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Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Bisque

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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. 

two bowl of roasted red pepper tomato bisque on a striped kitchen towel

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.

Roasted red pepper tomato bisque in a white bowl

More Comforting Soups

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Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Bisque

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: April @ Girl Gone Gourmet
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

A creamy roasted red pepper and tomato bisque garnished with croutons and blue cheese crumbles.

Scale

Ingredients

For the Soup

  • 4 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 tablespoons of flour
  • 1 (28) ounce can whole plum tomatoes
  • 12-ounce jar whole roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley, plus more chopped for garnish
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup cream

For the Garnish

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 thick slices French bread cut into medium-sized cubes
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook the vegetables until they start to soften about 5-10 minutes. Add the flour to the vegetables and stir. Add the red peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Break up the tomatoes with a spatula and let it all cook together for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring the pot to a simmer. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the smashed garlic and let it cook for a few minutes in the oil (keep it moving around the pan). After a couple of minutes, transfer the garlic to the other pot with the soup, reserving the oil.
  3. Add the bread cubes to the pan and toss to coat them in the oil. Season them with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Toast the cubes in the pan for just a few minutes. Keep a close eye on them because they can burn easily. Once toasted, remove the croutons from the pan and set aside.
  4. Once the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, remove the parsley, thyme stems, and bay leaf. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or stand blender. Wipe out the stockpot and pour the soup back into the pot through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the solids. Reheat the soup over medium heat. Once warmed, add the cream.
  5. Top each serving with the croutons, blue cheese crumbles, and chopped parsley.

Notes

The soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the soup without the cream. Once the soup is strained, transfer it to freezer containers. To serve, gently reheat the soup on the stove. Add the cream, garnishes, and serve.

  • Category: Soups & Stews
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 551
  • Fat: 43.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 34.3g
  • Fiber: 7.2g
  • Protein: 10.9g

Keywords: roasted red pepper tomato bisque, roasted red pepper soup

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    I was trying to find a recipe that was similar to a local restaurant’s roasted red pepper tomato soup and this was pretty much it! It was easily adaptable to a slow cooker – I just put everything in (other than cream but added the garlic and olive oil) and cooked on high for 3-ish hours until the veggies were soft. I also stirred the flour into the melted butter before adding. Once done, I used an immersion blender and didn’t need to strain since everything was cooked down. Added the cream and reheated for about 30 minutes. Absolutely delicious with some warm crusty sourdough!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • April Anderson says

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your slow cooker tips 🙂 Also, thanks for the rating – I appreciate it!

      Reply

  2. Jennifer says

    I just made this. It was fantastic! I did not make the croutons and did not do the blue cheese. We just ate them with grilled cheese sandwiches. They had a ton of flavor and parents and kids both were happy! HUGE step up from plain tomato soup.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  3. Erica says

    I make this every year for a “soup club” that I’m in. The blue cheese is amazing in it! I don’t strain it, texture and taste is wonderful without the extra step.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  4. Stefanie says

    Absolutely love this recipe!! I used Feta instead of blue cheese, it’s all I had on hand. Turned out wonderfully, will definitely make again.

    Reply

  5. Reenie says

    This was so easy and wonderfully delicious. I loved the blue cheese crumbles. I went organic and roasted my own peppers. I didn’t bother to skin, just followed the directions and after simmering, placed ingredients in my nutri bullet which gave it a wonderful texture.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  12. Suzi Anderson says

    Recently made this soup and it’s terrific. Blue Cheese crumbles are great on top , but the best part is the heavenly smells that fill the kitchen! Great recipe! Can’t wait to make it for friends.

    Reply

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