This roasted red pepper soup gives you a creamy, smoky, and satisfying meal packed with wholesome ingredients, with simple sheet-pan prep and no simmering required.
For more reader-favorite soups, try our lemon white bean soup, Greek chickpea soup (revithia), or creamy red lentil soup.
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Why you’ll love this Roasted Pepper Soup!
If you love warm, vibrant flavors, this Muhammara-Inspired Roasted Red Pepper Soup is such a delicious way to put red peppers to good use. 🥣 Louise and I love how roasting brings out their natural sweetness, while toasted walnuts and warm spices add richness and depth.
Cannellini beans make the soup creamy without cream while adding fiber and plant-based protein. 🧄 The result is a nourishing, satisfying soup made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
Everything roasts together on one sheet pan, then goes straight into the blender, so there’s no sautéing or simmering required.
With vegetables, beans, walnuts, and extra virgin olive oil, it fits beautifully into a Mediterranean-style eating pattern and makes an easy, balanced lunch or dinner. 🌶️
P.S. Looking for more bell pepper recipes? Try our red pepper pasta, roasted red pepper hummus, or stuffed bell peppers next.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Red bell peppers: The sweet, smoky base of this roasted red pepper soup. Orange or yellow bell peppers work too, but the color will change.
- Yellow onion: Adds sweetness and depth as it roasts. Substitute white onion, red onion, or a few shallots.
- Garlic: Roasts until sweet and mellow. For garlic intolerance, simply leave it out or add extra onion or shallot for flavor.
- Walnuts: Give this muhammara-inspired soup richness and a creamy texture. Toast them for deeper flavor. Substitute cashews, almonds, or sunflower seeds.
- Cannellini beans: Make this creamy red pepper soup smooth and satisfying without cream. Great Northern beans, navy beans, or butter beans are excellent substitutes.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Helps the vegetables caramelize and adds richness. Regular olive oil or avocado oil also works.
- Ground cumin: Adds earthy, warm flavor that complements the roasted peppers. Ground coriander is a good alternative for a milder flavor.
- Smoked paprika: Reinforces the smoky roasted flavor. Substitute sweet paprika for a milder soup or hot paprika for extra heat.
- Red pepper flakes: Add gentle heat to this Mediterranean red pepper soup. Aleppo pepper is a milder, slightly fruity alternative.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a sweet, tangy note that balances the roasted peppers and walnuts. Substitute pomegranate molasses for a more traditional muhammara flavor, or use a splash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Step 1. Roast the vegetables
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Add the red bell peppers, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Toss well until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred around the edges.
Step 2. Blend until creamy
Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin and discard the peel.
Add the garlic, roasted vegetables, and all the juices from the pan to a blender. Add the cannellini beans, walnuts, balsamic vinegar, and hot vegetable broth.
Blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more hot broth if you prefer a thinner consistency.
The cannellini beans give this bell pepper soup extra body, while the walnuts add the rich, nutty flavor inspired by muhammara.
Step 3. Taste and serve
Taste and adjust the salt, balsamic vinegar, or red pepper flakes as needed.
If you use hot broth, you can pour the soup straight from the blender into bowls and serve.
If it needs warming, microwave individual bowls until hot. Alternatively, pour the soup into a pot and warm it gently on the stove.
Top with chopped walnuts, crumbled feta or parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, or a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
Tips
- Give the vegetables some space: Arrange them in a mostly single layer so they roast and develop lightly charred edges. A little overlapping is completely fine.
- Let the peppers get some color: Roast until tender with some charred spots around the edges. That extra color gives the soup a deeper, sweeter flavor.
- Protect the garlic: Leave the cloves unpeeled so they roast without burning.
- Toast the walnuts if you like: Toasting adds extra flavor, but it’s not essential. For an easy shortcut, add the walnuts to one side of the baking sheet for the last 5 minutes of roasting.
- Keep all those pan juices: Add the roasted vegetables and every bit of their flavorful juices to the blender.
- Start with 1 cup of broth: Blend first, then add more broth a little at a time until the soup reaches the consistency you like. It’s much easier to thin a soup than thicken it.
