So…whenever I write a blog post, I usually try to think of a cute little story I can tell along with the recipe. I figure those are the types of recipe posts I enjoy the reading the most, so the same probably goes with you.
But right now, friends, I’m at a loss.
I really have no words for this soup!
It’s kinda the best soup ever.
And I kinda sat on my couch is my pajamas after finishing a bowl and scraped every single tiny last bit out of the Vitamix with my spoon only to eat another bowl for dinner. Holy moly.
It started out as a lone eggplant in my fridge that I had to use up, and from there, I pretty much threw stuff together (praying it would actually work!) and it turned out to be ridiculously delicious. Think roasted eggplant and red bell pepper with garlic, tahini, onion and spices. An extra squeeze of lemon at the very end just brightens everything up and takes the flavor profile to a whole next level.
And yes, I realize how absolutely ridiculous I’m being, giving you a soup recipe the Friday before 4th of July instead of another grilled masterpiece, but you’ll have to trust me on this….just make the soup.
You won’t be sorry.
I love you.
Now go make the soup then….let’s talk.
Babaganoush Soup
serves 3
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1 red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 T olive oil
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup tahini
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 lemon
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice your eggplant (don’t peel) and lay slices on a sheet tray lined with tin foil. Press paper towels on top of your eggplant slices and let sit for 20 minutes. When done, remove paper towels and dice eggplant. Spray foil with cooking spray and place eggplant back on. Sprinkle generously with salt and roast for 25 minutes, tossing occasionally.
While eggplant is roasting, roast red pepper on a burner’s open flame (or just chop and roast with eggplant) until black. Let cool then gently rub off blackened pepper skin and chop up.
Heat the olive oil over medium high heat then add the chopped red onion. Saute for five minutes until soft then add the garlic. Saute for 30 more seconds.
Add the stock, roasted diced eggplant and red bell pepper. Stir in the spices and tahini. Bring to a simmer then carefully transfer soup to blender. Process until smooth.
Ladle soup into bowls and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Time:
1 hour
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{ 90 comments… read them below or add one }
Roasted red bell pepper is always a good idea!
I may have to crank up my AC so I can enjoy this in the summer!
Love the roasted bell pepper picture. Your photos are fantastic. I love when one ingredient sitting in the fridge can inspire an entire creation! This looks awesome.
Wow I am definitely going to make this! I’ve decided I hate eggplant but am always looking for ways to eat it anyways haha…and I LOVE baba ganoush!
This soup looks amazing. Love the color and the list of ingredients is simple. Sounds like a good way for me to use up some of the tahini I have leftover in my fridge.
Jenna, this looks incredible. I’ve always been one to enjoy eggplant blended in to things more than eggplant on its own. Can’t wait to try it!
When I saw your tweet about this soup yesterday afternoon, I KNEW it had to be soooo good for you to be tweeting about soup. On 4th of July. When everyone else is making Red White and Blue recipes…I just knew this soup had to rock. And clearly, it does!
Wow, Jenna. Stellar job.
No need for cute stories when you have rocked a recipe like that. But I will always love cute stories
this is GENIUS. i’ve made a hummus soup before, but for some reason the idea never carried over to another one of my favorite dips. thank you, i can’t wait to try this!
Soup in July? It works for me! This looks A-MAZING — I think I definitely need to make this.
Ack, that looks dreamy! I don’t care about the story when the recipe looks like that
Looks wonderful Jenna! I can tell I would love the texture
I lovelove babaganoush
I will defs be making this once I buy eggplant!
this looks so good! I don’t care that it’s the middle of summer…I love soup
Sigh.. The only ingredient I don’t have it eggplant! It looks absolutely delicious though. Maybe I’ll go pick some up just for this.
Oh this looks bbrilliant! I love babaganoush, but there are only so many times in the week when dips are suitable. Soup however….I’m liking your style.
It’s so beautiful! If it tastes as good as it looks, I definitely want some!
That roasted red pepper may be the cutest thing ever.
Good way to use eggplant.
Jenna – don’t feel you have to have a “cute” story all the time. Honestly, sometimes it makes me more ‘mature’ or enjoyable without.
Even though you had no words….. I’m VERY glad you posted this!
It is a wonderful idea that I’ll be able to do when my garden picks up! THANKS!!!!
What a creative recipe! Love your new hair, by the way. Happy 4th!
I love soups and chilis any time of year — so what that it is 100 degrees, bring on the hot food!
