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Rustic Roasted Vegetable Soup

Best Roasted Vegetable Soup
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5 from 2 reviews

Savor the flavors of summer with a bowl of vegetable soup. Packed with fresh vegetables, protein-rich red lentils, and a tasty cheese pairing.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 medium eggplant peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup olive oil + more as needed
  • salt and pepper as needed
  • 20 oz tomatoes on the vine (( that's a bit over 1 pound))
  • 1 large head of garlic
  • 8 leaves fresh basil + more for garnish
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced (or 2 small carrots)
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 + 1/2 tablespoons Trader Joe's Aglio Olio seasoning blend
  • 6 cups vegetable broth ( chicken or bone broth will also work)
  • 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
  • 5-7 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 Trader Joe's Toscano Cheese with Black Pepper for garnish (optional but HIGHLY recommended!)

Instructions

Roast the Vegetables

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the eggplant in a bowl, and add ¼ cup olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
  3. Transfer and spread the eggplant evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
  4. Add whole tomatoes to the baking sheet.
  5. Cut a head of garlic in half lengthwise and place cut-side down on the baking sheet.
  6. Drizzle tomatoes and garlic with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the eggplant is slightly charred and the tomatoes are slightly blistered.

Make the Creamy Roasted Tomato Sauce

  1. Transfer the roasted tomatoes, squeeze out the garlic cloves, and add fresh basil to a blender to make a creamy sauce. Note: if you prefer a chunkier soup, skip this step and chop the tomatoes, garlic, and basil instead.

Sauté the Veggies and Aromatics

  1. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your pot. Add the onion, carrots, zucchini, aglio olio, and thyme.
  2. Sautee until the onions have softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomato puree, roasted eggplant, rinsed lentils, and 6 cups of broth. Stir to combine.
  3. Place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Note: You will know when the soup is ready when the lentils have broken down and have completely softened.

Serve

  1. Remove the thyme sprigs from the pot, then drizzle each serving with olive oil, fresh basil, a sprinkle of aglio olio seasoning, and freshly grated Toscano cheese.

Notes

Want it thicker and chunkier?

Cook longer to reduce the broth.

Don't have fresh tomatoes?

Use Hunt's diced fire-roasted tomatoes.

Want more veggies?

Add yellow squash, butternut squash, celeriac root, fresh summer corn, celery, or even a variety of potatoes. Whatever you choose, do not use cruciferous vegetables!

Recipe inspired by The Essential WW Freestyle Cookbook

Find it online: https://crave-worthy.com/rustic-roasted-vegetable-soup/