This creamy roasted eggplant soup is an easy-to-make, vegan, and gluten-free recipe made with everyday ingredients. We love it topped with 15-minute roasted chickpeas!
6-7cupsvegetable stock, more if needed - see notes
1teaspoonkosher salt, more to taste
½teaspoonblack pepper
3tablespoonslemon juice
½cupItalian parsley, chopped - plus more as garnish
Chickpea Croutons (optional)
15ouncecan chickpeas, rinsed
1tablespoonolive oil
½teaspoonground cumin
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
1tablespooneverything but the bagel seasoning , optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set it aside. Using a fork or tip of a sharp knife, poke 7-8 holes throughout each eggplant. Place eggplants on the sheet pan on a single layer and transfer them into the preheated oven.
3 globe eggplants
Roast the eggplants until they burst and have softened, turning them every 20 minutes. This process should take about 50-60 minutes depending on the size of your eggplants. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the roasted eggplants and set them aside. Do not turn the oven off if you're making the roasted chickpeas as a topping.
To make the roasted chickpeas, mix the chickpeas, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan and spread them evenly around the pan. Roast them for 15 minutes then remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool.
½ teaspoon black pepper, 15 ounce can chickpeas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon everything but the bagel seasoning
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, cumin, and paprika into the pan. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large onion, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Add the reserved roasted eggplant, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Put the lid on the pot and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
6-7 cups vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Using an immersion blender, puree soup until no large chunks remain. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
3 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ cup Italian parsley
When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with chickpea croutons (if using), and more parsley. Serve while it is still warm.
Notes
To store leftovers: Bring soup to room temperature, place in an airtight container, and keep refrigerated. It should stay fresh for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Again, bring it to room temperature and place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to a month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and heat in a saucepan before serving.
If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a standing blender or even a food processor. If you do so, puree the soup in batches and be very careful as it is very hot.
Everything but the bagel seasoning: If you are living in the US and have access to Trader Joe’s you probably know about their Everything but the Bagel Seasoning. It works wonderfully in this recipe, however, it is optional.
Adjust the thickness of the soup: The recipe lists 6-7 cups of vegetable broth in the recipe. We like our eggplant soup rather thick so use 6 cups of liquid. However, if you like your soup to have a thinner consistency, feel free to use 7 cups of vegetable broth. Additionally, like any soup recipe, you can use chicken stock instead.
Run it through a medium-mesh strainer: It is an optional step, but if you want your eggplant soup to be silky smooth, feel free to run it through a strainer and discard the solids.