Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato and Orzo Soup

Ingredients

• 2 large red bell peppers
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped, 1 1/2 cups
• 1 large carrot, diced, 3/4 cup
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans Hunt's Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp Hunt's Tomato Paste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar, if needed
• 1 small sprig fresh basil, plus more chopped basil for serving
• 2/3 cup orzo
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
• Finely shredded parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Set the broiler to high and position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Put the bell peppers right on a foil-lined baking sheet, then broil them, turning now and then, until the skins are deeply blistered and blackened all over, about 20 minutes.
2. Take the peppers out of the oven and transfer them to a cutting board. Cover them with a glass bowl, or put them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When they are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins, cut the peppers in half, and discard the stems and seeds. Remove the veins, chop the peppers, and set them aside.
3. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 4 minutes, stirring as they soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, and chopped bell pepper to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then taste again and stir in sugar if you want it. Drop in the basil sprig.
5. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. While the soup simmers, cook the orzo according to the package directions.
6. Remove and discard the basil sprig. Stir half of the cream into the soup; if you want a looser texture, you can add a little more broth here, though it is meant to be fairly thick.
7. Allow the soup to cool a bit, then blend it until smooth with an immersion blender, or puree it in batches in a blender. If using a blender, fill it only halfway, take out the center piece of the lid, and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel.
8. Serve the soup warm, adding orzo to each bowl and finishing with a drizzle of the remaining cream, parmesan, and chopped basil.