This Roasted Red Pepper Soup is just the ticket for chilly days. Nice and spicy and easy to make, this soup will really warm you up. Served with seriously tasty Feta Toast this is great for a satisfying lunch or supper.
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So easy to make this soup is ready in just 30 minutes. It's spicy, warming and is great for a tasty lunch. As with all my soups, this is great for taking to work, just pop it in a flask and off you go!
This soup comes with a side of feta toast which is optional but is a really great accompaniment. It has a hint of garlic and thyme and the smoothness and saltiness of the feta go so well with the sweetness and the spiciness of the soup.
What You Will Need
- Roasted Red Peppers - store-bought roasted red peppers are perfect for this. Look out for flame-roasted peppers these will have more flavour. You should find these in all good supermarkets.
- Carrots - 3 medium carrots will do the job here, make sure they are nice and fresh. I usually peel mine.
- Red Onion - I like red onions in this soup, they are milder when cooked so don't overpower the red peppers. You can, of course, use a yellow/white onion if you prefer.
- Celery - used as part of the base of nearly all soups, one stalk is plenty for this soup.
- Garlic - you will need garlic for the soup and for rubbing the bread for your feta toast.
- Dried Red Chilli Flakes - this is a staple ingredient in my cupboard, I use it for lots of recipes. You can find this is the spice/herb section of your supermarket. If you can't find any then about a teaspoon of freshly chopped red jalapeño will work well too.
- Thyme - fresh is best for this recipe. I also add this to the feta toast.
- Vegetable Stock - I make my stock using vegetable bouillon. Again this is a staple in my kitchen and you can find it in all supermarkets.
- Bread - Day-old sourdough bread is perfect for making the feta toast. You can use any good crusty bread, the type you cut yourself is best though, so you can cut it nice and thick.
- Feta - Look for a good quality Greek feta.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- Start by cooking the red onion and celery in a large saucepan. Cook them until soft so about 10 minutes should do the trick.
- Next, add the garlic and chilli and cook for a minute. Then add the carrots and roasted red peppers. Give it a good stir and cook for another minute or two.
- Pour in the stock, add the thyme and salt and pepper, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Finally, remove the thyme and using a handheld blender blend the soup until it is smooth.
How to Make Feta Toast
- Slice the bread, toast one side under the grill. Turn over the bread then drizzle a little olive and toast under the grill until lightly golden.
- Rub each piece of bread with garlic then add the feta. Using a fork, crush the feta into the bread. Top with some fresh thyme then place the toast back under the grill until the feta is warm and golden.
Tips for Making the Best Roasted Red Pepper Soup & Feta Toast
- Make sure and cook the onion until soft, it needs at least 10 minutes.
- Use good quality roasted red peppers, flame-roasted peppers are great for this soup.
- Blend the soup, this soup really is best blended until smooth. I use a handheld blender but you could also use a regular blender, just be careful pouring the hot soup into the blender.
- I like this soup spicy, however, if you would prefer it to be milder, reduce the amount to a scant pinch.
- Day-old sourdough bread is perfect for the feta toast, make sure and slice it thickly and toast both sides under the grill.
Freezing and Storing
This soup is perfect for freezing. Just leave it to cool completely then transfer to freezer-friendly bags or containers. Make sure to squeeze out any air from the bags but leave room for expansion. The soup can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat the soup let the soup defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat on the hob until piping hot. This soup will keep in the fridge for 3 days. The feta toast is not suitable for freezing.
More Tasty Soup Recipes:
Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Feta Toast
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 medium red onion (160g) finely chopped
- 1 stalk of celery finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- 3 medium carrots (250g) peeled and chopped
- 1 x jar of roasted peppers (300g drained weight)
- 1 Litre vegetable stock (2 pints)
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Feta Toast
- 4 thick slices of sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 100 g feta (¾ of a cup of crumbled feta)
- ½ tablespoon thyme leaves
Instructions
- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the red onion and celery and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until they are soft.Add one clove of minced garlic with ¼ teaspoon of dried red chilli flakes and cook for one minute.
- Add the carrots and roasted red peppers and chili flakes, cook for 5 minutes and then add the stock, thyme sprigs and season with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Blend until smooth with a handheld blender.
To Make the Feta Toast
- Toast one side of the bread under the grill until golden.Turn over the bread then drizzle a little olive oil over it and toast under a grill for until lightly golden.Then rub a garlic clove over the bread. Add the feta and smash it roughly over the bread with a fork. Add some thyme leaves and place under the grill for another 3 or 4 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt a little and is golden in places.Serve with the soup.
- Serve the soup with some extra thyme leaves and some freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Nutritional Information - is approximate and is calculated using an online nutrition tool. Information listed is for the soup only. Calories for the feta toast are 192 per slice.
- Roasted Red Peppers - I use store bought roasted red peppers, this saves me time, however, you can roast your own peppers if you prefer.
- Is this soup Vegan? Yes, this soup is vegan. The feta toast is not vegan, you can omit the feta or switch it for your favourite vegan cheese if you wish to make the whole dish vegan.
- Is this soup gluten-free? To make this soup gluten-free make sure the stock you use is gluten-free. You can also use your favouite gluten-free bread to make the feta toast.
Nutrition
*This recipe was first published on Feb 16, 2016, it has now been updated with new photos, nutritional information, and expert tips.
Janet Trench
Made this for lunch today, lovely soup with a bit of a kick. Improvised a bit as added a little bit of tomato purée and threw crumbled feta into the soup rather than make the toast. I have been instructed to make it again.
Michelle Alston
Hi Janet, thank you, I'm so glad you liked it. I love adding feta to it if I'm not making the toast! Will definitely try your tip of adding tomato puree next time I make it 😉
kim
Love this recipe! It was super easy and had so much delicious flavor! Will definitely make again!
Michelle Alston
Thanks so much Kim, I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
This soup is perfect for winter, it looks delicious! I love the look of that feta toast too!
Michelle Alston
Thanks so much Bintu 🙂
Jill
That's a beautiful bowl of soup. I'd definitely like to dunk a slice of that feta toast into it!
Michelle Alston
Thank you so much Jill 🙂
SAfira Adam
This is my kind off recipe. I LOVE the idea of the feta toast with the soup. I can just imagine the way it would melt into the soup. YUM
Emmeline
Love these pictures!! And the soup sounds so amazing - not to mention the feta toast....
Michelle Alston
Thanks so much Emmeline x
Raymund
This sure is a tasty soup enough to make you warm on a cold weather and to match it with feta toast ----superb combo!
Carol Borchardt
This looks and sounds absolutely delicious! I could also see this chilled for a good, refreshing summertime soup!
Michelle Alston
Thanks so much Carol! I'm loving that idea, I've not tried it chilled but will definitely test it.
Ahu
I've always eaten feta and toast but never thought to broil it... lightbulb! I am totally trying this next time. Beautiful recipe! 🙂
Michelle Alston
I know, I was the same Ahu! It's definitely worth trying 😉
Adam Warren
While the weather is still pretty cold this soup sounds like a recipe I've just got to try! Thank you for posting!
Michelle Alston
Glad you like it Adam 🙂