Sometimes, you just need comfort food in your life. But comfort doesn’t have to mean unhealthy. Such is the case with this healthy yet insanely creamy red pepper tomato soup!
If you have 30 minutes, you can make this simple, nutrient-rich soup that’s perfect for chillier days or when you just need a comforting bowl of soup. Or if you made a grilled cheeze and need a dipping companion. Either way, we’ve got you covered!
This recipe is inspired by my all-time favorite soup – the Creamy Tomato Bisque from our Everyday Cooking Cookbook!
This version is similar to classic tomato soup with the addition of sweet bell pepper. In place of cream, I rely on coconut milk for subtle sweetness. And the flavor comes from rich tomato paste, garlic powder, dill, and basil. Once it’s blended all up, it takes on a deep red-orange hue and silky-smooth texture.
I could boast about the flavor all day, but it’s also so healthy and healing! Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and bell peppers provide plenty of beta carotene, which are both free-radical-fighting antioxidants.
I hope you all LOVE this soup! It’s:
Easy to make
Healthy
Creamy
Flavorful
Comforting
& Delicious
This would make the perfect stand-alone lighter meal if you topped it with hearty croutons (also in our cookbook) or even baked chickpeas! Garnish with full-fat coconut milk for even more creaminess.
For more soups, check out our Curried Beet Soup with Tandoori Chickpeas, Curried Butternut Squash Soup, Black Bean Tortilla Soup, 5-Ingredient Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili, and Creamy Asparagus and Pea Soup.
And, for more antioxidant-rich recipes, check out our Blueberry Almond Butter Smoothie, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars, Banana & Berry Hemp Seed Pudding, Green Tea Smoothie Bowl, and my 5-Minute Go-To Smoothie Bowl!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers!
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
Ingredients
SOUP
- 2 large red bell peppers (left whole)
- 1 28-ounce can crushed or peeled tomatoes in juices
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup water (sub up to half with extra coconut milk for creamier soup)
- 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk (use full fat for creamier soup)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp dried dill (or sub 3 Tbsp (5 g) minced fresh dill per 1 1/2 Tbsp dried)
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil (or sub 2 tsp minced fresh basil per 1 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
- 3-4 Tbsp coconut sugar (or stevia to taste)
- 1 pinch red pepper flake (optional // for heat)
FOR SERVING optional
- Croutons
- Sliced tomatoes
- Fresh dill
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Crispy baked chickpeas
- Nutritional yeast or Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Roast red peppers in a 500 degree F (260 C) oven (on a foil-lined baking sheet) or over an open flame on a grill or gas stovetop until tender and charred on all sides – about 10-15 minutes in the oven, or 5 minutes over an open flame. Then wrap in foil to steam for a few minutes.
- In the meantime, add remaining soup ingredients to large pot and bring to a simmer. Then unwrap red peppers, let cool to the touch, and remove charred outer skin seeds and stems. Add to soup (see photo).
- Transfer to blender or use immersion blender to purée soup. Then transfer back to saucepan/pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more coconut sugar or stevia to sweeten, red pepper flake for heat, basil or dill for earthiness, garlic powder for overall flavor, or salt for saltiness. I added a bit more of each. Go for big flavor!
- Let simmer on low for at least 10 more minutes. The longer it simmers, the deeper the flavor develops.
- Serve as is or top with desired toppings, such as croutons, fresh dill or basil, tomatoes, crispy baked chickpeas, nutritional yeast or Vegan Parmesan Cheese, and/or black pepper.
- Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or the freezer for 1 month.
Video
Notes
*Recipe adapted from my Red Pepper Tomato Soup and Creamy Tomato Bisque from our Everyday Cooking Cookbook!
