Red Pepper Soup With Corn Salsa

Soups are always a welcome treat, no matter what season it is. A rich hearty vegetable soup can fill you up for a few hours, without adding too many calories. And one of my all-time favorite soups is Roasted Red Pepper Soup. I have tried several recipes before, but there’s always room for one more, so here comes another one by Susan from Foodblogga. I love her addition of fresh corn and cilantro, with the chipotle pepper adding the right spice kick to the recipe. And as if the rich, creamy, roasted sweetness of the peppers is not enough, you add a topping of roasted corn salsa, that makes it absolutely divine. Seriously, serve it with Foccaccia Bread or Corn Bread and you will not need anything more to fill you up!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients
6 large red bell peppers
3 ears of sweet corn (reserve one for the salsa)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons chipotle powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Corn Salsa
1 reserved ear of roasted corn
1 scallion, thinly sliced
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Method

Roasting the Peppers
Pre-heat the oven broiler. Line one large or two small rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil. Slice peppers in half. Clean out the seeds. Place cut-side down on prepared baking sheet. Remove corn from husks, discarding all silk. Place on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle peppers and corn with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place directly under broiler for 25-30 minutes, rotating the corn halfway through. Broil until the peppers are covered with black blisters and the corn has lightly browned kernels. Remove from oven and let corn cool.

Wrap peppers tightly in aluminum foil, or place inside of a paper bag and close tightly. Place inside of a bowl to catch any juices that might spill out for about 10-15 minutes. The steam will help the skins peel off more easily. Remove one pepper at a time. Using a paper towel, rub the skins off and discard. If you have trouble removing the skins, then steam the peppers a bit longer. Chop the peppers. Once corn is cooled, cut off kernels, reserving one ear for the salsa.

Making the Soup
In a large, deep pot over medium-high heat, warm remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Saute onions and celery for 5-7 minutes until translucent and lightly browned. Add roasted peppers, corn kernels, vegetable broth, salt, and chipotle powder, and cook 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro. Allow to cool completely before pureeing.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth, or if you prefer, a little chunky. Taste it. Add more chipotle powder if you’d like some extra heat. Return soup to pot and heat on stove-top for 7-10 minutes before serving.

For the salsa, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Garnish each bowl of soup with 1-2 tablespoons of salsa, and serve with a side order of bread.

This soup might take some active prep time, and yes, you do need to plan ahead. Its not a quick-fix recipe, but seriously, the end result is worth it. Reserve this recipe when time is on your side, pair it with a lovely Italian bread, and enjoy a heart-warming delicious meal.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Quick & Nutritious Tomato Beans Soup
Roasted Cauliflower Soup