Roasted Carrot and Red Pepper Soup is an easy homemade soup recipe with minimal effort and prep time. Ground coriander adds a warm, citrusy, nutty, and spicy flavour which lifts the sweetness of the carrots and the smokiness of the roasted peppers. Using just a few simple ingredients, this is a great budget-friendly recipe, that's hearty, filling and full of flavour. It's also gluten and dairy free, suitable for vegans and perfect for using up leftover carrots.
Soups are delicious any time of the year and a great way to use up leftovers and vegetables that are past their best. For more carrot soups, you'll love this simple Carrot and Cumin recipe or Carrot and Courgette Soup, which is particularly useful if you have a glut of courgettes (zucchini) to use up. For a thicker version of carrot soup, check out this version with leek and lentils.
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Ingredients
- Carrots - use any type of carrots. Fresh carrots should be firm. You don't need to peel them but be careful to wash away any dirt.
- Red Bell Peppers - use ones that are firm. You can use red or yellow peppers but avoid green ones as they have a more bitter taste.
- Coriander powder - coriander powder has a warm citrusy, nutty, and spicy flavour.
- Onion - use yellow or brown onions but red will also work.
- Vegetable Stock - any vegetable stock. Use a gluten-free one if you need to make this soup gluten-free. The sodium levels in stock vary widely so choose one you are comfortable with.
- Garlic - garlic cloves add extra flavour.
- Lemon - this helps lift the flavour, reduces the sweetness of the carrots and compliments the ground coriander.
Equipment you'll need
- Oven + roasting tray (for roasting)
- Blender or immersion (stick) blender
- Large stockpot or soup pot
- Sharp knife & chopping board
- Measuring jug
- Juicer
Method: How to make Carrot & Red Pepper Soup
- Step 1: Pre-heat your oven to 200 °C / (400 °F). Chop the carrots into chunks about 5cm in length then into quarters lengthways. Cut the red peppers in half (leave out the seeds). Place them in a baking tray in a single layer. Drizzle with half the olive oil and toss so they are well coated. Roast for 35 - 40 minutes until caremalized on the edges and easily pierced with a fork.
- Step 2: Add the remainder of the olive oil to a crock pot or stove top heavy bottomed pan. Fry the diced onion over a medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes until translucent.
- Step 3: Add the minced garlic and ground coriander powder and fry for 1 minute. Pour in the vegetable stock and stir together.
- Step 4: Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and check they are soft enough to piece with a fork.
- Step 5: Add the roasted carrots and bell peppers to the stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to let the flavours fuse together.
- Step 6: Remove from the heat and blend until smooth (or partly smooth if you prefer texture). Be careful blending hot liquids. Add the lemon juice. Taste your soup and season with salt and pepper as necessary.
How to cook Carrot and Red Pepper Soup on the Stove top
If you want to save time, you can cook this soup on a stove top. It won't give quite the same depth of flavour as roasting the carrots and peppers, but will still taste good. Dice your carrots into small chunks about 1cm square so they cook quicker.
- Fry the onion, red pepper and carrots in a little oil for around 5 minutes.
- Crush the garlic cloves and add together with the coriander powder. Fry for one minute.
- Add the vegetable stock and simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are soft.
- Blend your soup.
- Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
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How to use leftover carrots in soup
If you have leftover cooked carrots, this soup is perfect for using them up. Fry your peppers with the onion and simply add your cooked carrots to the stock at stage 5.
Substitutions & Variations
- Spicy - add a few chilli flakes or a little cayenne pepper. Be careful to add a little at a time as you can't take it away!
- Deluxe - stir through a spoonful of cream, yoghurt or butter for a richer texture.
- Hearty - if you want to make the soup more filling, add in some beans such as cannellini or kidney beans. You could also add some small pasta shapes such as stars (stelline) to make it more filling. Add the pasta to the simmering stage and cook according to the packet instructions. Alternatively, add a few tablespoons of dried couscous
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Fridge: store your red pepper and carrot soup in a sealed container for 3 - 4 days in the fridge. Allow it to cool completely first.
- Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe containers. The recommended freezing time for vegetable soups is 4 - 6 months. Defrost your soup overnight in the fridge. Note, if you added cream or yoghurt, this may separate when you freeze it and give it a slightly grainy texture. It will still be safe to eat.
