9 times out of ten, when I make grilled cheese sandwiches for the family, tomato soup is served. That tenth time, that one soup I pick to throw everyone off: Hot Red Pepper Soup is the culprit.
The two soups look fairly similar. Red. The main difference when I do make this red pepper soup is that I always serve Creole Crouton with it. The crunchy spicy cubes of stale bread add that extra depth of flavor that gives this already hot and spicy soup an extra kick – which is perfect during soup season.
{click photo for Creole Crouton Recipe}
This is also a handy recipe for those of you with a green thumb and can grow red bell peppers during the summer months. Bell peppers are at their peak from July through September. Though most people that I know that do grow bell peppers seem to always make a homemade salsa with them; but this time, save a few peppers for this soup. It’s a great summer soup and can be served with a good green salad for a light lunch.
Plus, there are so many health benefits of having bell peppers – especially a fully ripened red bell pepper. An RBP contains more than 200 percent of your daily vitamin C intake. They have minerals that can prevent anemia. They are high in iron. The vitamin A within the red bell pepper helps with having healthy vision. The antioxidants, which make this vegetable a superfood, can help prevent many cancers. And, a red bell pepper can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories.
The most difficult part in preparing this soup, for me at least, is adding that dollop of sour cream at the end. I cannot figure out how to get that swirl look; that design that baristas get in the fancy coffee shops or the food stylists get in the magazines. My wife laughs every time with a ‘Pinterest fail‘ comment.
This soup is definitely not a fail. It’s a grilled cheese dunkable soup. It’s a great addition to the cold weather soup rotation to bring in a bit of variety. It’s on the menu for a healthy lunch option in the summer months. And it’s fun to see my wife’s reaction when I don’t tell her what it is and she’s expecting Tomato Soup. I don’t get that too often – just one time out of ten.
Is Hot Red Pepper Soup in your soup rotation? Let us know what you think of this soup in the comment section below!
Red Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 5 red bell peppers stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cans chicken broth
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- dashes of hot sauce
- sour cream
- dried parlsey for garnishment
- Creole Croutons
Instructions
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In a large pan over MEDIUM heat, melt the butter and saute the red peppers, onions, and garlic for 5-10 minutes; or until the red peppers have softened.
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Pour the chicken broth into the pan; reduce heat to LOW, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
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Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and puree until smooth.
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Pour the soup back into the pan over MEDIUM LOW heat. Seasoning the soup with thyme, salt, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Once the soup has been heated through, let simmer for 10 minutes before serving.
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Serve with adding a dollop of sour cream into each bowl of soup, garnish with parsley flakes, and offer hot sauce at the table. Sprinkle with Creole Croutons for a real kick! Enjoy!
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Keep the red beans cookin’!
Eric
Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.
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