In my world soup must have two things: the soup itself must be full of flavor and topped with garnishes that are not only beautiful to look at but are a complement to the soup. This roasted red pepper tomato bisque – a creamy soup thickened with a little flour – is delicious all on its own, but it’s the homemade croutons with blue cheese crumbles that really makes it special.

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Bisque

Hello, New Year! How’d you get here so fast?

I thought I’d start the New Year with soup. Simple, timeless, and tasty. Oh, and comforting – for me, there’s nothing more soothing than a warm bowl of creamy soup. Especially this time of year after all of the holiday hustle and bustle has faded and we’re left with holiday decorations to pack up, a house to get back in order, and jobs to return to here in just a few days. Its sort of a melancholy time and soup goes well with that, especially a roasted red pepper tomato bisque that’s garnished with homemade croutons and blue cheese crumbles.

Some Ingredients You’ll Need

Jarred roasted red peppers: I love a short-cut and jarred roasted red peppers make this soup very easy to make. You can roast your own in a hot oven like a reader who made this recipe details in the comment section of this post.
Whole plum tomatoes: I like to use San Marzano tomatoes, which are tomatoes grown in the San Marzano region of Italy. The tomatoes are revered for their flavor and sweetness. I figure if I’m going to make the effort to use homemade soup using the best tomatoes, even if they are a few bucks more a can, is worth it. But, be aware: there are many “knock-off” brands that use phrases like “San Marzano-style” or are just flat out fakes. Cans of genuine San Marzano tomatoes are marked with “Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese Nocerino D.O.P.”
Vegetable stock: I used regular stock and you’ll notice there’s no added salt in the soup. If you use low-sodium vegetable stock or broth be sure to taste-test the soup and add additional salt, as needed.
Fresh thyme and parsley
French bread: I like to make my own croutons because 1) they don’t take long at all to make and 2) they’re softer than the ones sold at the grocery store. Plus, making your own means you can customize them to your taste by tossing them with different spices and seasonings.
Blue Cheese Crumbles: I love the tangy blue cheese crumbles with the creamy soup.
Heavy Cream: Right at the end, after the soup has simmered and before it’s served, add the cream. It gives the soup its velvety texture and helps balance all the acidity from the tomatoes and peppers. If you want to make the soup ahead to serve later, be sure to freeze the soup without the cream. To reheat, just gently warm the soup on the stove and stir the cream before serving and top with the garnishes.

More Comforting Soups

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Salsa Verde Taco Soup

Creamy Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup

French Onion Soup