It’s officially Soup Season again, folks! And I am cheering! The other day I was thinking about how excited I am to get through the month of September because I LOVE OCTOBER. But then I thought, “Well, September isn’t so bad either.” The truth is, I just love autumn. The past few days it’s been extra chilly after weeks and weeks of intense dry heat. It rained for the first time in forever and I loved every minute. I even pulled my favorite sweater out of storage for the first time since early spring. Sigh. I just love the cold, cold nights and chilly mornings and sunny, warm afternoons. And I love soup, particularly this Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup.
September bridges summer and fall with a plethora of delicious veggies and fruit. (You can see what’s in season for September by clicking on the image above, or here to visit The Vintage Mixer.) We could almost solely subsist on peaches for every meal, but there are so many other yummy things to eat too. See below for this month’s #EatSeasonal round-up. Soooo many tasty things to put on your September menus!
I’ve been a fan of roasted red peppers since the first time I tasted one years and years ago. They add spectacular flavor to any recipe, but soup is especially wonderful made with roasted red peppers. The problem is that sometimes the peppers by themselves make a thin soup. Most often you’ll probably see them pureed into bisque. I love bisque, but it’s a little too light for dinner on its own. So I added roasted sweet potatoes. That roast-y, toasty smell of red pepper being blistered in the hot oven was intoxicating as it mixed with the scent of the sweet potatoes getting all caramelized. I could hardly wait to puree everything into a creamy, thick soup.
I’ll admit that I was a little late to the Sweet Potato Party. It’s took a few years, but they really have won me over. I used to buy them around Thanksgiving and occasionally order sweet potato fries at a restaurant. But now I prepare them several times a week now for lunch and dinner. I was hesitant to use them in soup. Usually I would use butternut (which can be used here, by the way), but the sweetness of the sweet potatoes is incredible here. Roasting them just enhances their sweet flavor and if you let the sweet potatoes get really nice and brown in the oven, it makes the soup taste even more fantastic.
This soup really hit the spot. I added smoked paprika and cayenne, which made the soup spicy enough without being too overpowering. Both spices brought out the red pepper flavor in a big way. I also added a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten things up. There’s more sweet potato than red pepper in the soup, and that’s intentional. I wanted the flavor of red pepper and the texture of a pureed sweet potatoes.
Cashew cream has become a fixture in my fridge. I love the creamy, richness it brings to any recipe. There’s a slight sweetness too. And it has all the mouth feel of heavy cream without adding dairy. I loved swirling it through the soup and adding a little more smoked paprika and a sprinkle of green onions. My only regret was not making a triple batch… You can substitute heavy cream or even thick coconut milk if you’re not a fan of cashew cream or don’t want to go to the trouble of making it. (Though you might become an addict like me if you do!)
And now for all the other delicious things you need to make this month:
Shredded Hoisin-Blackberry Chicken Tacos with Crunchy Slaw by Floating Kitchen
Raspberry Peach Hand Pies by Foodie Crush
Pumpkin Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce by Climbing Grier Mountain
Zucchini Banana Brownies by Kitchen Confidante
Pesto Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash by Cookin’ Canuck
Classic Carrot Cake by Vintage Mixer
Easy Roasted Vegetable Spaghetti by Simple Bites
Peach and Arugula Pizza by Letty’s Kitchen
Thai Carrot Cucumber Noodle Salad with Peanut Lime Dressing by Flavor the Moments
Slow Cooker Red Lentil Cauliflower Curry by Well Plated
Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing by Mountain Mama Cooks
Print
Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup
A creamy, pureed soup made from roasted red peppers and sweet potatoes.
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Salt and pepper
- For garnish: cashew sour cream, sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the sweet potatoes, pepper slices, diced onion, and unpeeled garlic in an even layer. Drizzle with avocado oil. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 20-35 minutes, or until the veggies are soft. Remove from oven. Pop the garlic out of the skins. Transfer the veggies to a blender. Add the vegetable broth and puree until smooth. Transfer to a pot and add the smoked paprika and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Turn off heat. Taste and add more salt, if needed, and cayenne, to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and top with cashew sour cream, green onions, and an extra sprinkle of paprika.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
15 Comments
This looks so beautiful, Lindsay! And perfect for fall weather.
This is so beautiful! I am simultaneously excited about fall and soup season, but also not wanting to let go of summer just yet. So I’m just putting one foot on each side of the fence for now!
This looks incredible Linds! I make something similar with tomatoes added and it’s one of my favorite vegan soups.
I love soup season, and the flavors you’ve combined here sound just delicious! This is one gorgeous bowl of soup!
Man o man–this is a gorgeous recipe. Love that you include a link to the cashew sour cream. I love cashew creams.
Oh my! This looks absolutely divine and perfect for fall!
I’m with you on the sweet potato journey, I didn’t use to be a fan either, but like you said they just have so much great nutrients and flavor that I make them at least once a week now. This soup looks amazing, perfect for the rainy weather here in NYC. Thanks for sharing!
I made this today — so easy! I added some cumin, balsamic, nutmeg and a pinch of clove. Really tasty. Thanks for inspiring me.
I love your additions, Karen! Sounds amazing!
So stunningly beautiful!!! AND DELISH.
Prettiest soup EVA!!! You need to pay me a visit… just saying. Let’s do something really fun next year together, after the babe isn’t nursing (I’m done at the end of May, I’m going to that conference in SLC, the food one, you should come too!).
Hello, this soups looks and sounds fabulous. I am doing a round up post on nutritious soups. Could I use one of your photos and provide a credit to your site with a back link? Thank you for considering!
That’s just fine, Sarah!
Have you seen the gif? It was posted on Reddit the other day. http://i.imgur.com/E3nYi0u.gifv
★★★★
Oh My Goodness! This tastes so good! Mmmmm… mmmm… I am totally hooked on the cashew cream. Wow! I can’t sing this dish’s praises enough. I decided to leave out the cayenne pepper. …. I’m so full right now! Thank you so much
★★★★★