Roasted Eggplant Soup

Roasted Eggplant Soup with white beans, kale, and pasta in a creamy tomato broth. This cozy tomato eggplant soup will be an instant family favorite.

This recipe post is sponsored by DeLallo. I was compensated for my time, however all opinions are my own. 

Why You'll Love this Roasted Eggplant Soup

You can't beat a veggie-filled soup that's hearty, filling, and comforting. While eggplant is still at its peak, I'm thinking of all the ways to utilize this underrated veggie. In this Italian-inspired soup, the eggplant gets roasted at high heat to make the flesh tender and skin slightly crispy. This is my favorite way to showcase the rich flavor and versatility of eggplant. 

This cozy eggplant soup also includes ribbons of kale, a wealth of aromatics, white beans, and pasta. The beans pump up the protein and fiber, which make for a more satiating soup. I also love using whole-wheat pasta for its added fiber and B-vitamins. 

Serve this soup with crusty Italian bread or top with crispy, garlicky croutons for a cozy night in. And if you end up with leftovers, you can enjoy them on repeat for up to 4 days after. 

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

• DeLallo Organic Whole-Wheat Orecchiette: DeLallo pasta comes from where pasta was born, which is a region near Naples at the beginning of the Amalfi Coast. They use traditional pasta-making methods to respect the ingredients, as well as preserve the pasta’s color, texture and aroma. You can use any small shape of pasta you like in this soup, however I love the catcher's mitt shape of orecchiette. 
• DeLallo Passata Rustica Tomato Purée: This is an authentic purée crafted with handpicked Italian plum tomatoes strained to remove seeds and skins. The result is a velvety smooth sauce with rich tomato flavor. In Italy, a great passata is at the heart of homemade soups and pasta sauces.
• Eggplant: You need one large (or two small) globe eggplants for this recipe. Globe eggplants are the larger, oblong shaped eggplants with the dark purple shiny skin. Make sure the skin is firm to the touch and glossy, which are both signs of ripeness. 
• Navy Beans: These small, savory white beans are meaty and dense, and add a decent punch of fiber and protein. DeLallo’s beans, in particular, are harvested at peak flavor and packed fresh to ensure the ideal taste and texture.
• Kale: The earthy flavor of kale plays against the brightness of tomatoes beautifully in this recipe. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of kale, trust me it SHINES in this soup. However if you’re steadfast on avoiding it, you can use chard instead.
• Broth: If you're making this eggplant soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth. Otherwise, chicken or bone broth also work great.
• Spices: I love using a mix of chili flakes, oregano, and dried fennel seed in this soup. Oregano adds quintessential Italian flavor and fennel adds warm, aromatic notes of anise. 
• Heavy Cream: For a luxurious finish, stir in ½ cup of heavy cream (or cashew cream if making vegan/dairy free). The cream helps soften the acidity of the tomatoes, creating a more well-rounded, rich bowl of soup. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Roast the Eggplant

Start by preheating the oven to 425ºF. Spread the eggplant on a rimmed baking sheet, and toss with oil and salt. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast the eggplant for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until soft.

Step 2: Cook the Aromatics

Will the eggplant roasts, heat a glug of oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, and cook 6 to 7 minutes, until soft. Next, stir in the tomato paste, garlic, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, and oregano. Cook this mixture for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tomato paste turns brick red. (This helps unlock it's full flavor potential.)

Step 3: Add Beans, Tomato Puree, Kale, and Broth

Add the beans, tomato puree, kale, water, and vegetable broth, and stir well until everything is combined. Season the soup with salt and pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil. 

Step 4: Cook the Pasta

Once the soup is boiling, add the roasted eggplant and pasta. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. 

Step 5: Stir in Cheese and Cream

While continuously stirring, sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese. (Adding it all at once could result in clumping.) Once the cheese is combined, stir in the heavy cream, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, and serve!

What to Serve with Eggplant Soup:

This soup is plenty satiating to enjoy on it’s own, however it also pairs well with a salad, sandwich, or bread. Here are a few of my favorite pairings:

• Salad: You can’t beat this 10-Minute Warm Brussels Salad as a speedy, crunchy compliment. Alternatively, this Winter Chopped Salad with White Balsamic is a guaranteed show stopper.
• Sandwich: For a non-veg option, this Green Goddess Chicken Salad Sandwich will make for a mighty fine lunch. Or for the vegetarians, I can’t recommend these Crispy Eggplant Sandwiches enough!
• Veggies: For a double dose of veggie goodness, serve this soup with a side of roasted or sautéed veggies. I especially love these Crispy Brussels with Maple-Mustard Glaze.
• Bread: Garlic bread, crusty Italian bread, fresh sourdough, or a baguette are perfect for dunking into this soup and sopping up the remains. I also love topping the soup with homemade or store-bought croutons for crunch!

Storage Tips 

• To Store. Let the soup slightly cool until it's close to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight storage container. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
• To Reheat. Gently reheat in a soup pot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warm. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave, stirring every minute to promote even heating. 
• To Freeze. Freeze tomato eggplant soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container (or gallon ziptop bag) for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Healthy Soup Recipes to Try:

Vegan Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

If you give this tomato eggplant soup a try, snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!

Roasted Eggplant Soup

Roasted Eggplant Soup with white beans, kale, and pasta in a creamy tomato broth. This cozy tomato eggplant soup will be an instant family favorite.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup/Stew

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 6

Calories: 440kcal

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Equipment

• ▢
  Dutch oven or large soup pot

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 medium globe eggplant, cut into 1x1-inch cubes
• ▢ 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• ▢ 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
• ▢ 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• ▢ 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ▢ 1 tsp. dried fennel seeds, finely chopped
• ▢ ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 (15.5-oz.) can DeLallo navy beans, rinsed and drained
• ▢ 4 cups stemmed and roughly chopped kale (lacinato or green curly)
• ▢ 1 (24-oz.) bottle DeLallo Passata Rustica Tomato Puree
• ▢ 4 cups (1 quart) vegetable broth
• ▢ 4 cups water
• ▢ ½ tsp. black pepper
• ▢ 6 oz. (about 2 heaping cups) dry DeLallo Organic Whole-Wheat Orecchiette (sub small pasta shape of choice)
• ▢ ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
• ▢ Optional topping: homemade or store-bought croutons

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spread eggplant on a rimmed baking sheet, and toss with 2 Tbsp. oil and ½ tsp. salt. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until soft.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, and cook 6 to 7 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tomato paste turns brick red.
• Add the beans, kale, tomato puree, vegetable broth, water, black pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt; stir well until everything is combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, add the roasted eggplant and pasta. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
• Gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese while stirring continuously. (Adding it all at once could result in clumping.) Once the cheese is combined, stir in the heavy cream, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, and serve.

Notes

To Store. Let the soup slightly cool until it's close to room temperature before transferring to an airtight storage container. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.

To Reheat. Gently reheat in a soup pot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warm. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave, stopping to stir every 45 to 60 seconds to promote even heating. 

To Freeze. Freeze in an airtight freezer-safe storage container (or gallon ziptop bag) for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 890mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 16g

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