Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Thyme Croutons

A perennial comfort-food favorite, tomato soup gets a little kick and extra depth of flavor by blending in a chipotle chile, putting a grown-up spin on this childhood favorite, which makes a sensational meatless Monday meal. Roast your own bell peppers over a gas burner or under the broiler, or, to save time, purchased roasted bell peppers in a jar.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Thyme Croutons

Ingredients

For the croutons:

• 1 small loaf ciabatta
• 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Pinch of kosher salt

For the soup:

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 can (28 oz./875 g) crushed tomatoes
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) vegetable broth

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. To the make the croutons, trim the crust from the ciabatta and cut the bread into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme and salt. Toss to coat the bread cubes evenly, then spread the bread in a single layer. Transfer to the oven and toast until the croutons are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. To make the soup, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the roasted peppers, chipotle chile, tomatoes, tomato paste and a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender, let cool slightly and carefully blend until it forms a smooth puree. Return the mixture to the pan over medium heat. Stir in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

4. To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowl. Divide the croutons evenly among the bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen

Summary

Recipe Name

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Thyme Croutons

Published On

2017-01-02

Preparation Time

20M

Cook Time

30M

Total Time

50M

Average Rating

2 Based on 5 Review(s)