Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Gouda

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This creamy roasted red pepper soup with Gouda is rich, velvety, and full of smoky-sweet flavor, blending roasted red peppers with melty smoked Gouda cheese for a comforting bowl of soup.

I love both chunky soups and smooth soups equally, and you’ll find both kinds well-represented on this site.

HOWEVER. I find that, in the absence of interesting textures, and different flavorful elements, a creamy soup has to be REALLY outstanding in the flavor department to captivate, and not bore me. Why? Because unlike a chunky soup, every bite of a creamy soup is exactly the same.

SO If you’re like me, and you love creamy soups with layers of complex flavors, this roasted red pepper soup with Gouda is IT. A savory base of onions, carrots and celery, layered with sweet, fruity roasted red peppers, and blended with rich, nutty, and smoky gouda cheese. If that doesn’t sound like a party on your palate, I don’t know what does!

Roasted red peppers: If you aren’t used to cooking with roasted red peppers, you are in for a treat. Although I love a creamy tomato soup, I find roasted red peppers are a sweeter, mellower, smokier alternative that works beautifully in so many things, from the sauce for this roasted red pepper chicken, to this party-perfect roasted red pepper feta dip.

Also? It takes me only forty minutes from start to finish. Perfect for a Friday night dinner where you want to stay inside but also have something spectacular for dinner.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s what I use to make this roasted red pepper soup with Gouda.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

My go-to cooking foundation. I use this to coat my Dutch oven.

Yellow Onion

A big piece of the base layer of our soup. Creating a cozy, savory backdrop for the sweeter ingredients.

Carrots & Celery

Together with the onion, forms a classic mirepoix. Its what helps make sure the soup doesn’t taste one-dimensional.

Garlic minced

Garlic enthusiast here, and garlic for me is almost like salt and pepper, it’s usually a must, but especially for this recipe.

Jar Roasted Red Peppers or your own Roasted Red Peppers

Roasted red peppers bring a gorgeous red color and a deeply concentrated sweet taste that is the anchor for our dish. If you have a little extra time, I recommend roasting or broiling your own bell peppers (see instructions in the tips section below), for added freshness, but jarred roasted red peppers are perfect for simplifying weeknights.

Vegetable or Chicken Stock

The liquid medium that gets us to soup texture. Vegetable and chicken stock both work great. If you are trying to keep this soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth, but check your cheese label too (see below on gouda cheese)!

Smoked paprika

I always consider smoked paprika to be a little pinch of culinary excellence. It amplifies the char of the roasted red peppers.

Heavy Cream

I pour this in right after blending to instantly transform the texture from a standard vegetable puree into a rich, velvety, soup masterpiece. Feel free to adjust the amount to taste, or skip it entirely if you like.

Freshly Grated Smoked Gouda Cheese

For the soccer fans out there, this truly is the keeper of your team of ingredients right here. It’s fresh, and it’s there to change your cooking game for the better. (Please trust me and grate it yourself from a block; it melts a million times better than pre-shredded bags!). *NOTE: If you are vegetarian, check the label on your Gouda cheese as many brands are made with animal rennet.

Step-By-Step Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Gouda

This creamy roasted red pepper soup with Gouda is velvety, and full of smoky-sweet flavor. Let’s dig into making it!

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 3-4 minutes.

1. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for an additional 60 seconds.

1. Add the red peppers, stirring and breaking up larger pieces with the spatula.

1. Add the stock and paprika, then turn the heat up to high. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

1. Using an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, use a regular blender, in batches if necessary.

1. Stir in the cream.

1. Remove the pot from the heat, and whisk in the Gouda cheese (note: it’s important that the soup isn’t overly hot when adding the gouda. Too much heat might cause the cheese to break).

1. Season with salt and pepper. I also like a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley. Enjoy!

Helpful Tips

• If you’re roasting your own red peppers instead of using jarred, you’ll need about 5-6 pounds of fresh peppers, or roughly 7-9 large peppers. I roast them at 450°F for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the skins are charred. Transfer them to a bowl, cover for about 10 minutes to allow them to cool slightly. Then peel away the skins and remove the stems and seeds.

• One thing I never skip is taking the soup off the heat before adding the smoked Gouda. If the soup is still boiling, the cheese can separate instead of melting. Giving it a minute to cool slightly makes a huge difference and leaves you with a creamy soup. If you find the soup has cooled TOO much and the cheese isn’t melting all the way, you can gently heat it back up on low heat while stirring constantly.

• If you’re using an immersion blender, keep the blender head fully submerged while blending to avoid hot soup splattering everywhere. If you’re using a countertop blender, blend in batches if needed and leave the center vent open with a kitchen towel draped over it so steam can escape safely. Note that a high speed blender such as a Vitamix will give you the silkiest soup. That said, I usually opt for the convenience of my immersion blender.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

When it’s time to reheat, I prefer warming it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until hot. Slow reheating helps keep the cream and smoked Gouda smooth and creamy.

Freezing: You can also freeze this soup for up to three months. Cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. To serve, thaw completely and reheat slowly in a saucepan.

Note that dairy-based soups like this one can sometimes get a bit grainy upon thawing, due to the cheese separating. If you definitely plan to freeze this soup, I would recommend freezing before stirring in the cheese, and only adding it when reheating.

Serving Suggestions

• Although a grilled cheese sandwich for dunking is a classic combo for this creamy soup, this cheesy garlic focaccia would be my very first choice.
• A simple spinach and arugula salad is great to balance a rich soup like this one.
• Pita chips or crackers are a perfect crunchy accompaniement.