Grilled Vegetable Soup (Emeril)

Grilling vegetables before they go into soup transforms them completely. Those char marks aren’t just for looks. They’re caramelized sugars and smoky compounds that add a depth you cannot get from sauteing or roasting.

Zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, shiitake mushrooms, and red bell pepper all get tossed in olive oil, seasoned, and grilled until they pick up those signature dark lines. The shiitakes are a great choice here. They’re meaty, sturdy enough to grill without falling apart, and add an earthy, umami quality that makes the soup taste richer than a vegetable soup has any right to.

After grilling, let everything cool, then dice into uniform small pieces and stir into your soup base. The recipe calls for a prepared soup base, so use a good vegetable or chicken stock as your foundation.

Pro Tips

• Cut vegetables into thick slabs (½ inch) for grilling so they don’t fall through the grates. Dice them small after they cool.
• Get real grill marks by leaving the vegetables in place without moving them for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Fidgeting prevents charring.
• Remove shiitake stems before grilling. They’re tough and woody and don’t soften even with cooking.

Variations

• Add grilled corn cut off the cob for sweetness and extra smokiness.
• Blend half the soup for a creamier, thicker base while keeping the rest chunky.
• Top each bowl with a drizzle of pesto or a spoonful of ricotta for richness.