Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup

By Alqualonde

A squirt of lime gives the soup a lively note, like salsa, and with that extra added layer of complexity, you seem to suddenly have a rather pleasurable soup that only took about 10 minutes to make. What a miracle.
If you're reading this outside of tomato season, don't worry, there's a place for you at this tomato soup table. Just substitute canned tomatoes; no big deal.

Ingredients

• 1 1 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
• 1 1 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 2 5 to 8 minced, or 5 to 8 cloves roasted garlic
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1 2 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice; or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1 1 cup sliced roasted red peppers
• 1 1 4 1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth, or 4 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1 1 lime cut into wedges
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

Adapted from thekitchn.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and salt. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Add the roasted peppers and tomatoes, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add the stock, optional chili powder and paprika, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender, working in batches), puree until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with fresh lime to squeeze on top.
Recipe Notes

This soup can easily be made vegan by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock. To put the spice back in, drizzle with chili oil or a pinch of ground chili pepper.