Description
A velvety, smoky, and sweet soup made with jarred roasted red peppers, sautéed aromatics, and finished with a vibrant fresh basil swirl. It’s a quick, vegetarian-friendly comfort food that comes together in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 16 oz jarred roasted red peppers, drained
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (for basil swirl)
- Optional: 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Optional: Croutons
- Optional: Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the drained roasted red peppers and broth to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Remove the pot from heat. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender (in batches if using a countertop blender) or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the blended soup back into the pot if using a countertop blender. Stir in the heavy cream. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
- While the soup simmers, make the basil swirl by combining fresh basil leaves, 2 tablespoons of cream, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Blend or mash until a bright green paste forms. Add more cream if too thick.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Drizzle the basil swirl on top in a spiral pattern. Garnish with optional feta cheese, croutons, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Drain jarred peppers thoroughly to avoid watery soup. Sautéing the onions and garlic adds depth of flavor compared to using them raw. If using a countertop blender, do not fill more than halfway with hot liquid and hold the lid down with a towel. For a vegan version, substitute heavy cream with coconut or cashew cream and use vegetable broth. The soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 6
Keywords: roasted red pepper soup, basil swirl, creamy soup, vegetarian soup, quick dinner, comfort food, gluten-free soup, jarred peppers recipe