How innovative! I love eggplant but when I buy it, I never use the whole thing and sadly end up tossing part of it – I’ll have to bookmark this soup for leftovers next time I get one!
That soup is such a pretty color! Plus I just love saying “babaganoush” – it’s just such a fun word to say!
P.S. If you or any of your readers are interested, I have a Gorton’s Seafood Giveaway on my blog:
http://www.fabanddeliciousfood.com/?p=16099
Thanks!
I just happen to have an eggplant that needs to be used up, and I just happen to LOVE tahini, and everything else Mediterranean, so I WILL be making this soup and telling you about how delicious it came out. I’m excited.
Yum, I love roasted red peppers!
You love us ?(or the soup? ) Or both?
No cute stories ever required-you are cute enough as is!
(I actually love your more serious posts!)
I’ve bookmarked this! I can only imagine how delicious it tastes – the pictures show a delightful texture!!
Good Lord this looks amazing. Now if I can only justify spending $8 on a jar of tahini.
This looks amazing Jenna! Creamy and comforting. On a side note, I put on my big girl pants and finally bought two things:
miso paste to make your no oil pesto tonight
and hair extensions-LOVE them.
thanks for the suggestions on both.
Have a great weekend and please send that soup down to southern cal STAT cuz im too lazy to make it myself!
I bet this was amazing!!! I love eggplant anything.
I mean just read the title and my stomach started growling…I think that’s a sign!
YUM!! That roasted red pepper photo makes me want to drop everything this minute and make this soup! The flavor profile is right up my alley. And, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you are the best food photographer ever!
This is definitely something to file in that ‘damn its such a simple yet genius concept, I wish I had thought of it!’ category. Really, wow. I love anything that involves eggplant. Bonus points if tahini gets in on the action. This looks like a marvelous creation indeed.
What a cute idea! I love the spin on eggplant!!
Lately I’ve been on a biiig eggplant kick, and I LOVE roasted red peppers… this is perfect Jenna!
Mmm. I LOVE eggplant. Definitely have to try this soon!
This looks sooo good!
Now I know what to do with at least one of the wilting red bell peppers in the back of my fridge. Inspired. Thank you
Bookmarked! I have a family full of veggie lovers and I’ll be making this soon. We love babaganoush!
Im a vegetarian and I feel like I need to like eggplant. But I just don’t. Alot of restaurants seem to use eggplant in their one vegetarian dish.
I really want to like eggplant, so I’ve been trying to find recipes to “ease” myself into it. This recipe seems perfect!
Thanks for sharing!
exactly what Sonia said! I was just considering yesterday roasting a bell pepper! this looks phenomenal.
Girl, you read my mind. I have an eggplant and a pepper in my fridge to use up. Thanks for the recipe!
oohh, this looks fantastic!! I love babganoush. And having it in soup form?! Genius!
4th of July weekend or not, I plan on making soup one day this weekend! Too bad I’m out of eggplants, because this looks great
Are you getting married today?
That soup sounds great! And so unique!! It’s wayyy to hot for soup around here, but I’m going to save this for a chilly night!
Loving this; seriously making it tonight. Yum.
Happy 4th!
xo
Jenna! I have been blog stalking you for well over a year now!… I think I may have commented once or twice?? I had a blog maybe 4 or 5 years ago but I couldn’t keep up with how much time I really wanted to devote to it. Now, my schedule totally allows for more freedom and flexibility which is great! And, I can start blogging again
I love your style and this soup looks divine! It looks pretty thick… perhaps it could double as a dip as well??
Just wanted to introduce myself.. HI!
Wow-the ingredients look so simple! These are items that are usually always in my fridge-I’ll definitely be making this sometime soon!
That soup is a brilliant color!
I am definitely going to make this one.
omg this soup looks amazing! I just had a babaganoush pita at pita pit and couldnt wait to have it again, but i think this soup with some yummy pita chips would be the perfect lunch!
PS I love love love your book reviews! I have always been a big reader and Im always looking for new suggestions! Have you read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton? If you like historical fictions its really good!
This is stunning! How vibrant. I have it all so let’s see if I have the time to put it together now .
Thanks Jenna!
Looks awesome! The only thing keeping me from making this soup right this second is that I had an allergic reaction to my new jar of tahini last week. Wahhh.
I wonder how easy it is to make tahini from scratch?
OKay Jenna…you are basically the best person ever. I LOVE…..like seriously adore baba ganoush…..and I literally eat soup everyday. This being made….LIKE NOW.
