Name: Roasted Red Pepper Gouda Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 small white onion (roughly chopped); 3 carrots (roughly chopped); 2 stalks celery (roughly chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon paprika; 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 32 ounces roasted red peppers (drained and rinsed); 4 sundried tomatoes; 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup freshly shredded smoked gouda cheese; kosher salt (to taste); freshly ground black pepepr (to taste)

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Roasted red pepper gouda soup is a simple and delicious soup that uses jarred roasted red peppers and smoky gouda cheese for a perfect weeknight meal option. Your family will be begging for seconds!

A white dutch oven on a grey concrete background. The pot contains roasted red pepper gouda soup, garnished with cream, red peppers and parsley.

Roasted red pepper soup has always been one of my favorites! I love blended soups, especially with a gooey grilled cheese or spicy chicken sandwich on the side. Many red pepper soup recipes call for roasting fresh red bell peppers in the oven. This is, of course, totally delicious, but it’s just not going to happen for me on a regular weeknight when I’m trying to fit in dinner between soccer practice and guitar lessons. My version of roasted red pepper soup pairs jarred roasted peppers with fresh onion, carrot and celery, for an easy weeknight recipe that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. Add a bit of heavy cream and smoked gouda cheese for a rich and creamy soup that can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

This is also the perfect soup for meal prep. Blended soups are the best type to make ahead, with no ingredients that will change texture like noodles or rice might. Make a giant pot of this comforting soup and freeze some for the next time you aren’t feeling well or just don’t want to cook. Future you will be so grateful!

Serve this delicious soup with a caesar salad and some crusty bread for an easy weeknight meal. If you have a little more time, try some homemade cheddar rosemary biscuits! For other yummy soup options, try my butternut squash carrot ginger soup, healthy zuppa toscana with ground turkey, or white wine chicken soup with potatoes.

Three bowls of roasted red pepper gouda soup on a grey background. A pot of soup and spoons are to the side.

Ingredients

To make roasted rep pepper gouda soup, you need the following simple ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

Olive oil
Butter
White onion: Yellow onion or sweet onion would also work!
Celery: Celery helps makes this soup taste nice and fresh. It’s a great addition here since we are using jarred peppers!
Carrots: Fresh carrots are an important addition to this soup, and are a great way to give the soup a little subtle sweetness. The carrots and celery will get blended at the end, so just give them a rough chop! No need to be precise.
Garlic cloves
Seasoning, including paprika kosher salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning: Feel free to substitute some fresh herbs if you have them on hand. That would be another great way to add some freshness to the soup. I would recommend basil, thyme or rosemary.
Jarred roasted red peppers: Choose a good quality roasted red pepper for this soup, since it’s the main ingredient! I like the Whole Foods brand. You also want to make sure to drain the peppers and rinse off the brine. Adding the salty brine to your soup will ruin the flavor.
Sun-dried tomatoes (optional): I like to add a few sun-dried tomatoes to my soup for depth of flavor, and because I usually always have them on hand. You can omit this if you don’t have them, or try a small amount of tomato paste as a substitution.
Low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth: I recommend low sodium broth here, since jarred vegetables are saltier than fresh.
Heavy cream
Smoked gouda cheese: I love the subtle natural smoke flavor in this cheese, but if you can’t find smoked gouda regular gouda would be a great substitute. Gouda is a super creamy cheese that melts really well, and will give your soup a perfect silky texture.

Instructions

Step One: Prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion. Peel and roughly chop the carrots. Chop the celery. Mince the garlic.

Step Two: Add the olive oil and butter to a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced onion and sauté 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add the carrots, celery, minced garlic, paprika and Italian seasoning, and sauté 3-4 minutes more.

Tip: I recommend waiting until the end of cooking to salt this soup. The jarred peppers can vary in saltiness, and you may find you don’t need any additional salt when you taste it at the end.

A white dutch oven on a grey concrete background. The pot contains mined onion, celery and carrot.

A white dutch oven on a grey concrete background. The pot contains mined onion, celery and carrot, seasoned with paprika and Italian seasoning.

Step Three: Drain the jars of roasted red peppers. Rinse the peppers well under running water for about a minute, to remove any leftover brine. Add the drained peppers, sundried tomatoes and chicken stock to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Allow the soup to cook 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

A white dutch oven on a grey concrete background. The pot contains red peppers, carrots and celery floating in broth. An immersion blender sits to the side.

Step Four: Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is smooth and no chunks remain.

Tip: For extra creamy soup, use a high speed blender or strain the blended soup through a mesh sieve prior to adding the cream and cheese.

A white dutch oven on a grey concrete background. The pot contains roasted red pepper soup being blended with an immersion blender.

Step Five: Add the cream to the soup and stir to combine. Add the freshly shredded cheese, and stir for 1-2 minutes, until fully melted.

A white dutch oven on a grey concrete background. The pot contains creamy roasted red pepper soup, with fresh grated Gouda cheese being stirred in with a wooden spoon.

Step Six: Taste the soup and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.