Ingredients:
- Sweet bell peppers – 4
- Olive oil – 4 tsp
- Onion – 1
- Carrot – 1
- Celery – 1 stalk
- Garlic – 2 cloves
- Cumin – 1 tsp
- Bay leaves – 2
- Broth – 1 to 1.5 liters (about 4 to 6 cups)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. There’s no need for precision here; just keep an eye on the peppers. Roast them for about 15 minutes (until they start to blacken), then flip them over and roast for another 15 minutes. You want them to be soft and slightly charred. Cover the peppers with foil and let them sit for 10 minutes. This will make it easier to peel off the skin.
Once cooled, peel the peppers and cut them into quarters.
Next, prepare the sauté. Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery stalk. You should have three equal parts of ingredients. Mince the garlic as well. Pour a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into a pot and heat it up.
Start by adding the onion and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the carrot and celery. After about 3 minutes, add the roasted peppers. Next, stir in the cumin and bay leaves. Be cautious with the cumin; it has a strong flavor that not everyone enjoys. If you’re unsure or the smell is off-putting, feel free to skip it to avoid ruining the soup.
Pour in the chicken or mushroom broth just enough to slightly cover the vegetables. If you don’t have broth, hot water will work just fine. Cook the soup until the carrots are soft, which should take about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat (discard the bay leaves) and blend the mixture until smooth. You can add hot sauce or any other seasoning to taste. Serve with croutons, a dollop of sour cream, or yogurt.