Roasted Tomato, Zucchini, and Eggplant Soup

Sheet pan soups are a wonderful thing – good caramelisation without time needed over a hot stove makes for a flavour-packed meal. You want to almost take things too far for this recipe, a good deep golden colour, to really get that taste of summer.

This roasted vegetable tomato soup is seasoned simply with the pesto giving some zip, so even if you don’t want to make your own, you should include some. Serve the soup with a little spelt sourdough or rye bread on the side or as a crouton topping, as pictured, to make more of a proper meal.

Eggplant (aubergine) doesn’t add any flavour, really, but it does help thicken things up and make it a bit creamier without any cream needed. That, and not using too much liquid, makes this into more of a bisque than anything else. Even if you think it’s a bit hot for soup now (not here – classic northern summer this year), you can always make a batch and freeze it for later.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

A roasted tomato soup really makes the most of high summer vegetables and draws out their flavour in a way that another soup can’t. This recipe uses several summer vegetables, so if you have a kitchen garden or CSA, it’s a good way to utilise some of that produce.

• Caramelises in the oven for best taste: and least work! No need to stand over the stove when the oven can do the work for you.
• No stovetop time at all: you don’t need to use the stove at all for this recipe (unless you need to reheat leftovers) so there’s very little active time needed. Chop and go.
• Flexible ingredients: summer vegetables, in virtually any form, can be used. Keep the tomatoes and switch up the other vegetables to suit what you have.
• Use riper vegetables: this is a good recipe for some veg that may have been sitting around just a touch too long. Slightly soft tomatoes, overripe eggplant – these are fine to use here.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Tomatoes: fresh, no matter what colour or shape.
• Eggplant (Aubergine): keep it small if possible for best taste and fewest seeds.
• Zucchini (Courgette): same as above – smaller is better – giant zucchini is only good for muffins.
• Garlic: roasted with the skin on and then peeled before blending, for a sweet taste.
• Vegetable Broth: since you don’t need much, water can be used in a pinch. Make sure you season properly if making this substitution.

Step by Step

1. Chop and prep: cut the vegetables into approximately equal sizes and add to a roasting dish.
2. Roast the vegetables: cook, with the herbs and seasonings, until reduced.

3. Transfer: place the vegetables in a pot with the broth. Be sure to peel the garlic.
4. Blend until smooth: use an immersion blender or cool before using another blender type.

Recipe Notes

If you’re concerned about pieces of skin in the soup, peel the vegetables before roasting. This is mostly for the eggplant, which can have a tough skin if on the larger side.

No immersion blender, no problem – mix it up in a heat-safe food processor instead. If you don’t have one that’s good for hot ingredients, wait for the vegetables to cool before mixing, and then heat again on the stovetop.

Some of the vegetables can be switched out to suit your preferences. Red pepper is an obvious addition, but a handful of chopped potato would be good too. Sweet potato could be added for a sweeter, creamier soup.

How to Store

Storage: keep cooled leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. It reheats well, but don’t add croutons or other toppings until just before serving.

Freezing: freeze in airtight containers for up to six months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving as usual.

Expert Tips

• Season to taste: while this soup has a lot going for it, with herbs, balsamic, and a solid flavour from the roasted veg, it still needs salt. The most common failing with homemade soup is going too light on the salt – season until it tastes good to you, and use the amount listed in the recipe as a guideline only.
• Roast the garlic: I employ this method a lot for a sweeter garlic flavour. Roasting individual cloves in their skin and then peeling afterward adds a fantastic undercurrent to the soup (and many other recipes).
• Peel if needed: if your blender is a bit weaker and you know that, peel the vegetables before roasting for the smoothest texture. You can also seed the tomatoes and remove any larger seeds from the zucchini and eggplant.