Melinda J Wilcox says
I did change this recipe to suit my needs but not the basic structure. The quality of the tomatoes and paste is important….I used Cento organic and Contadina paste. I halved the recipe and sauteed 1/2 white onion, 1 large garlic clove, 1 home roasted red pepper, water, unsweetened cashew milk and some half and half, and at the finish, a couple spoons of sesame tahini and shakes of Trader Joes chili lime seasoning. I add cooked quinoa to the soup and it makes it a main meal. This soup can be used as a base with so many things like white beans, rice, noodles….veg….I did omit added sweetener and other herbs. thanks!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Melinda! xo
Veronique says
We loved it! I put 4 red peppers and the rest as written. Thought it was a little too sweet with 3 tablespoon of coconut sugar tough. Tasty and will make again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it overall, Veronique! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
SGK says
Would this work using store bought roasted red pepper?
Yes, though we do prefer the flavor of homemade!
Amy says
Good, but not great. Made as directed. I think the tomato paste overwhelmed the other flavors, and it was a little sweet for me as well. If I were to make again, I would decrease the tomato paste and sugar. Thank you–we love so many of your recipes!
Sorry you didn’t love this one, Amy!
Nathalie says
Made this today using coconut sugar (stevia will never be something I use). I subbed fresh tomatoes from my garden for the canned.
Delicious!!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Nathalie! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. xo
Olive says
For convenience I used jarred roasted red peppers from Trader Joe’s. I dumped everything in the pot, except the coconut milk, added 1/2 leftover shallot and a little dehydrated onion. I was skeptical of using so much dill so used 2 teaspoons. Brought it to simmer, walked the dog, came back and blended it and added the can of coconut milk. Made grilled cheese sandwiches and dinner was served. Thank you for a delicious recipe, and the coconut milk addition makes it substantial and filling.
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Olive!
Eddy Kilowatt says
I often use ajvar in this soup instead of roasting and peeling domestic bell peppers. It’s a red pepper (and often eggplant) puree that you can find in jars in Middle Eastern and Eastern European grocery stores *. The red peppers they grow over there seem to have about 10X the flavor that ours do, and… no roasting and peeling. :-) The stuff finds its way into a lot of things in my kitchen in addition to tomato soup… like spread on cheese toasties, or stirred into ranchero sauce.
* and sometimes Trader Joes, who just calls it Pepper-Eggplant spread
Roxanne Myers says
Do use use unsweetened coconut milk
Yes!
Maria says
So delicious! I’m the only vegan in the family and made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! I only left out the dried red pepper. I made 2 batches, 1 with red pepper and another with orange and the color was similar. I ended up mixing them together.
Kristen says
This was a good soup–just not my favorite. Probably just a little too sweet for me and the jury is still out on the dill (I usually love dill). Nonetheless, I enjoyed it with a grilled cheese sandwich and it made enough for lots of leftovers (it made enough to fill two quart jars plus a pint jar). I look forward to trying out the other two tomato soup recipes on the site too.
Thanks so much for your honest review, Kristen!
Jo Elen says
How much liquid stevia would u sub for the coconut sugar?
Hi Jo! This recipe is delicious without sweetener, but we’d suggest starting with 4-6 drops of stevia and adding more to taste. Hope this helps!
Tom Goglio says
I make a double recipe of this soup every few months. I start out by sauteeing a large onion with garlic for each recipe. I use two quarts of my home grown fresh frozen crushed tomatoes and chicken or vegetable broth in place of the water. I also use my own home mead tomato paste. I freeze half of the resulting 4 qts immediately and eat the rest with kalamata olive bread. It is so good to have a meal in moments by reheating in the microwave.
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Tom!
Chaya says
This is an AMAZING soup! I used only half the tomato paste, and adjusted the seasonings to taste, but this is a KEEPER!
Yay! Thanks, Chaya!
Maddie says
This looks amazing! Can you use mini sweet peppers instead of red bell? If so, how many should we use and would the cook time be same?
Hi Maddie, you could, but it would be tedious to peel all of them. If you go that route, we’d suggest cooking for about half the time.
Christina says
Is this a spicy or mild flavor?
Hi Christina, if you leave out the red pepper flakes, it’s mild. If you add them, it’s subtly spicy. Hope that helps!
