There’s no better time for a comforting bowl of soup than smack dab in the middle of winter. I love to make a big batch (like this one is!) and freeze it in individual servings so I can reheat a cup or two to take the chill off anytime—in practically no time. It’s a delicious way to boost veggie intake, too. But, do keep this in mind … soup can easily contain way too much sodium, unnecessary added sugar, excess oil, and a drowning amount of artery-clogging dairy. That was the case with the original version of this roasted bell pepper soup. But no worries now, I gave it a tasteover to create a velvety roasted red bell pepper soup. This stunning, rich sunset orange hued recipe is gorgeous, good for you, and great tasting. Savory, sweet, and smoky … soup’s on!

velvety roasted red bell pepper soup

Makes 8 servings: about 1 1/2 cups each

Directions

• 6 large red bell peppers, cut each into about 5 large pieces each, discard stems and seeds
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, sliced
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, preferably organic
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 large (10-ounce) Yukon Gold or red potato, unpeeled, scrubbed, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup canned, drained, no-salt-added organic cannellini or other white beans
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup vegan sour cream, or to taste

Ingredients

1. Preheat the broiler. Arrange the bell pepper slices in a single layer, skin side up, onto two large baking sheets. Broil one sheet at a time until the pepper skins are well charred, about 8 minutes per sheet. Transfer peppers from the broiler to a bowl, cover, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Rub off the charred skin.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sweet and red onions, cover, and cook until the onions are fully softened, stirring twice, about 10 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat to medium-high, and continue to sauté the onions until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, then add the bell peppers, broth, potato, beans, salt, and 1 teaspoon of the thyme. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes.
3. Very carefully, puree the soup in several batches in a blender, until velvety smooth, using its hot fill line as a guide. Adjust seasoning.
4. Ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop with the vegan sour cream, sprinkle with remaining thyme, and serve.

Per serving: 250 calories, 14g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 720mg sodium, 24g total carbohydrate, 5g dietary fiber, 10g sugars, 4g protein

Jackie’s Culinary Nutrition Tips!

• Sometimes the simpler the better. There’s actually no need for carrot, sugar, or crouton; simply let the red pepper flavor stand out.
• For extra creaminess, puree white beans into soup. You’ll also get a touch more fiber for filling satisfaction.
• For extra creaminess, also use a thin-skinned potato, like Yukon Gold; there’s no need to peel it and it can provide more of a velvety mouth-feel than russets.
• Go fresh for better flavor. Using freshly roasted bell peppers instead of those from a jar means that you can lighten up on the sodium since they provide more of a burst of flavor and smokiness.
• Use two types of onions for flavor layering interest. Make one a sweet onion—which has natural sugar–so you won’t need to add processed white sugar. And lightly caramelize both onions for extra sweetness.
• Enjoy with warm fresh crusty whole grain bread on the side rather than a greasy crouton in the soup.