Jenna…i love you…and your blog. thanks so much for all of your amazing recipes that you share with everyone. this soup looks absolutely fantastic and i want it right now. i will definitely be making this ASAP…this soup appeals to me even in the heat of summer!
If this can get me to eat egg plant (I HATE egg plant)…then you are a QUEEN!
I make a soup recipe like this but rather than red peppers I also include tomatoes. Divine either way!
This looks like the perfect comfort food!
Never thought of making soup with eggplant – but why not
Those charred peppers look amazing. Grilled peppers is one of my favourite vegetables (and even better served with fresh buffalo mozzarella and Italian extra virgin olive oil).
I usually don’t eat soup in the summertime but today it’s pouring down here, so it might be the perfect occasion.
You posted this at the perfect—most PERFECT—time!
I have been obsessed with eggplant, eating it as if it’s going extinct. Grilled. Sauteed. In ratatouille or all by itself.
And now this. Thank you! I can’t wait to make a batch.
Looks amazing! Bainghan Bharta meets Middle East cuisine
I loveeee eggplant, so this seems like an interesting twist I might have to try. I was immediately curious bc of the title.
Wow.. I’m an eggplant freak! I will keep this in mind for eggplant season at the farmer’s market! YUM!!!
OK, I will trust you and make this soup…it looks amazing!
made this today and i, too, was spooning every last bit from the blender…soo good and spicy! this will definitely be a repeat dish
Ummm delicious
YUM! Looks like a delicious summer soup!
Looks like a fabulous recipe Jenna. I love homemade soups…the more exotic the better
Thanks for such an AMAZING recipe! I just made it and my-oh-my was it a winner! Can’t wait to make huge batches of this in the future!
I made this a couple of nights ago and concur that it is a winner. I made a single (large) serving because I only had 1.5 small eggplants and 1/2 a red pepper, and I subbed cumin and paprika for the spices. Nice smoky flavour and the lemon really amped everything up. Thanks!
I loved this, but I want to try it again–I was a little too generous with the salt when I roasted the eggplant so the whole thing was salt city. Maybe next time I’ll just skip the tsp of salt in addition to the eggplant-roasting-salt.
i made this last night – it was really good! i second the comment to skip the salt, or at least wait until the end to add it to taste. you’ll think this soup is tasty, and then you’ll add the lemon juice and realise that it can be even tastier!
Made this. Loved it. Added goat cheese and loved it even more.
I tried this recipe and you are totally right. It is the best soup ever!
i have been meaning to make this since you posted and i was not disappointed at all. so. delicious. thank you!!
made this tonight. best thing EVER.
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked forever! I’m so mad I waited this long make it because it is absolutely delicious!! Thank you!!
You posted this when I was studying for the bar exam, and was living on frozen burritos and hummus. I saved the post for a time when I had my life back. I finally made it tonight and it lived up to my every expectation. Thanks!
yummmmmmmmmmmmmm
lil late- but I just made this. Yowza—great way to start of the soup making season! Thanks for the yummy recipe.
I just made this and I have to say- I had my serious doubts. The tahini in simmering water is not pretty. But the end result is indeed fabulous!
OMG Jenna, amazing! Another recipe I’ve made from you that is just absolutely amazing!
I used a little curry powder in addition to the coriander and threw in a little flat leaf parsley. It was delicious! Thanks for the deliciousness with eggplant!
Just had this at our cooking club and it was very very good! I’ll be making it again soon. Thanks Jenna!
This is THE BEST SOUP I HAVE EVER HAD!!! Great flavors and the lemon at the end is absolutely necessary, perfect finishing touch. Great job, Jenna!
oOoOo I just made this. Completely amazing. New go-to soup for sure!
Tried this soup tonight – it was lovely! Thanks Jenna! P.S. I used yellow onion instead as I didn’t have red.
Looks fantastic, I like babaganoush and hummus so this looks like something in the middle. I will definitely make it.
Thanks for sharing!
Dora
Holy crapola! I just made this tonight and followed your recipe exactly as suggested and it was amazing. Like, seriously amazing. Next time I am going to double the recipe because my man and I just downed that entire thing with walnut sour dough bread. Delicious!
Wow, this soup is phenomenal. Seriously, thank you for a soup recipe that is worth the time and effort! It’s so disappointing when you put the time in the make a soup and it’s not what you hoped…this was exactly what I wanted it to be and more
Saw this pinned on Pintrest and decided to give it a try last night. Wow. You weren’t kidding. Very very good. I ate WAY too much of it because I just couldn’t stop. Thank you so much for posting this. Amazing.
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