Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Bisque

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Bisque

Tomato soup with grilled cheese has been a long time favorite of mine. My Mom and I would often eat it for lunch after playing in the snow. It was the perfect antidote to winter in Vermont.

I love having a giant batch of soup on hand in the winter. It’s mostly nostalgia that has me stocking our freezer for a New England blizzard rather than the mild rain and three days of snow customary in North Carolina. I have tried many tomato soup recipes. Some using all fresh tomatoes, others using tomato juice and canned tomatoes.

This recipe is the best of both worlds with pan roasted tomatoes, red peppers, and garlic added to a classic soup base consisting of a mirepoix of shallots, carrots, celery, chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. It is then blended with heavy cream giving it a rich velvety texture.

I keep this soup in the freezer to pair with my skillet focaccia or grilled cheese with cheddar, gruyere, gouda, bacon and tomatoes. It’s as warm and comforting as my favorite sweater or worn in leggings at the end of a long day.

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Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Bisque

Print Recipe
Yield: 6 to 8 Servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • For Roasting
  • 4 tomatoes
  • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 4 large basil leaves, torn
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  •  
  • Soup Base
  • 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 large celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teapoon rosemary
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
  • 1 teaspoon worcestershire, Tamari, or Maggie
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 5-6 fresh basil leaves, torn
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 to 1cup heavy cream, based on preference

Preheat oven to 400 ℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat, set aside.

In a large bowl toss quartered tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic and basil leaves with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Add salt and pepper, mix until everything is evenly coated.

Pour the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet and roast in the bottom half of the oven for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and caramelized.

In a dutch oven over medium high heat sauté carrots, celery, and shallots until the shallots are soft and fragrant. Add thyme, rosemary, and the bay leaf to the dutch oven.

Slowly stir in the chicken stock and crushed tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil and add in the worcestershire and brown sugar. Cover and simmer for thirty minutes.

Once the vegetables are done roasting add them and any liquids on the pan to the dutch oven. Cover and continue simmering until the carrots and celery are soft.

Just before you blend the soup add the additional basil leaves.

Blend the soup in batches in a blender or using an immersion blender. Once blended return to the stove and stir in the butter and cream. (We like about 2/3-3/4 cup but some people prefer a creamier bisque so add it in increments until the soup seems right to you.)

Serve warm with parmesan cheese and extra pepper.

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