Ashley says
Hi there!
Can I sub Nutpods almond creamer for the coconut milk?
Hi Ashley! We haven’t tried that so we aren’t sure if it will work, we wouldn’t suggest using the creamer if it’s sweetened or flavored, but if it’s unsweetened it might work well! Let us know how it goes!
Alison says
I love this recipe and have made it several times. From this experience, I know to always allot more time for the peppers to roast. Even at 500 degrees, they need 30-45 minutes in my oven. Your mileage may vary! Otherwise, this recipe is EXCELLENT. I sometimes add a tablespoon of nooch for a little cheesy flavor and serve with a vegan grilled cheese sandwhich. Perfect for a cold fall night!
We’re so glad you love the recipe, Alison! Thank you for sharing your experience and modifications! xo
Kim says
Great recipe!! I used yellow peppers, garden tomatoes (not canned and no paste), and omitted dill since I didn’t have it. This is a keeper!!! So good without any toppings. This is the best soup I’ve had in a long time. Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kim! Thank you for the wonderful review! xoxo
Ann J says
Super fast and easy ( especially since I had leftover roasted red peppers to use up). Didn’t have dill (plus I used less garlic powder and added a touch of oregano and basil). Will definitely make it again!
Wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ann. Thank you for sharing! xo
Rachel says
I roasted some garlic in a bit of olive oil before I put the other ingredients in because I love garlic. I also adjusted the seasoning to what I like (lots of salt, rosemary, dill, basil, oregano, and some chili powder). A strong blender is key and the soup comes out so thick! This soup is THE BEST- so creamy and rich and perfect!! It’s a warm hug on a winters day <3
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Rachel! xoxo
Lindsay Anderson-Beck says
Yum! Going to make this tonight. I’m unsure from your directions: do I add charred skins, seeds, AND stems to the pot to purée?
Hi Lindsay, Discard them. Hope you love it!
Joan says
This was really good. I wasn’t sure about the dill, but Was pleasantly surprised.
Substitutions….. only as I didn’t have some of the ingredients. I used a jar of roasted red peppers instead of freshly made and I also substituted 2 sun dried tomatoes for the paste as I didn’t have that either. I did slightly soften the tomatoes before I popped them in the vitamix. I think that this could even be served cold like a gazpacho soup.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Joan. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Alissa says
This is my favorite tomato soup recipe, hands down. It’s my go-to for cooler nights, and pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort food.
The perfect combo! Thanks for the lovely review, Alissa. We’re so glad you enjoyed! xo
Carol Chambers says
I made this soup today. I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, so I made some substitutions. I traded tomato paste for a smaller amount of ketchup. Instead of garlic powder, I roasted some garlic cloves with the peppers. The ketchup gave the soup plenty of sweetness, so I skipped the coconut sugar. The result was fantastic. I can’t wait for lunch time
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Carol! xo
Nina says
Creamy, flavourful, great colour and so yummy. Simmered it a little longer and the flavours were perfect. Always love recipes from here. Thank you!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Nina!
Mia says
Amazing, simple and easy to make
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thanks for sharing, Mia!
Michelle says
I made this tonight and it was so good! Looks like it made more than 4 servings though- it filled 3 pint containers!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
Fathima says
Simple and delicious , that’s a winning combination . My quest for the best Tomato soup ended when I found your recipe .It is now a family favourite. Thank you!!!
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it, Fathima. Thanks for sharing!
Ezra says
just finished making this recipe (well, it’s still simmering on the stove but i tasted it and it’s already DELICIOUS!) and was wondering if blending in silken tofu instead of coconut milk could give that creaminess with less fat and added protein? and if so, how much would you reccomend?
thank you so much :)
Hi Ezra, we’re so glad you enjoy it! We haven’t tried that, but suspect it wouldn’t be as flavorful. If you try it, we’d suggest reducing the coconut milk by half and adding maybe 3/4 cup silken tofu? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Jenn says
Hi, question where is this in the cook book?! I see you said it’s in there and I cannot find haha
Hi Jenn, this recipe is not in the cookbook, but our Creamy Tomato Bisque is!
