Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?

While you can use milk as a substitute for heavy cream, it will alter the texture and richness of the bisque. Heavy cream provides a rich, velvety texture and a smooth consistency that milk cannot fully replicate. If you choose to use milk, consider also swapping the olive oil for butter when cooking the vegetables.

Is this soup vegetarian?

The bisque, as written with chicken stock, is not vegetarian. However, you can easily make it vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken stock.

Can I use another color bell pepper for the soup?

Yes, you can use bell peppers of other colors (such as yellow or orange) in the soup. Each color has a slightly different flavor profile, with some being sweeter than others. However, red bell peppers are preferred for their sweetness and depth of flavor, which is why they are used in the recipe. The only color I would avoid is green as they are much less sweet than other varieties.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Bisque

Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs red bell peppers (approximately 5-6)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for coating peppers
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped (approximately ½ cup)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 29 oz can, tomato puree
2 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for serving
1.5 cups heavy cream, plus more for serving
Salt to taste

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Instructions

ROAST BELL PEPPERS: Set the oven to broil. Lightly coat the peppers in olive oil. Place peppers on a baking sheet 6 inches from the broiler flame, and broil about 10-15 minutes, flipping every couple minutes until skins are thoroughly blackened. Remove peppers from the oven and add them to a bowl covered with a tea towel. See notes for more details on how to properly roast the peppers.
PREPARE PEPPERS: When peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skins. Remove seeds and dice the peppers. Set aside.
SAUTE VEGETABLES: In a dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about five minutes. Add garlic and saute for one minute until fragrant. Add in chopped roasted peppers and cook and additional five minutes
ADD LIQUIDS AND SPICES: Add the tomato puree, chicken stock, thyme, oregano and black pepper. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
BLEND: Remove the pot from the heat. Working in batches, purée soup in a blender until smooth.
FINISH AND SERVE: Return pureed soup to the pot and add heavy cream. Taste for additional salt before serving. If you prefer, add a swirl of heavy cream and some additional ground black pepper to the top of the soup before serving.

Notes

If you would like to watch a video of how I roast peppers at home, you can check out how I did it for a previous recipe.

Author: Christine
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: stove top
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 1/3 cup
Calories: 253
Sugar: 14.8 g
Sodium: 571.3 mg
Fat: 14.8 g
Carbohydrates: 26 g
Protein: 6.7 g
Cholesterol: 36.3 mg