- Reheating: Gently reheat on your stove over a low heat or in a microwave until piping hot, stirring occasionally.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vegan carrot and red pepper soup with fresh crusty bread or try my easy 3 Ingredient Flatbread. For something a little special, these Cheesy Savoury Muffins or Baked Cheesy Biscuits go perfectly. For an truly indulgent side, you'll love this Welsh Rarebit - a superior version of cheese on toast! Adding a swirl of cream makes it extra special. For topping ideas, try a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves, pumpkin seeds, a few chilli flakes, or some croutons.
FAQ - Common Questions
Yes, you can fry the vegetables in a little oil on your stove top. This may save time. However, you'll lose some caramelisation and the depth of flavour you get from roasting.
Roasting helps preserve the brightness of colour. If you choose to cook on the hob instead, be careful not to over cook the vegetables as this will affect their bright colour.
If you feel your soup is too watery, you can simmer it uncovered for an extra 5 - 10 minutes to reduce the excess liquid. You could also blend all of it if you haven't already done so. Finally, if you are still unhappy, you can add a few tablespoons of dried couscous as a rescue remedy. The couscous will absorb some of the liquid and goes well in a soup.
Pairing
These are my favourite dishes to serve with carrot and courgette soup.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Carrot and Red Pepper Soup
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Equipment
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 Chopping Board
- 1 Roasting Tray
- 1 Large pan with a lid or stove top casserole dish.
- 1 Measuring Jug
- 1 Hand blender or Food processor
- 1 Juicer
Ingredients
- 1 kg Carrots peeled, cut into 5cm lengths, quartered lengthways.
- 2 Red Bell Peppers deseeded, stalk removed and halved
- 1 Onion brown, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
- 4 tablespoon Olive Oil Fairtrade available
- 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder Fairtrade available
- 1 litre Vegetable Stock
- 1 Lemon juice of half to taste
- 1 teaspoon Salt as required
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper freshly group, Fairtrade available
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 200 °C / (400 °F).
- Chop the carrots into chunks about 5cm in length then into quarters lengthways. Cut the red peppers in half (leave out the seeds). Place them in a baking tray in a single layer. Drizzle with half the olive oil and toss so they are well coated. Roast for 35 - 40 minutes until caremalized on the edges and easily pierced with a fork.1 kg Carrots, 2 Red Bell Peppers, 1 Onion
- Add the remainder of the olive oil to a soup pot or stove top heavy bottomed pan. Fry the diced onion over a medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes until translucent.4 tablespoon Olive Oil, 3 cloves Garlic, 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
- Add the minced garlic and ground coriander powder and fry for 1 minute. Pour in the vegetable stock and stir together.1 litre Vegetable Stock
- Add the roasted carrots and bell peppers. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to let the flavours fuse together.
- Remove from the heat and blend until smooth (or partly smooth if you prefer texture). Be careful blending hot liquids. Add the lemon juice. Taste your soup and season with salt and pepper as necessary.1 Lemon, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
Notes
Ingredients Notes
- Carrots - use any type of carrots. Fresh carrots should be firm. You don't need to peel them but be careful to wash away any dirt.
- Red Bell Peppers - use ones that are firm. You can use red or yellow peppers but avoid green ones as they have a more bitter taste.
- Coriander powder - coriander powder has a warm citrusy, nutty, and spicy flavour.
- Onion - use yellow or brown onions but red will also work.
- Vegetable Stock - any vegetable stock. Use a gluten-free one if you need to make this soup gluten-free. The sodium levels in stock vary widely so choose one you are comfortable with.
- Garlic - garlic cloves add extra flavour.
- Lemon - this helps lift the flavour, reduces the sweetness of the carrots and compliments the ground coriander (cilantro)
How to cook on stove top
Fry the vegetables in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and coriander powder and dry fry for 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until vegetables are soft. Blend and season with lemon juice and salt and pepper.Storage
Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. The recommended freezing time for vegetable soups is 4 - 6 months. Store soup in an airtight container. Soup is best defrosted in the fridge overnight.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
Denise Hussey
This was delicious I love thick soup