This vibrant yellow pepper soup comes from Chef Marco’s cookbook Salt to Taste, inspired by his time working at the legendary Cibrèo in Florence. At the restaurant, they made it simply with water—but we think it’s even better with Brodo. The result is a silky, deeply flavorful soup that’s as comforting as it is nourishing.
You may be tempted to skip the straining step. You will still have a delicious soup with lots of fiber (albeit with a few loose pepper skins), but we encourage you to try straining it. The silky smooth texture will take your soup from “home cook” to “chef” level.
Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil (plus more for finishing the soup)
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 1 carrot, minced
- 1 stalk celery, minced
- About 7 yellow peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (3 medium), peeled and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 9+ cups Brodo (we prefer Organic Chicken or Signature Hearth)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 Small bunch of thyme, tied in a bundle
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and fry, stirring frequently, until the soffritto vegetables soften and color slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Add the peppers to the pot and cook, stirring to coat them thoroughly with soffritto. Cook the peppers until they soften a little, 3 minutes or so, then add the potatoes and stir to mix all the vegetables together.
- Add the bay leaves and Brodo. If the liquid doesn’t cover the vegetables by 1 inch, add more Brodo (or water) until they’re sufficiently covered. Season with salt and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes (it’s ok if the beans get mushy).
- Bruise the thyme by crushing it with the flat side of a knife and then add it to the pot. Continue to simmer the soup until the peppers are completely soft, about 15 minutes more.
- Remove the thyme and bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor, incorporating 1/2 cup more olive oil for additional richness, if desired.
- Strain the soup through a fine sieve, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, thin with Brodo if necessary, and serve warm with croutons and thyme leaves, if desired.
