Makes 1 quart (4 cups) | Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 45 minutes
This chorizo, tomato, and roasted red pepper soup is bold, smoky, and wildly cozy. It’s the kind of soup that tastes like it simmered all day, but it comes together with just a few key ingredients and the unexpected twist of ground chorizo! This recipe makes one quart of soup and comes together in about one hour.
Full disclosure, this was a spur-of-the-moment kind of recipe that came together with a lot of random leftover things I had laying around the pantry/kitchen. I had a jar of roasted red peppers in my pantry for waaay too long (they weren’t expired, I promise!), and I also had like six big tomatoes just hanging out in my kitchen with no real purpose. I ALSO had some leftover chorizo from these Ground Chicken and Chorizo Meatballs, so they all just randomly sort of came together in the absolute. best. way. possible.
This soup is like a richer, slightly spicy, REALLY good version of a small batch tomato soup, and it doesn’t have to simmer forever. This recipe makes about one quart of gorgeously vibrant soup, so it’s perfect for a couple bowls or about four cups. The base is a blend of sautéed onions, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, tomato paste, and brown sugar all cooked in rendered chorizo fat. Then we add fresh tomatoes, jarred roasted red peppers, chicken (or vegetable) broth, and a little heavy cream. By the way, you will need an immersion blender to make this one smooth!
It’s perfect for late summer when the tomatoes in your garden are getting out of control (we are super lucky to have that problem!), but this is equally good any time of year! If you have a store that carries heirloom tomatoes year-round, grab one of those so you get the best flavor. OR use cherry tomatoes instead, OR canned whole tomatoes if you don’t have access to fresh ones! Then pair this soup with toasted bread or a gooey grilled cheese sandwich, and you’re in business.
Ingredients
- 1/4 lb. (4 oz.) Ground Chorizo (Mexican-style, uncooked)
- 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 cup chopped Shallot (or white / yellow onion)
- Kosher Salt (to taste – I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt!)
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
- 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 1/2 tsp. Light Brown Sugar
- 1 cup chopped fresh Tomato (the best one you can find)
- 1 cup chopped Roasted Red Peppers
- 2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth (low-sodium if you’re sensitive to salt / or vegetable broth!)
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt, for topping
- 2 tbsp. chopped Cilantro (optional, for topping)
Ingredient Notes + FAQs
Chorizo: Use raw Mexican chorizo (not cured chorizo), which looks like ground pork sausage (like breakfast sausage or Italian sausage). It brings SO much flavor! Brown it first, then transfer the cooked chorizo to a bowl to stir into the soup after it’s blended with an immersion blender. (Blended meat sounds weird). Leave the browned bits and rendered fat in the pot, so all that flavorful goodness becomes the base of your soup.
Roasted Red Peppers: Jarred roasted red peppers are PERFECT and super convenient in this soup! Just drain them well before blending. They’re velvety, sweet, and save so much time. If you want to REALLY do it up and roast your own red bell peppers, do it!
Tomatoes: A big, fresh tomato is perfect for this recipe. You’ll need about a cup, so use whatever kind of tomato you love. If you have cherry / grape tomatoes – those work, too! Just halve them. If you’re making this when tomatoes aren’t really in season, sub in 1 cup of canned whole tomatoes. (Just break them apart a little when cooking them!)
Chicken Broth: I actually used a cheap, standard chicken broth for this recipe. It has a higher salt content, yes, but the flavor was just outstanding. If you’re sensitive to salt, I recommend using a low-sodium broth, then salting the soup as you go so you can adjust it to fit your taste! Or use vegetable broth if you prefer it!
Heavy Cream: Half and half is a great substitute here, OR full-fat coconut milk if you’re dairy free.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Cook the Chorizo: In a large saucepan or a medium-sized dutch oven, cook the chorizo over medium heat until it is browned and cooked through, making sure to crumble it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Transfer the cooked chorizo to a small bowl or plate lined with a paper towel, and set aside. Note: The dutch oven used in these photos is a 3.5 qt. dutch oven. Any saucepan or dutch oven sized from 3.5 qts. – 5 qts. will work!
Step Two: Cook Shallots, Garlic, and Seasonings. Turn the heat beneath the pot down to medium-low. Add the butter, allow the butter to melt, then stir the shallots with a pinch of salt. Cook the shallots for about 2-3 minutes until browned and softened. Stir in the garlic, paprika, and cumin, and cook for another couple of minutes to toast the spices.
