Roasted Pepper and Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper , halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 yellow bell pepper , halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 orange bell pepper , halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion , diced
• 1 large carrots , chopped
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1.5 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 canneds roma , plum
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1.5 teaspoons hot sauce , or to taste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup lentils
• 2 bays leaves
• 0.75 teaspoons salt
• 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chile oil , or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley , or to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element in your oven and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. 2

   Arrange red bell pepper halves, yellow bell pepper halves, and orange bell pepper halves onto prepared baking sheet with cut sides down.

3. 3

   Roast peppers under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Steam as they cool until the skin has loosened completely, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard skins. Cut peppers into small dice.

4. 4

   Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and carrot in hot oil until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, tarragon, thyme, and paprika; continue to cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir roasted peppers, tomatoes, water, and hot sauce into the peppers mixture, place a cover on the pot, and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Pour vegetable broth into the pot; add lentils, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

7. 7

   Pour soup into a blender or food processor no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse several time to get the soup to be only slightly chunky. Repeat processing until all soup has been blended.