Get a brand new, kidney-friendly recipe* delivered to your inbox each month, courtesy of Jessianna Saville, MS, RDN, CSR, LD, CLT, a member of the Ed Center Advisory Council and Founder & CEO of the Kidney Nutrition Institute.

With Thanksgiving coming up, you might be starting to plan out a menu for the big meal. November’s recipe of the month is a perfect appetizer that will please everyone at the table: Roasted Red Pepper Kidney Friendly Soup.

Recipe developed by Clarissa Paimanta, RD

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced roasted red peppers** drained
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium homemade pesto
  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup canned coconut milk
  • 1/3 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt if needed, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat avocado oil in a pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook while stirring until fragrant, another minute or two.
  3. Then add in the drained roasted red pepper slices, pesto, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Add in coconut milk and allow soup to reach a bare simmer, then turn off the heat.
  5. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy. You can also use a powerful blender, working in batches and being careful not to overfill the blender with the hot mixture. Return soup into the pot and season with smoked paprika, salt (only if needed), and black pepper.
  6. Heat the soup thoroughly and optionally garnish with a drizzle of olive oil or coconut milk before serving.

Notes

**This is equivalent to about 2 large homemade roasted red peppers, 2 cups whole roasted red peppers, one and a half 12-oz jars or one 16-oz jar of store bought roasted red peppers, drained.

Tip: Skip the jarred stuff and make your own to better manage sodium content. Simply halve your bell peppers, deseed, drizzle a little oil, and roast in 450F oven for 20 – 30 minutes or until wilted and the skin has charred. Cover for around 10 minutes to steam, then peel off the skin and there you have it: salt-free roasted red peppers!

*Always check with your nutritionist before incorporating new foods or recipes into your diet to make sure it is right for you.