Step Three: Add more Flavor. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar, and cook for about a minute until the brown sugar is melted and the tomato paste is slightly darker in color. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot with a little pinch of salt, and turn the heat beneath the pot back up to medium. Let the tomatoes cook for about five minutes, stirring them occasionally, until their juices have released and they’re cooked down into the other ingredients.
Step Four: Add Roasted Peppers and Broth. Add the chopped roasted red peppers and the chicken broth to the pot. Bring the heat beneath the pot up to medium-high, and bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat back down to medium-low, stir, and let the soup simmer for about fifteen minutes.
Step Five: Blend and Add Cream. Carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the cooked chorizo, heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste (if desired/needed). Let the soup simmer for another fifteen minutes, then serve hot!
Recipe Tips + Tricks
- Brown the chorizo first, then transfer it to a bowl lined with a paper towel before building the rest of the soup. Leave the rendered fat in the pot though, so we can cook the vegetable in it!
- Blend the soup until totally smooth for a velvety texture. An immersion blender is easiest, but a regular blender works too. Just be careful, and leave the lid of the blender open a tiny bit so any steam can come out of it.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if you’re sensitive to salt, or use vegetable broth if you prefer.
Ways to Customize the Recipe:
- Make it Spicier: Add a pinch (about 1/4 tsp.) of ground cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce for some heat! Crack some fresh black pepper over the soup before serving for an extra kick, too! Or add a drizzle of chili crunch over the top before serving.
- Add Roasted Garlic: Toss in a few roasted garlic cloves before blending for even more flavor.
- Dairy Free: Swap heavy cream for coconut milk to make it dairy-free.
My entire website is packed with small batch recipes, by the way! If you’re often cooking for one or two people, feel free to sign up for my weekly newsletter. I only send one newsletter each week, but it’s packed with four small batch recipes, as well as a few tips and tricks for you.
How to Store Leftovers
If you want to double the recipe, leftover soup is amaaaazing!
In the Refrigerator: Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Or reheat it in the microwave.
In the Freezer: Let the soup cool completely and freeze for up to two months. Just leave the sour cream topping off if you plan on freezing some.
More Small Batch Soup Recipes to Try!
Like I mentioned before, this soup totally came together on a whim to use up some leftover stuff from a food styling project I had worked on, and now I’m obsesssssed with it and want to eat it every week! It’s just a little spicy, creamy, smoky, and so incredible cozy.
If you want to make more than one quart, there is a little slider bar in the recipe card below (near “servings”). Slide that bar to adjust the amount you want to make, and the ingredients will automatically adjust for you! AND if you make this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share it on Instagram and tag me, or use the hashtag #aflavorjournal so I can see it! If you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.
xx Sara
Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato, and Chorizo Soup (Small Batch)
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Ground Chorizo
- 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 cup chopped Shallot
- Salt to taste
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
- 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 1/2 tsp. Light Brown Sugar
- 1 cup chopped Fresh Tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped jarred Roasted Red Peppers
- 2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth low-sodium if you're sensitive to salt
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half
- Sour Cream and chopped Cilantro optional, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Chorizo: In a large saucepan or a medium-sized dutch oven, cook 4 oz. Ground Chorizo over medium heat until it is browned and cooked through, making sure to crumble it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Transfer the cooked chorizo to a small bowl or plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
- Cook Shallots, Garlic, and Seasonings. Turn the heat beneath the pot down to medium-low. Add 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, allow the butter to melt, then stir 1/3 cup chopped Shallot with a pinch of Salt. Cook the shallots for about 2-3 minutes until browned and softened. Stir in 2 cloves Garlic (minced), 1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika, and 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin, and cook for another couple of minutes to toast the spices.
- Add more Flavor. Stir in 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste and 1/2 tsp. Light Brown Sugar, and cook for about a minute until the brown sugar is melted and the tomato paste is slightly darker in color. Add 1 cup chopped Fresh Tomatoes to the pot with a little pinch of salt, and turn the heat beneath the pot back up to medium. Let the tomatoes cook for about five minutes, stirring them occasionally, until their juices have released and they’re cooked down into the other ingredients.
- Add Roasted Peppers and Broth. Add the 1 cup chopped jarred Roasted Red Peppers and 2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth to the pot. Bring the heat beneath the pot up to medium-high, and bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat back down to medium-low, stir, and let the soup simmer for about fifteen minutes.
- Blend and Add Cream. Carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the cooked chorizo, 1/4 cup Heavy Cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste (if desired/needed). Let the soup simmer for another fifteen minutes, then serve hot with a swirl of Sour Cream and chopped Cilantro!
Notes
Nutrition
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