;-)
I love that, Dawn!
Hi Kate, Do you have a preferred type of tomato that you use to make this soup? I am interested in trying it and wonder if it makes a difference. Thanks!
Just doing this recipe (looks yummy so far!) but it doesn’t say when to add in the spices? I guess in with the vegetable broth, when you add the tomatoes, peppers & onions?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah! I’m so sorry about that. I’ve corrected the recipe.
Made this as a light lunch today and served with some warm bread; delicious!
Made this for lunches and shared with my brother and mother. I was told it was the best soup theyve ever had ! A+
Loved this soup and love how healthy it is (and vegan!). Very easy to make and quite quick. I think I added too much cayenne so came out pretty spicy. More simple vegan soup recipes please!
My wife made this today and i have to say it was absolutely delicious following the recipe exactly as written.
The added bonus is that we had a surplus of fresh tomatoes from the green house and still many kilos of frozen tomatoes to take us through winter, we thank you kindly for the recipe tomatoes
I’m wondering if it’s essential to core the tomatoes? I usually roast mine whole, but am curious to know if it makes a difference in the recipe :)
Hi! I find it works best to get rid of the hard core for texture and flavor.
I made this soup this evening. A terrific, healthy soup. Great recipe. Will make this over and over again. Your recipes are wonderful and enjoyable to make. Thank you
Can’t wait to make this…so many tomatoes! I have the cooking blender from Pampered Chef. Do you think I could put everything in the blender on the “soup” setting after the roasting process?
Hi Stacy! I’m not familiar with that blender. I would suggest following the instructions as listed for best results and transfer in step 7.
Made this soup for the first time today. Followed the recipe exactly and the result was the nicest red pepper tomato soup I’ve ever had. Accidentally over seasoned with pepper at the end so added a 1/4 tin of coconut milk for extra creaminess and to mellow out the pepper. Served it with some grated parmesan, chilli flakes and fresh sourdough and the pot is empty. No leftovers here
I made this recipe tonight. It turned out great. I will definitely be making it again. This recipe is a keeper. I made a few changes and I added a small can of tomato paste. When I was roasting the veggies, I turned the oven to broil for the last bit of cooking. My house smelled yummy!!
Please help.
I seem to have lots of “stock” (flavored water) left over.
In an effort to make it better I’m pretty sure I made it worse!
I will be freezing mine also for winter
Let’s hope it’s the warmest winter in history!
Great recipe if done correctly.
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. Did you blend it?
Just made this soup and it tasted really amazing! I used a mix of vine and cherry vine tomatoes and cooked a small handful of red lentils in the broth to give it a creamy texture… added a dash of balsamic glaze and tomato purée for a flavour boost. Worth noting that I didn’t need to remove any skins. They blended well. Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing how you changed this one up, Sarah!
Can this soup be served cold, as a gazpacho?
Sure, you could try it! Let me know what you think, Judy.
I did try it, and yes, it is delicious cold! A new summer soup for these hot days.
Just made this for the first time and it was delicious! I feel like I often struggle with soups because they benefit from some instinct around proportions / amounts of spice, and that is not my strength, but in this case I found the proportions as written to be spot on. As someone who adds cream/dairy to pretty much anything it can be added to, I didn’t miss it at all in the dairy-free version – it was super creamy just from the blended veg (though I will trying adding some at some point!) Can’t wait to taste these summer flavors again this winter.
I’m glad you enjoyed this soup, Jess!
I used frozen tomatoes from the garden and when I roasted them there was a ton of liquid and very little tomato left. I was draining liquid from the pan during roasting so they didn’t stew. I ended up not needing any broth at all and the soup was amazing. I added some fresh basil to it at the end. Love this soup!
Making a pot right now! I added a can of coconut milk at the end to make it creamy. Can’t wait to dig in!
I made your recipe and it was great! I had a few extra veggies lying around (zucchini and carrot) so I put them in too in order to use them up! :)
This is a great recipe. It is my go to soup. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes.
How is that beautiful baby doing?
Thank you, Christine! She is growing so fast.
Made this for dinner and added some double cream (UK)
So tasty thank you!
You’re welcome! Thank you for your review.
I made this exactly as per the recipe (minus the cayenne) and it was so yummy, everyone loved it! And easy, too, since you don’t have to peel the peppers! It’s on my make it again and again list (like most of your recipes that I’ve tried…). Thanks!
