It may be the middle of summer, but I still can’t resist a hot cauldron of bubbling vegetables. Your fridge is an apothecary cabinet full of ingredients to successfully brew a hunger-curing potion. Meaning, this acts as a great way to clean out your fridge and justify your penchant for over-purchasing vegetables.

Rich hummus thickens the base to add creaminess and fresh veggies add brightness to the bowl. Layer flavors with care for a soup that is full of depth and soul! No eye of newt necessary.

1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Beef Steak Tomato
1 Small Yellow Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Cup Leftover Hummus (Mine was a homemade lime basil tahini hummus, but you can use store-bought!)
1, 32 oz. container Vegetable Broth
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 Tsp. Paprika
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (plus Extra for Topping)
1 Tbs. Fresh Parsley
2 Sprigs Fresh Oregano
6 Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Head Broccoli
1 Bunch Asparagus
1 Zucchini
9 oz. Fresh Spinach

Equipment: Immersion Blender
You do not HAVE to have an immersion blender to enjoy the soup, the base will just remain chunkier, which is totally acceptable! This is a handy piece of equipment because it smooths this soup out and gives a dairy free soup a rich creaminess. Definitely worth the investment especially when making tomato bisque for grilled cheese purposes.

Preheat oven to 350°F
Remove the top, seeds, and segments of the bell pepper
Cut into segments and place on a baking sheet
Remove the core of the tomato and slice into four or five slices
Place on the baking sheet
Drizzle tomato and pepper with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Roast for 8-10 minutes, flip pieces over, roast for another 8-10 minutes
Remove from the oven and allow to cool

Meanwhile

Dice up the onion
Place your favorite large pot on the stove and sauté the onion in olive oil til toasty
Mince the garlic and add to the onion
When the peppers and tomato are cool enough to handle, dice up and add to the onions (the tomato will fall apart on its own)
Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, followed by the paprika
Remove the oregano from the stems and use a pair of scissors to snip the leaves into the soup
Add the parsley
Pour in veggie broth
Stir in hummus and bring to a boil
Once the soup base is boiling, lower to medium low heat
This is where the immersion blender comes in!
Blend the soup base til the peppers and onions are smooth and the soup is frothy (about 5 minutes)
Cover the soup and allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes, but longer is better
Chop up the broccoli, peeling the hard exterior from the stem and cutting both the stems and flourets into bite size pieces
Remove the hard ends from the asparagus and then chop into inch long pieces
Dice up the zucchini
When the base has simmered, add the veggies one chunk at a time, starting with the broccoli, then the asparagus, zuchinni, and lastly spinach
Allow each veggie to cook for a minute or two before adding the next chunk
Allow to cook for about 15 minutes, till the veggies are tender (though not mushy)
Julienne the basil leaves, stir in 2/3 and reserve a couple pinches for topping

Ladle into serving bowls and top with extra red pepper flakes and basil.

Spoon this silky soup – that just so happens to be vegan – into your mouth and feel good with every soul-lifting bite!