Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

The weather is changing and getting a bit cooler; this is the best time to start perfecting my soup recipes. Soup is one of my favourite comfort foods during winter, especially my Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup. This dish is perfect as a dinner starter, or I love it for lunch, just add a handful of rustic croutons.

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

You may recall a previous recipe I posted for my Tomato Soup with Parmesan Toasties, which is equally as delicious. This Tomato and Red Pepper Soup incorporates both red peppers and chillies, which are packed with Vitamin C to help boost your immune system as we head into Winter.

Ingredients:

1kg Medium to Large Ripe Tomatoes

2 Large Red Peppers

2 to 3 Chillies {depending how much heat you like}

3 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 Cup Basil Leaves

Balsamic Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

200ml Vegetable or Chicken Stock

Fresh Cream

Sourdough Bread {for the croutons}

Khoisan Flaked Salt {or similar product}

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200˚c. Slice the tomatoes and peppers and place in a roasting dish. Chop the chillies, I used three chillies, two of which were extremely hot but you can adjust to your personal taste. Peel and slice the garlic cloves into quarters and add along with the chopped chilli to the tomatoes and peppers. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Lastly, sprinkle over the basil leaves and give it a good mix. Place in the oven to roast for approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

While the tomatoes are roasting, slice and cube the sourdough bread for the croutons. I prefer to use bread which is not too fresh, as the end result is a crispier crouton. Place on an oiled a baking tray and sprinkle liberally with the Khoisan salt and toss to coat evenly.

Once the tomatoes and peppers are soft and caramelised to your liking, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring to a jug. Before you blend the veggies, place the cubed bread into the oven to toast.

Add half the stock and blend until smooth. Add a dash of cream and check the seasoning before giving it a wiz with the stick blender. If the soup is still too thick, add a splash more stock. Once you are happy with the consistency, serve with a sprig of basil and the rustic croutons.

I like to make a large batch of soup and either store in the fridge for a few days or freeze to use when you need it. I hope you enjoy this recipe and would love to hear from you if you try it.

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