Roasted Vegetable Soup with Garlic
Submitted by donna0958
Roasted vegetable soup with garlic blends caramelized eggplant, onions, peppers, tomatoes and roasted garlic into a velvety pureed base, finished with diced vegetables for texture. Vegetarian and full of smoky depth.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsRoasting before simmering is the difference between a dishwater vegetable soup and one with real depth. A high-heat oven turn at 400°F (200°C) caramelizes the natural sugars in eggplant, onions, red bell pepper and Roma tomatoes, building smoky, sweet flavor that no amount of stovetop simmering can replicate.
The two-layer roast is the smart approach. Eggplant and onions go in first because they need longer to soften and caramelize. The pepper, tomatoes and garlic join 20 minutes later because they cook faster and would burn alongside the slower vegetables. This staged timing means everything finishes golden together.
Reserving half an eggplant and the entire red pepper for the diced texture at the end is the technique that gives this soup body. The pureed base provides creamy structure, but the cubes of roasted vegetable suspended in it deliver bite, contrast and visual interest. A pureed-only soup tastes like baby food. This one tastes composed.
Kitchen Tips
- Peel the roasted red pepper after cooking. The skin slips off easily once it’s blistered. Leaving it on creates rubbery bits in the finished soup.
- Use the freshest vegetables you can find. The soup has nowhere to hide poor-quality produce since roasting is the only flavor builder.
- Use a good vegetable or chicken stock. Water dilutes everything. Stock amplifies.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Arrange the eggplant and onions in a large shallow baking pan, brush the cut sides with 1½ teaspoons of the oil, and bake for 20 minutes.
Add the red pepper, tomatoes and garlic to the pan; brush the cut sides with the remaining 1½ teaspoons of oil.
Sprinkle the thyme, basil, salt and black pepper over the vegetables and bake 20 minutes more or until tender.
Set aside the red pepper and 1 eggplant half.
Chop the remaining half eggplant, onions, tomatoes, and garlic and transfer them to a large saucepan.
Add the stock, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the red pepper and dice the pulp.
Dice the reserved eggplant.
In a food processor or blender, working in batches if necessary, whirl the cooked mixture until pureed.
Return the purée to the saucepan and stir in the diced eggplant and red pepper.
Simmer the soup for 5 minutes or until heated through.
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