Oops, it’s Soup! Roasted Red Pepper Tahini Soup with Roasted Tomatoes, Pan Fried Mushrooms and Grilled Chicken
Sometimes things don’t turn out as planned, but they still turn our really, really, really good. This soup is one of them. It was actually intended to be a spaghetti squash dish with roasted red pepper sauce. Courtney couldn’t resist buying a massive spaghetti squash (seriously, this thing was the size of Jim’s head) even though it wasn’t on the list. It sat on the counter for a bit because I simply didn’t know what to do with it, and by the time I cut it open it had started to sprout. I figured I could just scoop it out and bake it, but when I tasted a bite it was toxically bitter. Since it was already past 9:00 pm, it was far too late to go get a new one (or even go buy some pasta to cook, for that matter), so we had to quickly change course. I was beginning to despair, seeing as I’d already slaved over all the individual components – but then it struck me… why not make a soup!? So the sauce became a roasted red pepper soup with all sorts of lovely accoutrements… and it turns out it was pretty ridiculously tasty! Point is, it’s all about your mindset. Don’t let yourself get so caught up that you can’t have the spaghetti squash you expected that you don’t enjoy the amazing soup!
Roasted Red Pepper Tahini Soup with Roasted Tomatoes, Pan Fried Mushrooms and Grilled Chicken
Inspired by A Sue Chef
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- 4 red peppers, roughly chopped
- 2 small onions, roughly chopped
- 5 large cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Garnishes:
- Pan fried mushrooms (below
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast (grilled, baked, stirfried, rotisserie – up to you!) – could also do tempeh for a plant-based protein, or nothing at all!
- Optional crunch: popcorn or chips (I used quinoa chips!)
Pan Fried Mushrooms
- Button Mushrooms, sliced
- Canola oil
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp olive oil
- splash of balsamic vinegar
- freshly cracked back pepper (about ¼ tsp)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Toss the red peppers, onions and garlic together with about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Spread out on a large rimmed sheet tray in a single layer. Roast until tender and brown on the edges, about 30 minutes.
- Let cool for about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables, cumin and tahini to the bowl of a food processor. Puree until mixed well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix together the salt, sugar, garlic and pepper. Then mix in the olive oil so that it resembles wet sand. Toss the tomatoes in the mixture. Put in a small sauce pan over low heat. Add a spash of balsamic vinegar and cook until the tomatoes begin to bubble and break down.
Pan Fried Mushrooms
- Prepare a plate lined with paper towels or a small strainer set over a bowl.
- Place a heavy bottom skillet over high heat. We want the pan to be very hot. Add about 2 T of canola oil to the pan. When the oil appears wavy, add about half of the mushrooms to the pan. They should not be overcrowded or they will not brown evenly. Lower the flame slightly if desired.
- After about 5 minutes, flip the mushrooms. When they are nice and dark on both sides, add the thyme and a pinch of the chopped garlic. Cook for several minutes more or until the garlic is lightly golden (but not brown). Season with salt and pepper.
- Strain the mushrooms and wipe the skillet clean. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
Assembly: Spoon soup into bowls. Top each bowl with chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms and crunchy garish of choice. Enjoy!
Serves 4
