Roasted Bell Pepper Soup
This hearty soup is full of warm flavors and feel-good taste!
Equipment
- Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
- Food Processor (Optional)
Ingredients
- 3 Bell Peppers Use a mix of colors for visual appeal
- 1 Lg Onion White or Yellow
- 4 Cloves Garlic, unpeeled
- 2 Tbsp Oil, plus more for drizzling Use your preferred oil for sautéing
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1/2 lb Chorizo
- 28 Oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 Qt Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup Uncooked Orzo
- 1 tsp Cumin, divided
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika, divided
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 10-12 leaves basil, torn (more or less, to taste)
- Parmesan Cheese to top (optional)
Instructions
To Roast Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 465° F
- Quarter the bell peppers and remove the ribs and seeds
- Remove the root and top of the onion, and cut into quarters
- On a parchment-lined baking pan, place bell peppers and onion and drizzle lightly with oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place unpeeled garlic on a small sheet of tin foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Wrap the garlic and place on same pan as peppers and onion.
- Place all vegetables in the oven for approx. 20 minutes, checking after 10 mins, then every 5 mins. The goal is to get some char/blistering on the skin of the peppers.
- Dice the peppers into bite-sized pieces. You can do this by hand or add in with the onion and garlic in the next step.
- Peel your garlic and, along with the onion, add to a food processor and pulse lightly until the onion is chopped into bite-sized pieces. Note: You can also do this by hand, but the onion will be very slippery and soft, so be sure to use a very sharp knife and a whole lot of caution!
For the Soup:
- Using a Dutch oven, stock pot, or other heavy bottomed large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, then add ground beef and chorizo. Salt and pepper lightly to start building flavor.
- Once meat is almost cooked through, add your roasted vegetables (peppers, onion, and garlic). Season with 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp allspice. Stir until nicely combined.
- Add tomatoes (undrained) and chicken stock. Turn stove to high and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add orzo and continue to boil approximately 4-6mins, until orzo is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Reduce heat to low, stir in remaining seasonings and S&P to taste. Fold in torn basil leaves. Cook on low for another 2 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Distribute into serving bowls and top with parmesan, to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer to peel the bell peppers, roast them whole, then immediately cover to steam them for another 15-20 minutes until cool enough to handle. This is best done in an airtight container or a paper lunch bag. Use your hands or paper towels to rub the skin off the pepper. You can use your nails or a paring knife for the stubborn bits, taking care not to pierce the skin.