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Vegetarian Tomato & Smoky Paprika Soup

Vegetarian Smoky Tomato Soup

Have you ever made a dish or dessert that, as a food writer, you just know down in your heart that when you posted or shared it on your site, that you really didn’t do it the justice it deserved?  A keeper of a recipe that turned out so amazingly delicious that in your heart-of-hearts you are sure if you were dining in a five-star restaurant it would’ve been served as either the main course or leading up to the main course?   This Vegetarian Tomato & Smoky Paprika Soup is all those things to me.

When I first tried the recipe for this soup, I could not find smoked paprika. I didn’t feel it would be a deal breaker to make the soup…and I was right. This soup can stand on its own with smoked or not smoked paprika. However, the smoked paprika really does add a whole new dimension and complexity to the flavors and synergy of the ingredients.

Smoked Paprika

  • Paprika is comprised of grinded dried fruits of bell and chili peppers.
  • The peppers are smoked over wood planks to create smoky, distinctive flavors.
  • The color of the paprika can lend natural added depth of color to your dishes.

Paprika & Smoked Paprika

For an encore presentation and delivery of this soup, I’ve made some changes to the original recipe. We enjoyed this soup as a meal with a green salad on the side and a crusty French baguette. The next evening it was the soup solo with the leftover baguette from the previous evening. Dip baguette slices in the soup…it’s indescribable!

Although this is a vegetarian friendly recipe, if you’re not vegetarian – this soup would pair beautifully as a small pre-course or alongside a cut of beef (your preferred cut and cooking method).

Teenie Notes

  • You will need at least a 4-quart slow cooker for this recipe.
  • Caution: If you don’t have an immersion blender (which I do not), you must work in small batches to purée the hot soup. If your blender has a pulse setting use it. In between active pulses, remove the lid of your blender to release the hot air. Return cover back to blender top and holding down tightly, continue to pulse purée in small batches.
  • For a more chunky soup, as pictured, leave some larger pieces of tomatoes unblended.
  • Sprinkling some red pepper flakes on individual servings could take this, already delicious soup, further over the top.
  • If you are not cooking for a vegetarian diet, you can substitute the vegetable broth for chicken broth.
Vegetarian Tomato & Smoky Paprika Soup
source adapted from The Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Over 200 Delicious Recipes by Judith Finlayson

Serves 4-6

Medium (approximately a 4 quart) slow cooker

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 large onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1-2 large tomatoes, cored and diced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

5 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream or soy creamer + 2 tablespoons
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Flat-leaf Parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)

Directions

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring, until softened about 5 – 8 minutes. Add garlic, salt, peppercorns and allspice and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.

Stir in broth. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours OR on High for 3 hours. Purée using an immersion blender. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, do this in a stand blender or food processor, in small batches, and return to stoneware.)

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the cream and smoked paprika. Mix until blended. Add remaining cream and stir well. Add to stoneware and stir well. Cover and cook on High for 10 minutes to meld flavors.

Garnish with sprinkles of flat-leaf parsley.

My trusty Crock Pot for slow cooking deliciousness

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karen says

    That looks amazing! I can only imagine how wonderful it tastes.
    I love it when you make something that is just so good you wish you could give everyone a sample so they could fully understand how fantastic it is!

  2. Jean says

    I just had tomato soup yesterday but it wasn’t homemade–it was from Whole Foods. I liked their variation with the chipotle peppers but after half a cup I thought the latter overpowered a bit. It motivated me to try my own sometime so I’m glad to be reading your post now. Can the color of your soup be more inviting? No way. I love the freshness jumping out of the screen. I can see how the right paprika would add a smoky, more complex layer of flavor. This is definitely going on my to-try list. Thanks for sharing this with us, Cristina.

  7. Carolyn Jung says

    The color of this soup is just spectacular. I can see why you’d eat it two days in a row. Heck, I’d eat it all week very happily. 😉

  9. Juliana says

    Oh! Cristina, this soup not only look so pretty but so tasty as well, love the smoked paprika…what a yummie soup. Hope you are having a great week 🙂

  10. Spice Sherpa says

    I had to check in at something that called for smoked paprika. And tomato soup, no less! I love the stuff–it makes an excellent canvas for spice experimentation. Thank you for sharing this!

  11. Gourmantine says

    I’m crazy for tomatoes and I haven’t found yet my ultimate tomato soup, so definately saving this recipe to try once the tomato season arives! Smoked paprika seems like a very welcome addition, I like the subtle flavor and depth it gives to the dishes. 🙂

  13. Monet says

    Hi sweet girl. Your post reminded me that I don’t nearly enough with paparika. It is such an amazing spice (and I usually reserve it for potato salads). I will be making this soup soon. It looks too marvelous to pass up. Thank you for sharing…and for always inspiring me. Hugs and love from Austin!

  14. Kate@Diethood.com says

    Oh my goodness, I love everything that you’ve put in this soup…especially the inclusion of smoked paprika … mmmmm! And that color is just so vibrant and delicious!

  17. RavieNomNoms says

    I am printing this right now, this is SO something I could gobble up in a second. It looks simply breathtaking. I so much enjoy tomato soup but your addition of the smoked paprika is just, outstanding! I feel like this would be a great soup to use my garden tomatoes for!

  19. Karen says

    I can easily see how this is one of those recipes no blog post can ever do justice! Such a fabulous combination of flavors. My father-in-law made a vegetable soup with smoked paprika a couple of years ago and ever since I have been obsessed with smoked paprika. I also like using it in meat marinades.

  23. torviewtoronto says

    I like the flavours in this aromatic spices
    Christina thank you for the comment I didn’t realize that I haven’t put what kind of machine I used updated the post. it is an ice cream, yogurt, sorbet maker
    looking forward to see some of your recipes, also check out the event on my site
    regards
    Akheela

    • Cristina - Teenie Cakes says

      Hi Akheela: Thank you sweetie for the clarification. I probably wouldn’t have thought to ask and think it was an ice cream maker, but lately I’ve been researching yogurt machines and I’ve had a new kitchen appliance on my brain. =)

  25. RKM says

    I can taste this soup from the screen. It looks great and the smoked paprika sounds delicious. Dipping some bread with this soup would be the perfect meal. Wonderful photos.

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