Roasted Vegetable Soup in Time for Winter

My mom has made this soup, which became a spontaneous meal with friends for Ted’s birthday on Saturday. Roasting the vegetables before assembling the soup allows all the natural flavors to come alive. Your kitchen will also smell amazing, I promise. I whipped up a batch for lunches this week, and on the day I happened to make this, Ted’s friends came over with some freshly baked bread and charcuterie boards purchased in our neighborhood, Boston’s North End, for an impromptu birthday dinner. The Roasted Tomato Eggplant Soup was the perfect veggie main course after indulging in cheese, prosciutto, salami, and fresh bread. Dipping warmed bread directly into the soup is highly encouraged, and only adds to the heartiness of this all-veggie, flavorful soup.

Ingredients (serves 8).

• 1 medium eggplant, sliced and quartered into 1/2″ thick pieces
• 1 bulb garlic, about 8 cloves, peeled
• 1/2 onion, cut into eighths
• 4 carrots, washed, peeled, and cut into 1″ pieces
• 6 tomatoes on the vine, washed and quartered
• 2 T avocado oil, divided
• 4-6 c vegetable broth
• 1 c almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 T apple cider vinegar **
• 1/4 c fresh basil, chopped — I used an entire package
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)

** Note: the recipe calls for red wine vinegar, which I didn’t have. I substituted apple cider vinegar for this, but feel free to use red wine vinegar.

Directions.

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line two rimmed baking sheets and/or roasting pans with foil (optional, but allows for easy transfer).
2. On one baking sheet, combine eggplant, carrots, 4 cloves of garlic, and 1 T oil. Sprinkle with salt. Toss well to evenly coat veggies with oil/salt. On the other baking sheet, repeat with tomatoes, onion, 4 cloves of garlic, and 1 T oil.
3. Roast veggies for 40-45 min, tossing once halfway through and rotating pans. Veggies should be tender and just beginning to brown.
4. Transfer roasted veggies and any juices to a large soup pot. Add 4 c of stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 10 min. Veggies (like carrots) should be easily pierced with a fork. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add remaining 2 c of stock. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 min.
5. Carefully transfer *hot* liquid to a blender like Vitamix and purée until smooth.
   • You can also use an immersion blender instead, but I like the consistency of the blender.
6. Transfer back to soup pot and stir in almond milk, vinegar, and chopped fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Dish up 1½ c servings. Serve with crusty bread and/or top with parmesan. You can also drizzle with extra oil and garnish with basil before serving.
8. Enjoy!

Adapted from Southern Living‘s “Roasted Tomato-Eggplant Soup with Garlic Croutons.”

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Nutrition for 1½ c serving (not including added salt).

101 calories  •  4.3 g fat (35%)  •  15.4 g carbs (57%)  •  2.3 g protein (8%)  •  2.7 g fiber  •  9.1 g sugar  •  63 mg sodium

* These are estimates based off specific products I used and how I entered ingredients in a fitness tracker. This is completely subjective and used to give a rough nutritional estimate.