- Blend until really smooth: Give the beans and walnuts enough time to break down for a creamy, velvety texture.
- Taste before adding more balsamic: Blend everything first, then taste. Add another splash only if the soup needs more brightness.
- Warm it however is easiest: Hot broth may make the soup warm enough to serve straight from the blender. Otherwise, microwave individual bowls or warm the soup in a pot.
- Add some texture on top: Chopped walnuts, parsley, or a drizzle of olive oil are simple finishes for the creamy soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Simply leave them out. The cannellini beans will still make the soup creamy and satisfying. For a nut-free alternative, you can also try sunflower seeds.
No. The roasted peppers go straight into the blender, so there’s no need to peel them. If you see any large pieces of loose skin, you can remove them easily, but it’s optional.
Yes. Jarred peppers are a convenient shortcut, although you’ll miss some of the caramelized flavor you get from roasting fresh peppers and onion together. Drain them well before blending.
Yes. A regular blender works, but blend a little longer to help the walnuts and beans become as smooth as possible. An immersion blender works too, although the texture may be less silky.
Blend in additional hot vegetable broth a little at a time until you reach the consistency you like. It’s best to start with less because you can always add more.
Absolutely. The soup keeps well and is easy to reheat, making it a convenient make-ahead lunch or dinner.
Let the soup cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the soup gently in a pot, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Turmeric Lentil Soup
- Mediterranean Lentil Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup
- Tomato Chickpea Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- Tomato Lentil Soup
- Three Bean Orzo Soup
- Creamy Sweet Potato Chickpea Soup
If you try this Roasted Pepper Soup Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Roast. Blend. Eat.)
Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers quartered and seeded
- 1 large yellow onion cut into 8 wedges
- 4 unpeeled cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup walnuts best if toasted
- 1 can cannellini beans 15 oz / 400 g can – drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or pomegranate molasses
- 1 cup vegetable broth warm – add more to taste as you blend
For Serving (Optional)
- 1 handful chopped toasted walnuts , crumbled feta, fresh parsley, a swirl of olive oil, and thick slices ofcrusty bread.
Instructions
- Roast: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Add 4 large red bell peppers, 1 large yellow onion, and 4 unpeeled cloves garlic to a large baking sheet.Drizzle with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.Toss well until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tender and lightly charred around the edges.
- Blend: Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin and discard the peel. Add the garlic and roasted vegetables, along with any juices from the pan, to a blender. Add ⅓ cup walnuts, 1 can cannellini beans (rinsed), 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and 1 cup vegetable broth (warm).
- Serve: Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the salt or vinegar as needed. Pour into bowls, add your favorite toppings, and serve.
Notes
- Red bell peppers → Orange or yellow bell peppers.
- Yellow onion → White onion, red onion, or shallots.
- Garlic → Omit, or add extra onion or shallot.
- Walnuts → Cashews, almonds, or sunflower seeds.
- Cannellini beans → Great Northern beans, navy beans, or butter beans.
- Extra virgin olive oil → Regular olive oil or avocado oil.
- Ground cumin → Ground coriander for a milder flavor.
- Smoked paprika → Sweet paprika or hot paprika.
- Red pepper flakes → Aleppo pepper for milder heat.
- Balsamic vinegar → Pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar.
- Give veggies space: A little overlap is fine, but mostly keep them in one layer.
- Get some char: Let the peppers develop charred edges for deeper, sweeter flavor.
- Protect the garlic: Leave cloves unpeeled.
- Toast the walnuts: Add them to the pan for the last 5 minutes if you like.
- Save the juices: Add every bit of the flavorful pan juices to the blender.
- Start with less broth: Begin with 1 cup, then thin as needed.
- Blend really smooth: Give the beans and walnuts time to become creamy and velvety.
- Taste before more balsamic: Add another splash only if needed.
- Warm as needed: Use hot broth, the microwave, or a pot.
- Add texture: Finish with walnuts, parsley, or olive oil.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers and warm them in the microwave or a pot.
Nutrition
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