This roasted red pepper soup is quick, easy, and satisfying, with quinoa added for a boost of protein. You’ll love the subtle sweet, smoky flavor of the peppers in this soup!
This roasted red pepper soup is one of my favorites, because it checks all the boxes that I look for in a soup. It’s comforting, rich, filling, healthy, and super easy to make. Plus, it's vegan and gluten-free!
Soup is often served as a side, but this roasted red pepper soup is a meal all by itself. The secret? It has quinoa in it! Adding a protein like quinoa to a soup full of veggies makes for a well-rounded meal. Add in the fact that it only takes about an hour to make this soup from start to finish, and it’s not hard to see why this is one of my favorite recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Red Pepper Soup Recipe
- Layers of flavor. Roasting the peppers first intensifies their natural sweetness and adds a smoky element that makes this red pepper soup extra delicious. Don’t be afraid to really let those peppers blacken—that’s what makes them so flavorful!
- A boost of protein. A lot of pureed veggie soups leave you wanting more, but this red pepper soup has quinoa added to it, making it much more substantive. This is a soup that eats like a meal!
- Easy to make. Some soups need a long simmer on the stovetop to develop their flavor, but roasting the peppers first allows us to bypass this step—which means your soup is on the table ready to eat faster! Prep time for this red pepper soup is also minimal, which is a bonus after a long day of work.
What You’ll Need
Here’s everything you need to make this comforting red pepper and tomato soup. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact quantities for each ingredient.
- Red peppers – Red bell peppers are naturally sweet; while yellow and orange peppers have a similar flavor, they’re not quite as pretty in this soup!
- Tomatoes – I use fresh tomatoes, but you can substitute a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes when they’re not in season.
- Tomato sauce – This intensifies the tomato flavor in the soup.
- White onion – You can also use yellow or red onions, but a white onion is preferable.
- Garlic – You can add more for an extra garlicky red pepper soup.
- Olive oil – Or another oil you like to use for cooking.
- Salt and pepper – Be sure to use freshly-ground black pepper.
- Seasonings – Dried thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Vegetable broth – If you’re not vegetarian, you can use chicken broth.
- Cooked quinoa – Here’s how to cook quinoa.
- Hot sauce – Optional, for a bit of a kick.
What’s the Easiest Way to Cut Bell Peppers?
Cut the top and bottom off the pepper. Stand the pepper on the cutting board, then cut a slit in it vertically. Open up the pepper from the slit and place it flat on the cutting board. Run a knife along the inside to remove the core (with the seeds) and the ribs.
How To Make Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- Prep the peppers. Place the red peppers on a baking sheet, skin-side up. Press them down to flatten them, and turn on your broiler.
- Roast the peppers. Broil the peppers until the skins are blackened. This should take 10-15 minutes, although it depends on your broiler—keep a close eye on them.
- Peel the peppers. Remove the peppers from the oven, and place them in a heat-proof resealable bag. Let them sit for 15 minutes, then remove them from the bag and peel off the skin. Slice the peppers and set them aside.
- Heat the aromatics. Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Stir the onions and garlic into the pot, and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, red peppers, vegetable broth, cooked quinoa, herbs, and spices to the pot.
- Cook. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot, and cook for 20-25 minutes.
- Blend. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a smooth consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer the soup to a standing blender, and blend.
- Serve. If you’re using hot sauce, stir it into the soup, then serve while hot.
Tips For Success
- Use homemade broth. One way to elevate any soup is to use a homemade broth. The flavor you get from homemade stock is so much better than anything you’ll buy in the store. This recipe is great with any kind of vegetable broth, but it reaches a new level with homemade broth. I like to use my Instant Pot mushroom vegan bone broth.
- Add extra cooking time. One of my favorite things about this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make. But if you have extra time, almost any soup can benefit from simmering a little bit longer. The longer you cook this soup, the more intense the flavors will become. If you have the time, cook it for an hour or two. However, keep an eye on the consistency, as you may need to add a little more veggie broth if you cook it longer.
- Salt at the end. When adding the ingredients to the soup, go light on the salt. Then, before serving, taste the soup and add salt as needed. Different veggie broths and hot sauces have different sodium levels, and the amount of time that you cook the soup will impact how salty it is. Wait until the very end to add the rest of the salt, to make sure that you don’t over-salt the soup.
Garnish Ideas
One of the things I love about veggie soups like this roasted red pepper soup is that you can add all kinds of toppings to make them your own! Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Coconut milk or yogurt
- Cashew Cream
- Fresh herbs
- Crispy Chickpeas
- Spicy Raw Kale Chips
- Vegan Sour Cream
What To Serve With Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Round out your meal by serving red pepper soup with:
- Warm Detox Farro Salad With Kale
- Easy Roasted Zucchini
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- Mini Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers
This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until warm all the way through, about 5 minutes. You can also microwave the soup on 80% power in 30-second increments.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
This roasted red pepper soup is a great recipe to freeze. Store it in an airtight container and it will last for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or defrost before reheating.
More Cozy Soups to Make
- Vegan Creamy Broccoli Soup
- Healing Cauliflower Holiday Soup
- Creamy Chili Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Anti-Inflammatory Ginger & Turmeric Carrot Soup
- Super Healthy Green Detox Soup
- Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Roasted Red Pepper Soup With Tomatoes and Quinoa
Ingredients
- 2 red peppers seeded
- 2 large tomato diced
- 1 can 14.5 oz tomato sauce
- 1 small white onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ¾ cup cooked quinoa
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Turn on broiler and flatten the seeded peppers, skin side up, on a cookie sheet.
- Roast for about 10 – 15 minutes, until the skins are blackened. Remove from the oven and immediately place the peppers in a resealable bag. After 15 minutes, remove the peppers and rub off the skin. Slice into 1” pieces and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, red peppers, vegetable broth, quinoa, herbs and spices. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 20 – 25 minutes.
- Remove soup from the heat and blend with an immersion blender or in a high-speed blender (in two batches), until smooth. Stir in hot sauce if desired.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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