Description

A flavorful and comforting Red Pepper Soup paired with savory Black Bean “Meatballs”. This hearty, homemade soup features roasted red peppers pureed into a smooth base, complemented by seasoned black bean meatballs pan-fried to a golden brown. Perfect for a nourishing lunch or dinner, it’s finished with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and fresh herbs for an inviting touch.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons white wine
1 16-oz jar roasted red peppers, undrained
2 1/2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 sprigs thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of sriracha or hot sauce (optional)

Black Bean “Meatballs”

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
3 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste
2 to 4 tablespoons oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes (or regular cooking oil)

Garnish

Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Fresh basil or thyme
Fresh parmesan (optional)

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Instructions

Sauté Onions: In a wide-bottom pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions when hot and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add Garlic: Crush the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them whole to the onions. Continue cooking until onions and garlic begin to brown, approximately 5 more minutes.
Deglaze with White Wine: Pour in the white wine and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute.
Add Roasted Red Peppers: Add the entire jar of roasted red peppers, including the liquid, without chopping.
Add Broth and Thyme, Simmer: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and add thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes.
Puree the Soup: Remove from heat and discard thyme sprigs. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until very smooth. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and blend in batches in a blender with the lid partially open to release steam, then return to the pot and reheat.
Season the Soup: Stir in salt, pepper, and a dash of sriracha or hot sauce to taste.
Prepare Black Bean “Meatballs”: In a large bowl, combine rinsed black beans, chopped basil, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, panko breadcrumbs, egg, paprika, salt, and pepper. Use a potato masher to mash and mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Form Meatballs: Shape the bean mixture into approximately 25 to 30 small balls.
Cook Meatballs: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar (or regular oil) in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, browning each side, about 1-2 minutes per side. Use a spatula to turn them gently to brown all sides.
Serve: Ladle the pureed red pepper soup into bowls and top with the black bean meatballs. Garnish with fresh basil, thyme, a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, and optionally shaved fresh parmesan.

Notes

Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make the soup vegetarian.
If you do not have an immersion blender, carefully use a regular blender to puree the soup in batches.
The sun-dried tomato oil adds great flavor to the meatballs but can be substituted with olive oil if unavailable.
Adjust the heat level by adding more or less sriracha or hot sauce to the soup.
This recipe freezes well; store the soup and meatballs separately for best texture after reheating.