Pepper & Tomato Soup
Submitted by Jacqui Ryan
Roasted red pepper and tomato soup with dried chiles, cabbage, garlic, and warm spices, pureed smooth and topped with fresh cilantro. A hearty vegetarian soup.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
75 minREADY
90 minThis isn’t your standard tomato soup. Dried chiles simmered into a puree, a pound of sweet red peppers, and half a pound of cabbage give it a complexity and body that thin, one-note tomato soups can’t match.
The chile puree is the backbone. Simmered for 20 minutes, then blended and stirred in partway through cooking, it adds a slow, building warmth that lingers without scorching your palate. You control the heat by how much you add.
Ground cloves and coriander are unexpected here, but they pull everything together. The cloves bring a dark, aromatic depth while the coriander brightens the peppers. Combined with red onion, garlic, and bay leaves sweated in olive oil, the aromatic base is layered and full.
Everything gets pureed smooth at the end, so the cabbage, peppers, and tomatoes melt into one silky, thick soup. A scattering of fresh cilantro on top brings a green, citrusy snap that wakes the whole bowl up.
Chef Tips
- Taste the chile puree before adding. Start with ¼ cup and build up. You can always add more but you can’t take it back
- Savoy cabbage wilts more delicately than regular green cabbage. It melts into the soup rather than staying chewy
- Make sure to remove the bay leaves before blending. They can leave bitter flecks if pureed
- This soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Add the cilantro fresh when reheating
Variations
- Smoky version: Swap dried chiles for chipotle in adobo for a deep, smoky heat
- Creamy finish: Stir in 2 tablespoons of sour cream or coconut cream before serving for a richer texture
- Chunky style: Skip the final puree step and serve it rustic with visible pieces of pepper and tomato
Ingredients
Directions
Remove stems, seeds and veins from chiles.
Tear flesh into a few large pieces, cover with 1 cup water in small saucepan and bring to boil.
Simmer 20 minutes, then purée in blender.
Heat oil in pan and add onions, bay leaves, cloves, coriander, parsley and garlic.
Cook over medium heat several minutes until onions have begun to soften, then add salt, peppers and cabbage.
Stir to combine and coat vegetables with oil.
Add ½ cup water or stock, cover pan and cook over low heat 10 minutes.
When vegetables have wilted, stir in ¼ cup puréed chiles or 1 to 2 teaspoons chile powder.
Add tomatoes, their juice and remaining water or stock.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer very slowly 30 minutes.
When finished cooking, remove bay leaves and purée soup until completely blended.
Return it to pan and season with salt, if needed.
Add more chile if desired.
Serve soup with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro.
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