Spicy Roasted Tomatoes and Red Bell Pepper Soup

Roasted Tomato Pepper Soup (02) by MeetaK

Rustic and easy. Often I crave the simple dishes. There are certain food combinations that simply work extremely well together. One of them for me are tomatoes and bell peppers. Both have a sweet and tangy flavor and the crunchiness of the peppers is a wonderful contrast to the juicy softness of the tomatoes. Add a bit of chili and you've got an explosive flavor!

Roasting both the pepper and tomatoes together is like a beautiful love affair. The sweet harmony of flavors that are intertwined with each other is incredible. I often cannot resist and end up eating a larger part of the roasted vegetables as soon as I pull them out of the oven. So, I have gotten used to making an extra few for the impatient glutton in me.  

This soup is so easy to make: roasted veggies, extra-virgin olive oil, a few garlic cloves and a hint of smoky paprika. The flavor you get is a lovely mix of roasted and garlicky vegetables, just waiting to be enjoyed. The kick for this soup is that I roast the garlic and the chili right along with the tomatoes and bell peppers.

This soup deserves the best and I am very particular to buy the freshest organic produce. Once you've tasted organic tomatoes and peppers you'll never want to go back again. The aroma of the organic produce is intense and the flavor pure and powerful. Not watery or insipid like it's often the case. 

Tomatoes (04) by MeetaK

Once the vegetables are pulled out of the oven and the sensational aroma of roasted pepper and garlic fills the kitchen, all I do in throw everything in a large pot and a bit of vegetable stock and puree. How easy is that?


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MM healthy family dinners

  • Join us for Healthy Family Dinners this mingle
  • We're looking for good, healthy and nutritious meals
  • My guest hostess this month is Michelle of What's Cooking Blog
  • Deadline for your entries - February 9, 2009

 


 

Recipe Spicy Roasted Tomatoes and Red Bell Pepper Soup

Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.

5 large tomatoes, quartered
10-20 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
2 red chilies
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
5-6 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
Extra-virgin oil
750ml - 1 l vegetable stock
Fine grain fleur de sel
Freshly cracked black pepper
Good pinch of smoked paprika powder
Crema di Balsamico (optional)

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Rub two baking sheets with olive oil.

  2. In a mixing bowl mix together the tomatoes, bell peppers, chilies, onions and garlic with a generous drizzle of olive olive oil, a good sprinkle of fleur de sel and cracked black pepper.

  3. Divide the mixture between the two baking sheets and bake in the oven, rotating top to bottom about halfway, for approx. 30-45 minutes. Keep an eye on the vegetables as they begin to brown. As each oven works differently you might have to take them out before the stated time.

  4. About half way through the baking time give the vegetables a mix to allow for even cooking. Basically you want to try and extract some of the liquid found in the vegetables and get them to caramelize so that their natural sweetness is released.

  5. Take the sheets out and peel the garlic, then throw all the ingredients in a large bowl, blender or food processor, add the stock and purée according to your desired consistency. I like mine thick with a bit of chunks in them.

  6. Pour the soup into a pot and gently bring to a boil to heat through, sprinkle with some smoked paprika powder and taste for seasoning.

  7. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of creme di balsamico (if using).

Serving tips: I love serving simple grilled cheese sandwiches with this. Take a few slices of whole grain toast and cover with your favorite cheese. Place another toast slice. Heat some olive oil in a pan and gently roast the sandwich until the cheese melts. Together with a salad this is one gorgeous meal!

 


Verdict

Roasted Tomato Pepper Soup (01) by MeetaK

When there is a chill outside, I find nothing satisfies us more than a good bowl of soup. The heat of the chilies is always a good contrast to the nip in the air. There is soup and then there is SOUP. This is certainly SOUP; good fresh products, a delicious cooking method and it's no fuss. This makes soup a SOUP in my books. How about you?

I am sending this warm SOUP to my dear blogger buddy Lisa for No Croutons Required, who is looking for Vegetable Soups. Hope you like this one Lisa!

You might like these soups from WFLH:

ChestnutPotatoSoup06 Mushroom Cream Soup 03a framed BellPepperSoup03
Chestnut Potato Soup Mushroom Cream Soup with Thyme Parmesan Chips Red Bell Pepper Soup

From around the blogs:

Daily Tiffin Reading Tip:

 


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

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46 comments:

  1. Oh wow the colour of this is so vibrant! It looks and sounds like it was fantastic! YUM!

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  2. Oh I love tomatoes & bell peppers together (esp. the roasted ones). The flavors together are just perfect.Perfect bright soup for winters.

