For this recipe we roast the peppers on a smoker at 500 degrees but you can just as easily roast these in your oven using the broiler.  A nice refreshing soup that is chock full of healthy vegetables.  Pairs well with garlic toast!

CHOP. ROAST. SIMMER. YUM.

I am using my new Recteq Bullseye wood pellet grill to roast up a pile of red peppers for this amazing red pepper soup.  I also highly recommend that you use an immersion blender to blend the soup at the end as it is much safer than trying to dump a pot of simmering soup into a blender!  Alternately you could use a potato masher to mash and do a rough blend of the soup, leaving it a bit chunkier.  It’ll still taste just as great.

To Start

You will want to wash your peppers and remove the seeds and soft webbing from the inside…  Chop the red peppers into large chunks and drizzle with olive oil and hit with some salt and pepper to prepare these for the grill.

Ready for the grill!

Smoke Roasted Red Peppers

At 500 degrees F the red peppers will take about 20 minutes to roast.  I recommend you keep an eye on this process so that they don’t get overly charred.  Turn them over and rearrange as needed to get an even cook on all the peppers.  To roast these in your oven the process is very similar.  Follow the directions for broiling for whatever type of oven you have.  Typically this is placing the peppers 5 – 6 inches away from the broiler element and setting the oven to broil at 400 to 500 degrees.  The key is to keep an eye on things and adjust as necessary.

Roasted red peppers on the Recteq Bullseye wood pellet grill

Soup It Up

While the peppers are roasting peel and chop the onion, carrots and celery, no bigger than about a 1/2 inch chop.

Next, heat up a stock pot on med-high on the stove with a tbsp. of olive oil and cook the chopped onion, carrots and celery until they start to soften.

Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, basil and thyme giving a few more stirs until the garlic, basil and thyme is thoroughly combined.

Add the vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes and the roasted red peppers. Stir thoroughly.

Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 40 minutes remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients to a nice soup like consistency.

Serving Options

This red pepper soup is great for those following a Keto diet or any low carb diet.  For other Keto friendly options you can check out my Keto friendly recipes as well!

I like to top with some fresh ricotta however you may want to experiment with other flavors…  Sour cream, creme fraiche, grated parmesan or croutons are all great options as well!

Smoke Roasted Red Pepper Ricotta Soup

Print

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes 50 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 6 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• Garlic powder (to taste)
• 5 red bell peppers
• Large onion (yellow or white)
• 4 stalks celery
• 4 large carrots
• 3 garlic cloves
• ~5 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (plain, no Italian spices added)

Instructions

1.  Cut red peppers in half and rinse while removing seeds and soft spines inside.
2. Cut in half again to prep them for roasting.
3. Drizzle prepped peppers with 1 tbsp. olive oil and hit them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Fire up smoker to 500 degrees and once it has reached temperature place the peppers on the grill surface and shut the lid. (Alternately roast these in your oven on broil about 4 or 6 inches under your broiler element)
5. While the peppers are roasting peel and chop the onion, carrots and celery.  These should be fairly small so they cook through easily, no bigger than about a 1/2 inch chop.
6. Heat a 5 quart stock pot on med-high on the stove with a tbsp. of olive oil, once heated toss in the onion, carrots and celery.  Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and add 3 garlic cloves by running them through a garlic press.  Alternately chop garlic finely if you don't have a garlic press.
8. Rip up the ~5 fresh basil leaves and 1 tbsp. of fresh thyme and add to the pot.  Note: don't include the woody stalks the thyme comes on.  Simply rub a handful of the thyme between your hands to release the thyme leaves from the stalks.
9. Reduce heat to medium and return the pot to the heat stirring often until the garlic, basil and thyme is thoroughly combined.
10. Add 4 cups of vegetable stock, 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes and the roasted red peppers. Stir thoroughly.
11. Once the mixture starts to boil immediately reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
12. After 40 minutes remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
13. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients to a nice soup like consistency.  Note, it will still have some texture which is just fine.
14. Serve up in your favorite soup bowl and top with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese.  You can also toss on a few chopped chives for nice contrast of color.