Monday Meals: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Here in Wisconsin, we've gotten our first taste of fall. The air is getting cooler, hoodies have emerged and there's football on the television all weekend. In honor of the first cool weekend, we decided soup and homemade bread would be a perfect Sunday dinner. We had a fridge full of produce, so we made a pot of roasted red pepper soup.

We were slightly intimidated at the prospect of roasting peppers, but it was actually pretty easy, and it added a nice, smoky flavor to the soup. It was the perfect meal to warm us up on a chilly afternoon.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Recipe courtesy of: http://unihomemaker.com/2013/10/03/roasted-red-pepper-soup/ 

2 large red bell peppers
olive oil for cooking
1 onion, chopped
3 small carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup of white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
1 (32 ounce) can/box of chicken broth
1 starchy potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 teaspoon of sugar
salt and pepper to season

Arrange bell peppers on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and place it under the broiler. Roast the bell peppers and turn them occasionally with tongs until charred, about 15-20 minutes. 

 Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the peppers cool for 15-20 minutes before handling them. 

 Using your fingers, rub or peel the skin off the peppers and discard. Cut the stem and seeds from the peppers and discard. Chop or dice peppers and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat add olive oil, chopped onions, carrots, garlic and thyme. Cook until onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

 Add wine, chicken broth, potato, sugar and bell peppers. Bring the soup pot to a boil and reduce to heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

 Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

We served this with a crusty baguette, and it was a quick, healthy dinner that warmed us all up. We look forward to sharing more of our fall favorites with you as the weather turns cooler!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew