Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
4 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
2 (12-oz.) jars roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more
1 c. shredded smoked gouda
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves
Preparation
Step 1 In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Cook onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Step 2Stir in broth, red peppers, paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.Step 3Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth (or puree in pot with an immersion blender). Return soup to pot and bring to a simmer, then stir in cream. Add lemon juice and black pepper, then taste and season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt as needed.Step 4Divide soup among bowls. Top with gouda, basil, and more black pepper.
Read on for more tips on this easy vegetarian soup. And if you’re still working at home and have time to supervise a slow-cooker, check out our favorite Crock-Pot soup recipes. Why am I topping the soup with the gouda? Can I just melt it straight in? Well, you can try. In testing, we found that not all the gouda melted well into the soup. Not to get all sciency, but depending on what brand you buy, some smoked gouda may be aged. The aging process dries out and hardens the cheese (think Parmesan or extra-sharp cheddar), which prevents it from melting well into soups. Rather than try to fight a losing battle against science, we’re choosing to sprinkle the cheese on top of each individual serving so you can swirl it in yourself and get a little bit in every bite. Why are we using low-sodium broth? When it comes to seasoning, we’re control freaks. We like to know how much salt we’re putting into our food at every stage, and typical (non-low-sodium) broths are packed with extra sodium that can really throw off the flavor balance of our soup. We always opt for low-sodium broth so we can add the seasoning ourselves. What can I serve with this? This soup is crying out for a slice of crusty bread! If you want to get a little fancy, you could consider making your own buttermilk biscuits or a loaf of homemade bread…but no pressure! If it’s 7:30 p.m. on a weeknight, reach for the loaf of store-bought bread and maybe make a simple arugula salad to serve with it. Made this? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
