Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the vegetables (its okay if they are still frozen) and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat in oil and let cook until slightly softened. Add chili and cook until vegetables are just starting to brown, stirring occasionally.

Add broth, stir to scrape up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot (flavor!) and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Be careful if you are using a blender! When blending hot ingredients: Cover the top with a couple pieces of paper towels instead of the lid so it doesn't explode. Hold the paper towels down with your hand and blend on low to begin with, then increase speed until it is very smooth.

You may need to blend the soup in batches depending on how large your blender is.

Return pureed soup to the pot, add cream and return to a simmer. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs if you'd like.