Take a peek into my freezer and alongside the popsicles, frozen fruit, parmesan rinds, shrimp, and sliced bread, you’ll typically find single servings of at least two varieties of homemade soup, ready to be thawed and simmered when hunger strikes. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a soup obsessive — my cookbook collection includes nearly a dozen single-subject titles devoted to it — but I don’t think you have to feel the way I do about bisques and potages to find this a winning dinnertime strategy. Soup freezes wonderfully, is easily defrosted and reheated, and, generally-speaking is a veggie-packed nutritional powerhouse.
This summery roasted tomato and eggplant recipe is just the sort of thing I’ll be stocking my freezer with for the rest of the season. As it’s puréed, it freezes even better than average, and it’s ridiculously-simple to prepare as there’s no stovetop simmering involved: just roast the vegetables, boil some water, and blend it all till silky-smooth.
A steamy bowl of soup might seem at odds with muggy summer days, but I find myself craving bowl after bowl despite the weather. In part because the market’s practically bursting with peak season produce, and in part because this recipe (and most soup recipes in general) is light, yet nourishing. Yes, you’ll have to turn on the oven, but if you prep a double batch and then freeze leftovers for later, you’ll be set up with many virtually-effortless meals to come.
- About 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 16 wedges
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus some for garnish
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup (loosely packed) mint leaves
- Red wine vinegar, to taste
- Toasted pine nuts, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 425°f. Line a half sheet pan with parchment.
- Arrange the eggplant, tomatoes, onion, and garlic in one even layer on the prepped pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and the red pepper flakes. Roast until golden brown, 35-40 minutes.
- Add the vegetables, sundried tomatoes, mint, and 4 cups of boiling water to a blender, blend until smooth. If desired, thin further with another 1/2-1 cup of boiling water. Season to taste with additional salt, and red wine vinegar (I used about 1/2 teaspoon vinegar and an additional 3/4 teaspoon salt).
- Pour into bowls and garnish with olive oil, pepper flakes, and pine nuts.
Louise says
Creamy soup <3
Nicole | A Modest Feast says
Hi Louise! I’m glad you liked the soup :).