Silky Mediterranean soup with charred red peppers, roasted garlic, and spicy harissa. Ready in under an hour.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large red bell peppers
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
04 - 1 head garlic
05 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
→ Pantry
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
07 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
08 - 1½ teaspoons harissa paste
09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
12 - ¼ cup crème fraîche or plain Greek yogurt
13 - Fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
14 - Crusty bread for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Cut red peppers in half, remove seeds and membranes, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and place on the baking sheet.
03 - Roast peppers and garlic for 25 to 30 minutes until pepper skins are charred and blistered. Remove and let cool.
04 - Once cooled, peel the skins off the peppers and squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins.
05 - In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and potato. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
06 - Stir in tomato paste and harissa; cook for 1 minute.
07 - Add roasted peppers, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
08 - Puree the soup in batches using a blender or with an immersion blender until silky smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls, swirl with crème fraîche or yogurt, and garnish with fresh herbs as desired. Serve with crusty bread.
