Description
This vibrant and comforting Bell Pepper Soup blends sweet orange bell peppers with diced butternut squash and aromatic herbs, creating a creamy, flavorful dish that’s perfect for any season. Enhanced by sautéed onions, carrots, and celery, this soup is easily made on the stovetop and puréed to a smooth consistency, offering a healthy, vegetarian-friendly option ideal for lunches or light dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 6 orange bell peppers, diced
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
Herbs and Seasoning
- Pinch of sea salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Liquids and Oils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat to prepare for sautéing the aromatics.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, along with salt and pepper, to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions become translucent and the vegetables slightly soften.
- Add bell peppers: Stir in the diced orange bell peppers and let them simmer with the other vegetables for about 6 minutes. This helps to release their sweet flavor.
- Simmer the soup: Add the diced butternut squash, vegetable broth, thyme, and dried sage. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook gently for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- Blend the soup: Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot to purée the soup until completely smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Enjoy the soup immediately hot, or store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for later enjoyment.
Notes
- You can adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more or less vegetable broth during blending.
- For a spicier variation, add a pinch of cayenne pepper during the sautéing phase.
- Use an immersion blender to simplify the blending process and reduce cleaning.
- This soup freezes well; store leftovers in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
- To make it vegan, ensure that your vegetable broth is plant-based and free of animal-derived ingredients.
