Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup

Name: Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 medium eggplants ((1.5 lb/0.68 kg total)); 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 12 oz cherry tomatoes ((or grape tomatoes or similar)); 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 large thinly sliced shallot ((or 1 small red onion)); 4 cloves minced garlic; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ((see note 1)); ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 (28 fl oz/796ml) can crushed tomatoes ((see note 2)); 4 cups vegetable broth; 2 (14 fl oz/398 ml) cans butter beans ((rinsed and drained, see note 3)); 1 tablespoon tamari ((or soy sauce)); ½ baguette ((or demi-baguette or crusty bread, see note 4)); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ((more for garnish, optional)); ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt; ½ cup crumbled feta cheese ((for garnish, see note 5)); fresh basil ((for garnish, optional, see note 6))

This Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup with white beans is a flavor-packed, high protein dinner you'll crave. It's easy to make, uses pantry ingredients, and leftovers reheat like a dream! Garnish with creamy feta and crunchy croutons for a hearty, nourishing meal that's sure to impress. (Vegan and Gluten Free option).

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Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup with croutons and basil in a bowl.

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If you’re tired of soups that don’t fill you up, this Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup is the answer! It ticks all the boxes of a meal-worthy soup: colorful veggies, protein-packed, and craveable extras—like crunchy croutons and creamy cheese—to truly satisfy.

This recipe is inspired by the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Roasted Tomato Soup. I simplified the ingredients and process, made it vegetarian and vegan-friendly, and way less spicy. If you love my Mediterranean Chickpea Casserole or Tomato Harissa Orzo—then you'll love the flavors in this dish!

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients (and substitutes)
How to make Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup
Tips
Recipe FAQ's
📖 Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Layers of flavor from pantry ingredients: This recipe uses clever techniques to build flavor quickly—like caramelizing tomato paste, roasting veggies, and using umami rich ingredients. The result is a restaurant-worthy soup you'll crave!
Eats like a meal: Soups aren't always filling enough. But this Roasted Eggplant and Tomato soup definitely is! It's packed with veggies, white beans, and topped with lots of crispy croutons to keep you satisfied.
High in protein: This vegetarian and vegan friendly soup has 20g protein per serving.
Meal prep friendly: This soup reheats like a dream! Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Customizable: This recipe can be easily adapted based on what you have on hand. You can add greens, like spinach or kale—or swap out other ingredients (see post for substitutes). Also, this soup is easily made vegan and gluten free.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup in bowls with fresh basil, croutons, and feta cheese.

Ingredients (and substitutes)

This meal-worthy soup uses a clever mix of pantry ingredients to build flavor fast. Here are the recipe ingredients:

Ingredients to make vegetarian eggplant and tomato soup with beans and croutons.

Shallot: Shallots taste like a mix of onion and garlic. You can swap a small red onion.
Tomato Paste: Buy "double concentrated" tomato paste if you can find it—because it's more flavorful. Otherwise, regular tomato paste works fine.
Smoked Paprika: Use smoked sweet paprika for this recipe—not smoked hot paprika (which is spicy). If the label doesn't say, it's likely sweet paprika. You can taste to check.
Crushed Tomatoes: I tested many different types of canned and jarred tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes gives the soupier consistency I wanted. You can substitute a can of peeled tomatoes—but it makes the consistency thicker, more like a stew.
Butter Beans: May be labelled "Lima Beans". I love that butter beans are large and hold their shape, much like in my Butter Bean Salad with Feta. You can substitute Cannellini beans, Great Northern Beans, or Kidney beans.
Tamari (or soy sauce): In my cookbook, I shared this tip for using tamari to add umami to soups and sauces. You won't be able to tell there's tamari in it—but it does add extra depth of flavor! If you don't have it, you can use more salt instead.
Baguette: Crunchy homemade croutons really elevate this soup. I use half a baguette (or a demi baguette). You can swap sourdough or a crusty loaf, buy storebought croutons, or make Air Fryer Croutons instead.
Basil (optional): Fresh basil is a pretty garnish and enhances the soup's Mediterranean flavors. You can swap another fresh herb (such as thyme, parsley, or oregano).

Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

Looking for more popular beans recipes? Check out Instant Pot Bean Soup, Brothy Oven Baked Beans, and Smoky Stewed Beans.

How to make Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup

This filling, high-protein soup makes a delicious and satisfying lunch or dinner. The recipe makes a large batch, so you’ll have leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.

Here's how to make this Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup, step-by-step:

Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet.

1. Bake eggplant for 15 minutes, then add tomatoes and bake until deeply browned.

Shallots and tomato paste caramelized in a pot to make soup.

2. Cook shallot, garlic, spices—and tomato paste, until it starts to caramelize.

Vegetable broth being poured into tomato soup in a pot.

3. Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, beans, and tamari. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Roasted eggplant and tomatoes in a pot of soup.

4. Add roasted eggplant and tomatoes to the soup. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Bake croutons (or substitute store bought).

A bowl of Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup being garnished with basil.

6. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with croutons, feta, and fresh basil (optional).

Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

Tips

Pick firm eggplants: Most eggplants are now bred to be less bitter. But younger eggplants—which are fresh and firm—are still less likely to be bitter than older, softer ones. This recipe also adds salt directly to the eggplant, which further decreases perceptions of bitterness.
Use a flavorful broth: Vegetable broths differ a lot by brand. A good-quality broth makes a big difference! I use Better Than Bouillon. It's a flavorful concentrate that you add water to—so it's compact and easy to adjust.
Feel free to add greens: If you want to pack in even more veggies, you could add spinach or kale.
You can swap storebought croutons: This recipe calls for making croutons while the soup is simmering away. And, your oven will be hot anyways! But if you prefer, you can buy pre-made croutons instead.
Add basil just before serving: Fresh basil is a delicate herb. So it's usually best to add basil at the end of the cooking process to preserve its flavor and color. In this recipe we're using the basil as a garnish, so it gets stirred into the soup just before eating.

Recipe FAQ's

What can I substitute for crushed tomatoes?

You can substitute a can of whole peeled tomatoes. But you'll need to crush the tomatoes with your hands as you add them to the pot (or pulse in a blender). When I tested this variation, the soup ended up having a thicker consistency.

How do I make Eggplant Tomato Soup vegan?

Super easy! The soup itself is vegan as is. Then for the garnish, simple use a vegan feta substitute or omit.

Can I freeze Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup?

Yes, you can freeze this soup for up to 3 months.