What do you mean by vegetable broth? Is it stock or is it soup? TIA
Hi! You will need a liquid base for the soup, as to why I call for a broth. I hope that helps!
Unfortunately this was the worst soup recipe I have ever made. I used less peppers than the recipe calls for, and the taste of peppers is way too strong. I’ve tried to fix up the flavor, but nothing is succeeding. Will just throw it out and look for another recipe. Very disappointed, as every other recipe that I have made from this website has been excellent and has become a staple for me.
Hi Leslie, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this recipe.
I had some tomatoes on my counter and was thinking about making plain tomato soup, then I saw this recipe, and what a game changer. First, the house smelled so good with the red peppers roasting. Second, the soup is absolutely delicious. I didn’t even wait for it to cool, I just dove in. I’m eating it with a Caprese sandwich, perfect combo!! I will definitely make this again. My plan is to freeze a few cups worth for later. I always follow a first-time recipe and I won’t be making any changes at least for me and the hub!
Loving this soup…i make it wee bit different and add chilli instead of cayenne but will have to try it with cayenne. Absolutely, scrumpy. Thankyou
This is a winner. I love this soup so much. I did not put any cream in it this time, but next timeI will and see how I like that. I am so glad it can be frozen as I have a ton of tomatoes to use up. Thank you so much.
Glad you enjoyed it, Liz! Thank you for your review.
Hi Kate! Another great recipe, thank you. I love everything tomato and adore homemade tomato soup but never thought of roasting first! I live in the deep south and we’re getting into fall so this soup will be out in repeat. Thank you again!
Thank you, Catherine! I hope you love this one. I’m loving the cooler weather right now!
Are you freezing in jars or bags?
Hi Debbie! I froze in mason jars, but bags would also work. I have freezing instructions for the jars within the post.
Such a yummy soup to transition between seasons! I added basil and it was perfect.
Kate, just curious (if you feel like sharing) – did you do baby-led weaning with Grace?
Hi Lori, I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Yes, I did baby-led weaning with Grace, although we didn’t follow the tenets 100 percent. We mashed up anything we felt nervous about. :) I found the Solid Starts app super helpful and paid for one year of their subscription so I could track her foods for a while.
Great, thank you for that info! :)
Hi. This looks delicious and is one of our favorites! What would your recommendations be for a “cheater version” of this using canned fire-roasted tomatoes and jarred fire-roasted red peppers? How many cans of tomatoes and how many jars of peppers? Thank you!
Hi Sandy! I hadn’t thought of that. The flavor would be almost entirely dependent on the quality of those two ingredients. I didn’t measure the quantity of peppers and tomatoes after roasting, so I’d really be guessing on the cans/jars required (and roasted red pepper jars vary in size). If I were to roughly guess, I’d guess that they both lose 25% of their moisture content during roasting, so you’d need about 4 pounds canned tomatoes and 3/4 pound (12 ounces) roasted red peppers (dry weight).
I lost my dog of 13 years in February 2022 and still think of her anytime I am cooking with her favourites (cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, red peppers, cheese!) It gets less painful with time but I still miss her.
This recipe looks delicious, thank you for reposting! I love your soup recipes. Your roasted butternut squash is a favourite and made often in the fall.
Hi Deb, I feel the same way every time I find myself peeling carrots or sweet potatoes. When Grace isn’t home, it feels really lonely in the kitchen without either of them. I’m so glad to know that you enjoy the butternut soup. Thank you for your note.
I love your recipes! The vegetarian chili is one of my favorites and I make it often. I can’t wait to try this pepper and tomato soup.
Thank you, Patricia! I hope you love this one just as much.
Okay… I usually love all your recipes and this looked too good when it arrived in my inbox this wk… it’s the first official day of autumn so I’m saying hello to soup season and goodbye to summer by making this recipe. Everything is currently roasting in the oven as per your instructions! I’m excited to try the finished product ❤️
Thank you, Sarah! I hope it turned out wonderfully!
I just made this soup and I loved it! I love all your recipes!
Hooray! Thank you, Lisa!
Just made this soup. It is delightful! The roasted red pepper elevates the tomatoes to new levels in my opinion. It is so exciting when something do good for you also tastes amazing. It will be a new staple for me this falls and winter. Thank you
Thank you, Mo! And cheers to healthy and delicious food!