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  3. I m not much of a soup person but this is really tempting me since i love roasted peppers. You always come up with the most amazing dishes

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  4. Delicious and warming.
    I love the combitation.
    Nothing better that a warming soup on a cold day.

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  5. Just snowed 6 inches overnight and I could sure go for this soup right about now!

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  6. We need a bowlful right now...looks gorgeous :-)

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  7. This looks so good and yummy!

    I love the pictures. You always do a great job at it.

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  8. Fantastic! A delicious and colorful soup!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  9. I love your entry Meeta! Thanks so much. Did you send us an email though? I don't see one in the inbox.

    Hugs,
    Lisa

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  10. This sounds amazing! I just bought my little sis a hand blender. Am emailing this recipe to her urgently...

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  11. Chill in the air, demands soup! And yes I love red bell peppers and tomatoes roasted together. I think you've hit all the bases with this one Metta.

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  12. This soup makes my mouth water. It looks lovely and is now next on my soup list. yum!

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  13. I love this soup, peppers and tomatoes are wonderful together! I have my own version of this soup on my blog as well, haven't made it in a while though. Beautiful tomatoes, I can't find good tomatoes here in the stores these days... :(

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  14. I just made it and it was excellent...I made a pesto grilled cheese to go with it! Thanks for posting! :)

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  15. Comforting and delicious Meeta! The colours are so vibrant!

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  16. Wow, looks like a fancier upgrade to the other Red Bell Pepper Soup recipe! I've made the other recipe dozens of times since you first posted it (my boyfriend's fav), so I'll be sure to try this one, too.

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  17. Beautiful pics and lovely looking soup!

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  18. Lovely and comforting soup.Its a must in winter.

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  19. What a gorgeous red color! Love the idea of roasting the tomatoes and peppers together -- I might even sneak outside to the grill and cook them over the fire.

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  20. Your pics are always always to die for....ahhhhhhhh

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  21. It's amazing how roasting can transform the flavours of vegetables...the soup is soup yet gorgeous.

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  22. I've always wanted to try this soup, it's only a matter of time...

    Excellent shot of the tomatoes!

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  23. Rich, creamy, hot, delightful and flavourful soup.

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  24. I love all the ingredients in this recipe. I would love to try this with a cheese sammich. ;-)

    Paz

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  25. Spicy, rustic, easy... characteristics of a perfect dish, in my opinion!! :-)

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  26. Moreish Meeta...fab soup. Love the organic (& very beautiful) veggies that went in. Spot on about roasting veggies; brings out the best of flavours!

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  27. I adore this - I can't wait to try it out myself!

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  28. Interesting that you used both regular and cherry tomatoes for this. I can almost smell the wonderful aroma of those roasted veggies.

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  29. What a beautiful soup Meeta! Love the addition of creme di balsamico... I have some at home but used it only once for the salad... thank you for reminding me :)

    Have a good day, Margot

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  30. Thanks so much everyone! I somehow knew this soup would excite your tastebuds!!

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  31. This certainly does excite my tastebuds! I want some right now! I love these types of soups where you roast everything first...such magnificent flavor!

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  32. this looks great meeta! grilled cheese and soup.. delicious!

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  33. I could use a bowl of this delicious soup right now! It's -15 outside. Wonderful flavours.

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  34. Lovely, lovely soup. But what you really want - pancakes!

    Hehe.

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  35. Thank you thank you for all your comments. Lovely that this simple and easy soup is being liked by so many of my blogger friends.

    Jenny - you mean girl you!! ;-)

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  36. Oh you are so right that the most simple ingredients may make the best combination. I just have a perfect recipe for Monthly Mingles which I shall be sending over to Michelle. Your pictures are stunning.

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  37. Your photography is so awesome. Just love to death tomato and roasted peppers soup. Especially when it's spicy!!!! Just give us a little sour cream on top, and we're in heaven.

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  38. I had made this sometime ago and it tasted delicious. I think I added Italian spice mix and it was quite aromatic :)

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  39. This is one of my favorite soups! So simple and so good!

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  40. made this today and it is so flavourful! Thanks for the recipe

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Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta