Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Soup
Originally for today's post I wanted to feature a French onion soup-nothing too inventive, but a soup that I had never created on my own and one that I surely enjoy.Unfortunately, my not-so-reliable Caloric Ultra-Ray oven from the 1960s (one step above an easy bake oven) let me down, so the baking aspect, and thus, the French onion soup wasn't going to happen. I then thought about eggplant. I wanted to make a soup out of this hearty veggie for some time now, but due to the debunk oven I would have to pan fry it, which I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to do for this soup. Then all of sudden the pre-historic oven was up and running again (stomping my feet in rage had nothing to do with that), but the French onion concept seemed dull, or least not right for now compared to my new idea--roast the eggplant in olive oil, salt and pepper and fresh basil while a soup broth is cooking with white beans, onions, fresh mint, and some seasonings. I completed this by blending it all together and instantly one of my new favorite soupy's was created. Also, I didn't really set out for this, but dairy didn't seem necessary, so the soup is dairy-free, then I realized it's essentially white beans and eggplant, so it's also vegan, low-fat, and gluten-free, but certainly not free on flavor.
Total Steps
2
Ingredients
13
Tools Needed
3
Ingredients
- 3 cup water
- 1 medium-sized organic eggplant
- 1 can cannellini white beans
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 quart Pacific Natural Foods Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (32oz)
- 1 package fresh basil
- 1 package fresh mint
- pinch celery salt(optional)
- pinch thyme(optional)
- pinch sea salt
- pinch pepper
Instructions
Step 1
<a href="/H3S4YV46">Preheat </a>the oven to 350 degrees. <a href="/XZBDDD5G">Cut </a>the eggplant in half and <a href="/XZBDDD5G">cut </a>into medium-sized squares (along with the skin), making sure to discard of the <a href="/R34ZSY3M">top </a>part. Place the eggplant on a sheet of aluminum foil (or an oven-safe <a href="/RNT367Z2">baking </a>pan), <a href="/XZBDDD5G">cut </a>open the garlic and place the whole clove on <a href="/R34ZSY3M">top,</a> along with a sprinkle of olive oil, <a href="/DPSVTKVY">salt,</a> pepper, and a few sprigs of fresh basil. Cover and place in the oven. Let cook for 45 minutes to one hour, periodically checking on it. About 20 minutes into the cooking time, add the water and half the container of broth to a pot. <a href="/XZBDDD5G">Cut </a>the onion and add to the pot and let <a href="/GFSF4J5F">simmer </a>on a low <a href="/XZFHRHHF">heat. </a>When eggplant is finished <a href="/P5CFVDV7">roasting </a>(should be <a href="/D434P8MH">browned </a>and soft),
Step 2
P.S. I can't say enough about this soup. As I mentioned, it has definitely become one of my favorites, but a little crunchy bite would have been ideal to <a href="/R34ZSY3M">top </a>off the soup, like say, a crouton! I love this recipe from Savory Sweet Life, but maybe for this soup I would have used fresh basil or mint instead of parsley to complete the already bursting-with-flavor soupy. Oh well, there is always next time.