Cut the red bell peppers in half, remove the seeds and stems, and place them skin-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and charred.
Once roasted, remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to let them steam for 10 minutes. This will make it easier to peel the skins off.
After steaming, peel the skins off the peppers and chop them roughly.
In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and smoked paprika, cooking for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add the roasted red peppers to the pot along with the vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to a regular blender in batches and blend until creamy.
Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in the heavy cream and shredded Gouda cheese. Cook on low heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese is melted and the soup is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
Serve hot with fresh basil for garnish.
Keyword gouda, roasted red pepper, soup, vegetarian