Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread.

Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread is the perfect healthyish recipe to make on a chilly day. Roasting the tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic, and onion, along with the addition of fresh basil, gives this soup an amazing depth of flavor. Ditch the heavy cream and see how a simple roux can help to create a beautiful silkiness, along with a fantastic nutty flavor.

This recipe can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

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Ahhh, soup weather!!!

I feel like it’s been so long since I could say that! We lived on the Gulf Coast of Florida for four years; and with how soupy it was outdoors (humidity off the charts), soup wasn’t always in the forefront of our food cravings. Since moving to Washington State in September, I need all the soup and warm dishes I can get because it’s freakin’ COLD and rainy. Send help, warmth, and prayers for these Floridians attempting to adapt to our new climate!

Although I would love to make this Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread. right this moment, unfortunately it’s not a possibility, as we are still in a hotel on the military base. There is a small kitchen in the hotel room which I am thankful for; however, there is no oven, and no oven = no roasted vegetables or homemade cheesy garlic bread. I may just have to make this as soon as we move into our new home in a few weeks.

Update: We’re all moved in, and I made this soup tonight! It’s in the twenties (Fahrenheit), so it was thoroughly needed and enjoyed. Freezing the rest for a rainy day.

How to Make the Best Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup Recipe

Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes

A great Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup recipe must start with tasty tomatoes. In North America, certain fruits and vegetables aren’t in season year-round; tomatoes being one of them. Their peak season is May through October. So, what do you do if you get a sudden craving for a warm, comforting bowl of tomato soup during the other six months out of the year? Toby Amidor, a registered dietitian, explains all about freezing tomatoes, greenhouse tomatoes and more in this helpful Food Network article; In Season: Tomatoes.

Healthy Roasted Vegetables in the Oven

Not only do I love the flavor that comes from roasting vegetables, but the smell that fills the kitchen within minutes is HEAVENLY.

Depending on their size, halve or quarter the tomatoes, lightly smash and peel the garlic cloves, halve, peel, then quarter the onion, and halve the bell peppers and remove the membranes and seeds (you can remove the stems as well, although mine are still on in the pictures below).

The vegetables are tossed with a blend of oil and seasonings, then roasted for maximum flavor. You can combine the seasoned oil mixture with the vegetables in a large bowl then transfer to the baking sheet, or just use your hands and toss them together directly on the sheet pan!

Best Oil for Roasting Vegetables – Cooking Oils and Smoke Points

If you’re wondering what kind of oil to use for your roasted vegetables; take a look at this article, Cooking Oils and Smoke Points: What to Know and How to Choose the Right Cooking Oil, and bookmark it for later. It offers tons of useful information, and even a chart of oil smoke points for convenience.

I used avocado oil for this recipe as it has a high smoke point and is a healthy choice. 😊

Preparing the Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe

This is the way I’ve always made garlic bread with cheese, and it comes out good every time. Some people make compound butter by combining softened butter, garlic and parsley then spread it on the bread which is also delicious (it’s garlic bread, how could it not be)? However, I love the added flavor you get from infusing melted butter with the fresh flavors of parsley and garlic. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Melt four tablespoons of butter over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and parsley and steep for about five minutes over low heat. Drizzle the garlic butter over the bread and use a rubber spatula to evenly distribute the ingredients. For convenience, I used a prebaked multigrain baguette from the bakery, but you can use any bread you want or have on hand.

Top each side of the bread with cheese and set it aside on a piece of parchment paper.

How to Make a Roux

A roux is a cooked mixture of equal parts flour and fat. There are several categories of roux: light roux (white and blonde roux), brown roux and dark roux. We’re going to make a light roux for this Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread. I like a slightly thick tomato soup, and the roux helps me achieve that. You can leave it out if you wish. 😊

1. Melt four tablespoons of butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Then sprinkle in the quarter cup of flour.
2. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, stir the butter and flour constantly for three to five minutes, or until the mixture bubbles and becomes puffy/frothy.

Finishing the Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread

It’s almost time to enjoy a piping hot bowl of Roasted Tomato Basil and Red Pepper Soup! Take those beautifully roasted vegetables out of the oven, add them to the roux along with the chicken or vegetable broth, basil, and red pepper flakes if you’re feelin’ spicyyy! 🌶️

Simmer your soup for thirty minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (192 degrees Celsius) and bake the cheesy garlic bread in the preheated oven for fifteen minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Blend your soup directly in the pot using a hand blender (thank you to my husband for getting me this one for my birthday 😘), or let the soup cool a bit and transfer it to a standing blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, top with fresh sliced basil and parmesan if desired, and voilà!

We’re done. We did it! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

Take care,
Jenna 🖤

As always, I’d love to hear from you all! About your experience with this dish, any alterations you may have made and loved (or didn’t love), or just life and cooking in general. Please leave a review/comment/question below, reach out via email (jenna@heavenlyspiced.com), and/or stay connected with me on social media, which I have linked below!

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