Poblano pepper soup is creamy, gently smoky, and full of mild chile flavor without much heat. It starts with peppers you char under the broiler, then blends them with potato and broth into something silky. One spoonful and you understand why this bowl earns repeat requests.
Why Roasted Poblano Pepper Soup Wins
- Roasting the peppers brings out a deep, mellow smokiness
- Yukon Gold potato gives the soup body without a heavy roux
- Only a splash of cream keeps it light yet velvety
- Easy to make ahead and reheat for busy weeknights
This is comfort food that does not weigh you down. The flavor feels special, but the steps are simple and forgiving from start to finish.
Let the charred peppers steam in a closed bag; the skins slip right off.
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Why You’ll Love This Poblano Pepper Soup
- The roasted poblano flavor is smoky and mild, never harsh or too spicy
- It tastes rich and creamy while staying lighter than most cream soups
- Fresh cilantro and a touch of jalapeno give every spoonful a bright finish
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few notes on the main players so you can shop with confidence. These are guidance only; the exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Poblano peppers: look for firm, glossy peppers; they roast down to a soft, smoky base
- Yukon Gold potatoes: their buttery texture thickens the soup naturally
- Jalapeno: seeded and diced for a little warmth, not a lot of heat
- Chicken broth: a good broth carries the whole pot, so pick one you like
- Light cream and cilantro: stirred in at the end for richness and freshness
For equipment, you will want a baking sheet for broiling, a pot for the potatoes, a skillet for the onions, and an immersion blender or a standing blender to bring it all together.
How to Make Poblano Pepper Soup
Making poblano pepper soup comes down to roasting, softening, and blending. None of the steps are tricky, and the order keeps things moving.
- Broil the peppers for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway so each side chars evenly
- Seal the peppers in a paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel, seed, and dice them
- Boil the cubed potatoes until fork tender, then drain and mash
- Cook the onion in butter until golden, add the jalapeno and garlic for 1 minute, then pull it off the heat
- Simmer the broth, stir in the peppers, potatoes, onion mixture, salt, pepper, and cilantro
- Blend just until smooth, reheat, and stir in the light cream
To scale up, double everything and use a larger pot. You can roast the peppers up to 2 days ahead and keep them chilled until you are ready to build the soup.
Storage Options
This roasted pepper soup keeps well and reheats gently. Warm it slowly so the cream stays smooth.
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days
- Freeze before adding cream for up to 3 months
- Reheat on the stove over low heat, stirring now and then
Variations & Substitutions
This poblano soup is easy to adjust for what you have and who you are feeding. A few simple swaps go a long way.
- Use vegetable broth to make it meat free
- Swap the light cream for coconut milk for a dairy free bowl
- Add a roasted Anaheim or two for even more mild pepper flavor
- Stir in cooked shredded chicken to make it a full meal
What to Serve with Poblano Pepper Soup
Poblano pepper soup is great as a starter or paired with something hearty for a bigger meal. Pick a few sides that match its warm, smoky flavor.
- Warm corn tortillas or crusty bread for dipping
- A crisp green salad with lime dressing
- A hearty bowl like this Caribbean chicken stew for a soup night spread
- Another creamy favorite such as this winter white soup when you want options
Still have a few questions before you start roasting? Here are the ones that come up most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is poblano pepper soup spicy?
Not really. Poblanos are mild, and roasting softens them further, so the soup is warm and smoky rather than hot.
Can I make it without an immersion blender?
Yes. Carefully blend the soup in batches in a standing blender, then return it to the pot.
What thickens this soup if I leave out the potato?
The potato is the main body. You can stir in a little extra cream, but the texture will be thinner.
Can I roast the peppers on a grill instead?
You can. Char them over high heat until blackened, then steam, peel, and seed them the same way.
Once you taste how the roasting transforms those peppers, this becomes the bowl you reach for on cool nights. Make a batch, share it, and watch it disappear.
Oven Roasted Poblano Pepper Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 large poblano peppers
- 3 medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes 1½ cups
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
- 2 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp cilantro finely chopped
- ¼ cup light cream
Instructions
- Broil peppers for ten minutes. Flip halfway through to char each side evenly. Place peppers in a paper bag and close. Allow to sit for ten minutes.
- After ten minutes, peel skins off and slice the peppers open. Remove stem and seeds. Dice the peppers and set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Peel potatoes and cube. Place in pot and cook until fork tender. Drain and mash. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook onions in butter over medium heat until golden. Add jalapeno pepper and garlic. Cook for just a minute and remove from heat.
- In a 2 quart pot, bring broth to a simmer. Add diced peppers, potatoes, onion mixture, salt, pepper and cilantro. Mix well to combine.
- Using an immersion blender or a free standing blender, process soup just until well blended. Do not over process.
- Pour back into pot and heat to desired temperature. Stir in light cream.
- Serve with a salsa garnish or a swirl of sour cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfecto is right Melanie! I too love Mexican cuisine and am known for adding spice and heat to just about everything I eat. Your soup recipe sounds delicious and relatively easy to make. Less that an hour from turning on the broiler to having a smooth, tasty dish ready to go. I can’t wait to try it! Fantastico!
Thank you! It isn’t particularly hard, but as you noticed, there are several steps. But it is so worth it because the finished dish is wonderful.
I Laredo Texas, we use tortilla chips to garnish & some good cubes of cheese
Mmmmm, that sounds perfect.
TexMex makes my heart happy. This soup is so on my list, it sounds fantastic. And I love that it’s not overloaded with cilantro, just enough to give a little zing.
Nope, not too much cilantro, Although, I am a cilantro lover and would add more if it was just my palate I was cooking for. My kids don’t share my cilantro enthusiasm.
Love this!!! Mexican food is my fav too. I grew up on it in San Diego. Like you I love all the spice, but I have had to tone down some of my dishes for my husband and the kids.
Pam, The great thing about poblano peppers is that they are really mild! Even my non-spice kids like this soup as long as I don’t go nuts with the cilantro. And the jalapeno pepper can be left out for those who really dislike heat.
I was just in Dallas this week for a trade show and had poblano soup for the first time. It’s my new fav! I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks.
So delicious. I just love the smoky flavor of poblanos. So good and so much concentrated flavor. Yummy!
LOVE this recipe! I just made this tonight and it was delicious. Everyone loved it. Thank you!
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s one of my favorites! Thanks for the feedback.
Hi, I just made this soup and I had 5 peppers and when I finished it was a very flavorful soup but a little too hot for my taste. Is there a way are a ingredient that I could add to cool it some. thanks for the recipe.
Try adding a scoop of sour cream. That should cool the heat some.
I just had to share this trick because it’s so convenient for the ones in my life who can’t handle spicy but still want the great flavors in my tex mex.
Soak the entire pepper in a vinegar water solution-the longer it’s in, the less heat there is!
I can’t wait to try your soup! We just harvested so many peppers off of our poblano plants and I was looking for a way to use them because I am sick of chili relleno and stuffed peppers. Thank you!
Ashley, I like to roast poblanos as above, then slice on top of burgers. You add a sauce that is 1/2 BBQ sauce & 1/2 mayo for a scrumptious burger! I think I got the recipe from Bon Appetit several years ago.
Jody, that sounds divine. Great idea!
Yes, and your soup was delish. My colleagues all wanted the recipe when they smelled my leftovers heating in the office microwave!
That’s about as big as a compliment you can get, lol. Thank you.
Question, I try and keep things low carb I’m thinking of skipping the potatoes. What do you think?
I made this using fresh picked peppers from my garden and it is DELICIOUS!!! Thank you! My Texas home grown organic poblano peppers grow smaller and much hotter than the grocery store peppers, so I used more poblano peppers and did not add the jalapeno pepper. The soup was plenty spicy and SUPER Tasty. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I always have a large end of season harvest of pablano peppers when the weather quickly changes from hot to cold in the fall. This soup is the perfect way to enjoy my freshly picked summer peppers when a cold front rolls into town and the temperature drops 40 degrees.
Lui, Thank you for that feedback!! I’m thrilled that you liked the recipe. Thank you SO much for taking the time to provide feedback. That’s huge.
Just tried out your recipe …It is Fantastic ! …I am going to make this soup again on Christmas when we are out in the Colorado mountains !!! Perfect Texas soup ! I left some of the seeds in for a spicier soup …Mmmm Mmmmm Good !
Awesome! I’m so glad you like it. It’s one of my favorite soups too!
I just spent a week in Cancun (for work, no less) and encountered poblano chile soup with chicken and croutons and loved every bite of it. I will have to try your recipe and attempt to recreate what I experienced
Love this recipe! I didn’t have any potatoes on hand, so I took a chance and substituted a pear. It turned out very nicely. The sweetness of the pear compliments the peppers well. Wish I had made a larger batch.
I love this recipe. However I had difficulty peeling the peppers. Perhaps I did not wrap the bag up tight enough? Any suggestion would be greatly appreciative as I plan on making it again. Thanks so much!
This soup was amazing! My guests were impressed.they loved it!!!I served it with an arugula and fennel salad with Champaign dressing.fabulous!’
Had a roasted poblano soup at Acme Taco. It,has shredded chicken in it, attempting to recreate it by using this recipe as a base. Fingers crossed!!
Would it taste OK if I use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth?
Absolutely!