Jenn says
Oh ok!! 😊 miss understood the description!
Anyways, I love this soup and added garbanzo beans to it it is SO gooood!
Thanks so much, Jenn! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Babita Talreja says
It was very delicious. My family usually is resistant to try something different..but they too loved it. Thank you for the recipe. It was really good
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Babita. We are so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Danielle says
This was incredibly delicious! I didn’t change a thing about it. I served it with croutons and it was such a warm, comforting meal. Quick too! Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Danielle. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Kari-Lyn Gravel says
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup – and this is it! So easy to make and beyond delicious!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kari-Lyn. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Amber says
This recipe is great! I made it tonight after a long day of stuff-doing and really appreciate how simple it was to throw together. I’ll be making another batch tomorrow to keep in the freezer for emergency cravings.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Amber! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Meera says
The most awesome soup ever! Thank you for sharing your expertise :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Meera! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sandi says
We made this tonight and had it with vegan cheese grilled cheese sandwiches, it was amazing! We did not use any dill because we didn’t have any but doubled up on the basil. It was so good! Both of our teens loved it as well, saying it was better than the “other tomato soup we make” :) Thanks for a great recipe!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Sandi. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Gillian says
Delicious! I love this recipe, especially when added roasted diced tomatoes and extra garlic powder and fresh dill to build in more flavour. Such a winner Dana! :D
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Gillian!
kristi juette says
Delicious! I didn’t have coconut sugar so I subbed honey. Tasted great with grilled sharp cheddar cheese sandwiches
Amazing pairing!
Chanel says
I make this soup regularly. Every time the weather turns for the colder, I break out the dutch oven and get to simmering. I absolutely love the combination of the roasted red peppers with the tomato and the dill. A knock out of a recipe and a family staple. We always make roasted chickpeas to sprinkle on top and love pairing with a spicy chili toast :)
Love that touch, thanks Chanel!
Molly says
left out the tomato paste and coconut sugar since I didn’t have them and it was still amazing!!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Molly!
Liz says
I just made this for dinner last night since I was craving grilled cheese and comfort food, and it was delightful! I followed the recipe exactly as is, used full-fat coconut milk instead of lite and added a bit more salt after everything was blended together. I had it again for lunch today and it was equally as delicious, though I didn’t notice as much of a coconutty flavor today, perhaps because the flavors had more time to develop overnight. I topped with a bit of parmesan cheese. Super easy, healthy, and delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Liz! Thanks for sharing! xo
Alicia says
Holy cow this soup is amazing. I used fresh tomatoes from my garden and cooked them down a bit longer initially. I also used sweet pointed peppers because that was what I had. Been dreaming about tomato soup and vegan grilled cheese for days now and this recipe made my dreams come true!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Alicia! Thanks for sharing!
Noplanetb says
a-mazing! Made without dill and just added more dried basil, absolute HIT! I used light coconut milk and it was sooooo creamy and just perfect with the flatbread recipe on here too! Thank you
Love that combo! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kristina says
I loved this recipe! I used fresh tomatoes and used about 3 garden size tomatoes. It was perfect! I diced them and simmered it a bit longer- almost over an hour. It was really great with fresh tomatoes too if someone is looking for a recipe!
Love that modification! Thanks so much for sharing, Kristina! xo
Katelyn says
Amazing recipe! We roasted our bell peppers on the grill and left the charred skin on them when we put them into the soup. Beautiful smoky flavor!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Katelyn! Thanks so much for sharing!
Morgan Brosnihan says
So good! I added avocado, tomatoes, nooch and sprouts to the top and it all went together perfectly. Definitely recommend.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Morgan! Those toppings sound lovely too. Thanks so much for sharing!
Chris says
I made this today, it was incredibly delicious. This is my favourite soup right now. Super easy, filling and tasty. Thank you for this recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Chris! Thanks so much for the lovely review!