Roasted Red Pepper Soup Croutons (Printable Version)

Vibrant, velvety soup with harissa heat and satisfying crunch. Perfect for cozy lunches or elegant starters.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Soup

01 - 4 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon harissa paste
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 3 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
11 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
14 - ¼ cup heavy cream or coconut cream, optional

→ For the Crispy Croutons

15 - 2 cups day-old bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
16 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
17 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
18 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
19 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ For Garnish

20 - Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
21 - Extra harissa or cream, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange red pepper halves skin-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes until skins are charred and peppers are soft.
02 - Toss bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, and salt. Spread on a separate baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes, tossing once, until golden and crispy. Set aside.
03 - Once peppers are cool enough to handle, peel and discard the charred skins.
04 - In a large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and carrot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in harissa paste, smoked paprika, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
06 - Add roasted peppers, diced tomatoes with juice, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
07 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée until silky smooth, or transfer to a blender in batches and blend until smooth.
08 - Stir in cream or coconut cream if using. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crispy croutons, fresh herbs, and a swirl of extra harissa or cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted peppers become so naturally sweet that you won't believe you made it without any cream, though adding it feels like a little luxury.
  • Crispy croutons made while the soup simmers mean you get to eat something with actual texture instead of just soft bowls of broth.
  • Harissa paste does all the heavy lifting for flavor, transforming simple vegetables into something that tastes restaurant-worthy but takes barely an hour.
02 -
  • Those charred pepper skins will absolutely stick to the peppers if you don't let them cool first, and trying to force them off while they're hot just tears everything apart, so patience here actually matters.
  • Day-old bread is non-negotiable for croutons because fresh bread just gets chewy and defeats the purpose of having something crispy to contrast with the soup.
03 -
  • Roasting peppers over an open flame if you have a gas stove takes half the time and gives you even deeper char, though it requires attention and honestly slightly terrifies me every time.
  • The immersion blender trick of leaving the pot in place and blending right there means less cleanup and less chance of burning yourself transferring hot liquid, which I learned after a memorable morning.
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