This roasted red pepper and Gouda soup, oh boy, it’s somethin’ else. You won’t believe how easy it is to make this belly-warmin’ soup. My grandkids, they gobble it up faster than I can dish it out! Good for a cold day, good for any day, really. This here’s a keeper, I tell ya.
First off, you gotta get yourself some red peppers. Them red bell peppers, big and shiny. Don’t be gettin’ the green ones, they ain’t the right kind. You need ’bout, oh, I’d say four or five big ones. Maybe six if they’re on the smaller side. You want a good amount of pepper in this roasted red pepper soup, you see.
Then you need some onions. Just regular yellow onions, nothin’ fancy. Two big ones oughta do it. Chop ’em up, don’t gotta be pretty. And garlic, oh, you gotta have garlic. I like a lot of garlic, maybe five or six cloves. More if you’re a garlic fiend like me. Just smash ’em and peel ’em, no need to mince ’em fine. This is a simple, hearty soup, not some fancy restaurant thing.
Now, you gotta roast them peppers. Just cut ’em in half, scoop out the seeds and the white part inside. Lay ’em out on a baking sheet, skin side up. The onions and garlic, just toss ’em on the same sheet. Drizzle the whole shebang with some olive oil. Not too much, just enough to get ’em coated. Then sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Just eyeball it, you know how much you like.
Stick that pan in the oven. I set mine to 400 degrees. You want those peppers to get all soft and blistered. Takes about, oh, 30, 40 minutes. Just keep an eye on ’em. You don’t want ’em to burn, just get a little char on the skin. That’s where the flavor’s at, that char.
While them peppers are roastin’, you can get your Gouda ready. Now, this here’s the secret weapon. That Gouda cheese, it’s what makes this soup somethin’ special. You need a good chunk of it. I use about a pound. Grate it up. Don’t use that pre-shredded stuff, it ain’t the same. Get a block and grate it yourself.
- Red bell peppers, 4-6 big ones
- Yellow onions, 2 big ones
- Garlic, 5-6 cloves (or more!)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Gouda cheese, about 1 pound
- Chicken broth, about 4 cups
Once them peppers are all roasted, take ’em out of the oven. Now, here’s a little trick. Put them peppers in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let ’em sit for a bit. This helps loosen the skin. After about 10 minutes, you can peel that skin right off. Some folks leave it on, but I like to take it off. Makes the soup smoother, you see.
Now, put them peeled peppers, onions, and garlic in a big pot. Pour in some chicken broth. I use about four cups. You can use vegetable broth too, if you want. Then, you gotta blend it all up. I use one of them stick blenders. Makes it easy. Blend it till it’s all smooth and creamy, how you want your soup to be.
Now comes the good part. Put that pot back on the stove, low heat. Stir in that grated Gouda cheese. Just keep stirrin’ until it’s all melted and smooth. The smell, oh, it’ll make your mouth water! I like to stir in a little bit of heavy cream too. It gives it an extra bit of richness to the roasted red pepper soup.
Taste it. Might need a little more salt or pepper. You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes too, if you like a little heat. I like to add a little bit, just to give it a kick. This soup is just so good, I tell ya.
Once it’s all heated through and the cheese is melted, it’s ready to eat! Ladle it into bowls. I like to put a little dollop of sour cream on top. And maybe some chopped chives, if I got ’em. But it’s good just plain too. The roasted red pepper and Gouda soup is so simple, see? Just good, honest food.
This soup, it’s good for what ails ya. Warm you up on a cold day. Fill your belly. And it’s easy on the pocketbook too. Just simple ingredients, nothin’ fancy. But it tastes like a million bucks. Trust me on this one. You gotta try this roasted red pepper and Gouda soup. You won’t be sorry! This is one of my favorites, this is. My family loves it when I make it. It’s a real simple recipe. This is good eatin’, I tell ya. A real good soup.
