This roasted red pepper and tomato soup is a warming, vegan bowl full of late-summer flavour, made by roasting the vegetables first to bring out their natural sweetness. Smoked paprika and fresh thyme add a subtle smoky, herby depth, and it’s ready in under an hour.
This roasted red pepper and tomato soup is one of my favourite ways to use up the last of the summer’s tomatoes and peppers before the weather turns. Instead of simmering everything in a pan, the vegetables are roasted first (just like in my roasted tomato soup) which concentrates their natural sweetness and gives the soup a deep, smoky flavour a stove top version can’t match. A generous pinch of smoked paprika reinforces that smokiness.
It’s a simple, storecupboard-friendly recipe: just a handful of vegetables, a splash of olive oil and stock, blitzed together in under an hour. Serve it with a swirl of dairy-free cream or yoghurt and some thyme for a bowl that tastes far more indulgent than the short ingredient list suggests.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free
- Ready in 45 minutes, with only 15 minutes of hands-on prep
- Made from simple, budget-friendly storecupboard staples
- Freezes beautifully, so it’s worth making a double batch (see How to Store and Freeze below)
- Roasting the peppers and tomatoes instead of boiling them keeps more of their natural vitamin C intact: red peppers are one of the richest vegetable sources of it (see NHS advice on vitamin C)
More Late-Summer Soup Recipes to Try
- Courgette & Tomato Basil Soup
- Creamy Tomato Soup
- Green Tomato Soup
- Or browse all 10 Warming Winter Soups for more ideas as the weather cools.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Full quantities are in the recipe card below. Here’s what to know about a few of them:
- Red peppers: the ripest, reddest peppers you can find are the sweetest once roasted.
- Tomatoes: use the ripest fresh tomatoes you can get.
- Garlic: roasted whole, skin still on, so the cloves soften and sweeten instead of burning. Squeeze the flesh out once cooled.
- Smoked paprika: the backbone of the flavour here. Regular paprika works in a pinch, but you’ll lose the smokiness that makes this soup distinctive.
- Vegetable stock: Kallo is my go-to choice.
- Fresh thyme: roasted alongside the vegetables for a subtle, earthy background note, then a few extra leaves stirred through at the end to brighten the soup.
How to Make This Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup?
A quick overview. The full method and timings are in the recipe card:
- Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
- Deseed and slice the red peppers, slice the tomatoes and the onion, and spread them over a roasting tray with the whole garlic cloves and thyme sprigs.
- Drizzle with olive oil and roast for around 35 minutes, until softened and starting to caramelise at the edges.
- Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins.
- Transfer everything to a large saucepan or blender, including every drop of the roasting juices, which carry a lot of flavour.
- Blend until smooth, then stir in the smoked paprika and vegetable stock, adjusting the stock to your preferred consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper, then serve with a swirl of dairy-free cream and some fresh thyme.
Tips for the Best Flavour
- Don’t discard the roasting juices left on the tray. Scrape them all into the pan or blender as they’re concentrated flavour.
- Roast the garlic cloves with their skins on so they steam-soften rather than char; the flesh should slip out easily once cool enough to handle.
- Add the stock gradually until it’s exactly how you like it.
- Taste before adding the full amount of smoked paprika so it does not overpower the other ingredients.
Recipe Variations
- Creamier: stir through a splash of oat cream or a spoonful of cashew cream at the end for extra richness. Alternatively, you can also add a drained can of cannellini beans and blend them in with the rest of the ingredients.
- A little heat: add a pinch of chilli flakes.
- Swap the herbs: swap the fresh thyme for some fresh basil.
- Air fryer shortcut: roast the peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic in a large air fryer in batches at 180C for about 20 minutes, until softened and lightly charred, then continue with the recipe as normal.
What to Serve with Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
- Crusty bread for dunking: my Focaccia Bread with Rosemary is perfect for mopping up every last spoonful.
- A grilled cheese sandwich on the side turns this into a heartier meal: my Kimchi Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a fun twist if you fancy something different.
How to Store and Freeze
- Fridge: cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months: flat-lay freezer bags save space if you’re tight on room. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: warm gently on the hob or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, and loosen with a splash of stock or water if it’s thickened up. For more freezer tips, Love Food Hate Waste has good general guidance on freezing cooked food safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a bowl of this soup is a generous helping of vegetables, and soups made mostly from vegetables count towards your 5-a-day target in the same way as eating them any other way. The British Dietetic Association has more on portion sizes if you want to check exactly how much counts.
Yes, you can make it up to 3 days ahead and store covered in the fridge.
Regular paprika will work, though you’ll lose the smokiness that’s central to this recipe. A tiny pinch of chipotle chilli flakes is a good alternative if you want to keep that smoky note.
Yes, it’s low in saturated fat, high in fibre and vitamin C, and made almost entirely from vegetables. The British Heart Foundation has more on why vegetable-rich meals like this one are a good everyday choice.
I hope you enjoy this roasted red pepper and tomato soup recipe as much as we do. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
This recipe was originally published in 2021 and has been updated on September 14th, 2026.
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 red peppers
- 1 kg tomatoes
- 1 large onion
- 4 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 to 1 tsp smoked paprika
- up to 500 ml vegetable stock
- salt & pepper (to taste)
TO SERVE:
- dairy-free cream or yoghurt
- extra thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
- Remove the seeds of the red peppers and cut each one into 8 slices. Cut each tomato into 8 slices. Cut the onion into 8 wedges.2 red peppers, 1 kg tomatoes, 1 large onion
- Spread the vegetables on a large oven tray. Add garlic cloves and thyme.4 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil. Place in the oven for 35 to 40 mins until the vegetables soften and start to caramelise at the edges.3 Tbsp olive oil
- Once the vegetables are cooked, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins. Transfer everything to a large saucepan or blender. Make sure you also transfer the cooking juices.
- Blend until smooth. Add smoked paprika and vegetable stock. Depending on the consistency you desire, you can adjust the quantity of vegetable stock.3/4 to 1 tsp smoked paprika, up to 500 ml vegetable stock
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.salt & pepper (to taste)
- Serve with some dairy-free cream or yoghurt on top as well as some fresh thyme.dairy-free cream or yoghurt, extra thyme
Nutritional Information
Find this recipe online:
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/roasted-red-pepper-and-tomato-soup/
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