Our Chilled Roasted Red Pepper Soup With Quinoa Recipe

Chilled roasted red pepper soup with quinoa is the ultimate refreshing and nourishing meal for a hot summer day.

Made with vibrant, fresh ingredients, this soup is packed with bold, smoky flavors that only deepen as it chills. It’s hydrating, light, and satisfying, offering the perfect balance of flavor and nutrition.

Paired with fluffy quinoa, this dish becomes a filling yet easy-to-digest meal that keeps you energized without feeling weighed down.

Looking for a go-to summer soup recipe? This chilled roasted red pepper soup with quinoa is sure to hit the spot!

Why Make Chilled Roasted Red Pepper Soup With Quinoa?

When a hot soup goes cold on a winter’s day, it’s a nightmare. Your delightful broccoli and leek soup has become a bland mess just because you let it cool for a moment too long.

But soup that’s meant to be cold — that’s a different story. 

Chilled soup is refreshing and hydrating with a fresh burst of flavor. It’s a great way to celebrate summer produce and cool down on a hot day.

You should make this chilled roasted red pepper soup with quinoa because it’s:

• Nutritious. The combination of fresh vegetables and healthy quinoa makes this soup good for your insides!
• Refreshing. When the weather is really hot, chilled soup fills you up without weighing you down.
• It gets better with time. On day one, this soup is tasty. On day two, the flavors are coming alive, and by day three, it’s a celebration.

Ingredients For Chilled Roasted Red Pepper Soup With Quinoa

• 4 Red Bell Peppers: Deseed and chop into large chunks.
• 3 Large Tomatoes: Use juicy, flavorful tomatoes (not salad tomatoes) and slice them into quarters.
• 2 Yellow Onions: Peel and quarter.
• 6 Garlic Cloves: Peel and leave whole to avoid burning during roasting.
• 25g Fresh Basil Leaves: Tear for even blending and to release their sweet, aromatic flavor.
• ⅛ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper: Add a hint of spice; adjust to taste if you prefer more heat.
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin: Provides a warm, earthy flavor to the soup.
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar: Adds sweetness and tang; substitute apple cider vinegar if preferred.
• 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For roasting the vegetables and enhancing the soup’s rich texture.
• 3 Teaspoons Kosher Salt: 2 ½ teaspoons for roasting and ½ teaspoon for seasoning the blended soup.
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Adjust to taste for a balanced, peppery kick.
• 2 ½ Cups Water or Vegetable Stock: Use vegetable stock for a deeper, richer flavor.

Ingredients for the Quinoa

• 1 Cup Quinoa: Rinse well in a fine mesh strainer to remove any bitterness.
• 1 ¾ Cups Water: For perfectly cooked, fluffy quinoa.

Optional Vegan Toppings

• Fresh Basil Leaves: For garnish.
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Adds a finishing touch.
• Red Chili Flakes: For extra heat.
• Vegan Yogurt or Sour Cream: Use a plant-based alternative to add creaminess if desired.

How To Make Chilled Roasted Red Pepper Soup With Quinoa

Follow these simple steps to make this refreshing soup yourself:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet.
2. Arrange the chopped bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and whole garlic cloves on the baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil and 2 ½ teaspoons of salt. Toss well to ensure everything is well coated, and arrange the vegetables in an even layer. 
3. Roast the vegetables for roughly 40 minutes. The peppers should be turning brown with dark spots where the skin has caught. Remove the vegetables from the oven and allow them to cook slightly.
4. Transfer all the vegetables into a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Make sure all the juices from the pan are transferred into the blender as well. 
5. Add the torn basil, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, a few grinds of black pepper, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt to the food processor. Puree the mixture until it is smooth.
6. Transfer your soup base from the food processor to a large bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar and slowly add the water. Stir as you go, to check the consistency.
7. Chill the soup in the refrigerator until cold. Once cold, check the flavors and add salt or balsamic vinegar as needed.
8. As the soup chills, make the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa well in cold water using a fine mesh sieve. Combine the quinoa with the 1 ¾ cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes.
9. After 15 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and leave it to sit, covered, for an additional 10 minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork before serving.
10. Serve the chilled soup with a scoop of cooked quinoa and your chosen toppings.

Serving Suggestions For This Soup

Chilled roasted red pepper soup needs to be served cold. Don’t serve it straight from the food processor when the ingredients are likely to be warm. Give it time to chill in the fridge so the flavors can come alive.

Once the quinoa has finished cooking, leave it in the pot with the lid on. This will give the grains time to steam, absorbing the moisture and becoming delightfully fluffy. You can get this ready while you wait for the soup to chill.

Serve the soup with the quinoa and a topping of your choice. Fresh torn basil, a sprinkle of chili flakes, and a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt are good choices.

Roasted red pepper soup can be kept in the fridge for around 3 to 5 days. Keep the soup in an airtight container to preserve the flavors and textures. Stir before serving to make sure the ingredients haven’t separated.

Roasted red pepper soup can also be frozen. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or for 24 hours, and make sure it is completely thawed before serving.

Tips And Tricks

New to the world of chilled soup? Try these tips:

• The soup is likely to thicken up as it chills in the fridge, so don’t worry if you initially add a little too much water. If the soup is too thick after chilling, add a splash of water to loosen the consistency.
• If the soup seems too thin after freezing, thicken the consistency with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sour cream.
• The flavors will also alter slightly as the soup chills. Taste the soup before serving and adjust the flavors as needed.
• The flavors tend to deepen over time, which means this soup is often at its best a few days after making it. If you know there’s hot weather later in the week, consider making a batch of this soup for the fridge!
• Taste the soup after you’ve added the balsamic vinegar but before you’ve added the water. Delicious, right? It is also an excellent soup base, which makes a delightful pasta sauce. Consider putting half to one side for pasta and turning the rest into soup!
• This recipe is fairly easy to double — just increase the amount of everything as you go. However, if you want to make the soup in batches, you might need to adjust the cooking times for the vegetables. 

Variations And Substitutions For Chilled Roasted Red Pepper Soup 

• As the tomatoes, onions, and garlic are being roasted, it should be easy enough to roast the red peppers at the same time. However, you can substitute raw peppers for jarred roasted red peppers.
• Switch the fresh tomatoes for whole canned tomatoes. If you can find roasted canned tomatoes, these are best. Add a single tomato at a time and taste as you go — these tomatoes can be strong, so three might overwhelm the soup.
• If you like a strong garlic taste, consider roasting half a bulb with the vegetables. Simply pull the bulb in half and add it to the baking sheet. Once it’s cooked, you should be able to squeeze out the softened cloves.
• We love the sweet and fragrant touch that fresh basil gives this dish, but you can experiment with different herbs. Fresh sage, parsley, or rosemary are good starting places! They all pair well with the sweetness of red pepper. 
• Quinoa is a healthy grain with a nutty flavor that goes well with chilled roasted red pepper soup. You can substitute quinoa for brown rice, couscous, millet, or your favorite whole grain. 

Final Thoughts

Chilled soup is a delightfully refreshing meal on a warm day. 

This chilled roasted red pepper soup with quinoa is easy to make and bursting with fresh flavors.

We just know you’re going to love it. 

Frequently Asked Questions