A rustic tomato vegetable soup with the flavors of Provence.
Tomato Vegetable Soup with Roasted Vegetables
This tomato vegetable soup is made with roasted zucchini, eggplant, fennel and tomatoes, simmered in a tomato broth.
The flavors are inspired by the cooking of Provence, specifically ratatouille, with the familiar combination of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and herbes de Provence, but the preparation is much simpler. The vegetables are roasted together rather than cooked separately, then added to a tomato broth for a short simmer.
Why You'll Love This Tomato Vegetable Soup
- Provençal-inspired flavor. Herbes de Provence, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil bring the flavors of southern France to the soup.
- Roasted vegetables. Roasting concentrates the flavor of the eggplant, zucchini, fennel and tomatoes before they’re added to the broth.
- Easy to prepare. The vegetables roast together on one baking sheet while the tomato broth comes together in a single pot.
- Good for making ahead. The soup can be refrigerated and reheated, and the flavors develop as it sits.
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Divided between the herb mixture for roasting and the tomato broth.
- Herbes de Provence – The herb blend seasons the vegetables as they roast and gives the soup its Provençal flavor.
- Garlic – Two small cloves are divided between the roasted vegetables and the broth.
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper – For seasoning the vegetables and broth.
- Eggplant – Half a medium eggplant, cut into cubes.
- Zucchini – Two small zucchini, cut into cubes.
- Fennel – One small fennel bulb, thinly sliced. Its subtle anise flavor works well with tomatoes and herbs.
- Vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes – Two large tomatoes are roasted along with the other vegetables.
- Harissa paste – Optional. A small amount adds heat to the broth.
- Strained tomatoes – Forms the base of the tomato broth.
- Filtered water – Added to the strained tomatoes to create the broth.
How to Make Tomato Vegetable Soup
Roast the vegetables
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the olive oil, herbes de Provence, garlic clove, sea salt and pepper.
Toss the eggplant, zucchini and fennel with two-thirds of the herbed oil and spread them on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tomatoes with the remaining oil and place them cut-side up on the baking sheet.
Roast for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Prepare the roasted tomatoes
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the tomatoes over. Using tongs, carefully remove their skins and coarsely chop the roasted tomatoes.
Make the tomato broth
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the remaining garlic and sea salt. If using harissa, add it now. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the roasted vegetables, roasted tomatoes, strained tomatoes and filtered water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and serve.
Tips for the Best Tomato Vegetable Soup
Roast the vegetables well. The roasting step concentrates the flavor of the vegetables before they go into the broth and is an important part of the soup's character.
Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces. This helps them cook at roughly the same rate in the oven.
Keep the pieces fairly large. The vegetables continue to cook during the final simmer, so larger pieces are less likely to become too soft.
Use good olive oil. Olive oil is part of the seasoning for the roasted vegetables as well as the broth, so its flavor comes through in the finished soup.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the soup warm with crusty bread or a simple green salad.
Pair it with dishes that use the same combination of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and herbs.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop.
The soup can also be made ahead. The flavors of the roasted vegetables, tomatoes, garlic and herbs have more time to develop as it rests.
Final Thoughts
Mediterranean cooking has always appealed to me for its simple ingredients and bold flavors. Here, the flavors of Provence give classic tomato vegetable soup a French twist, with roasted vegetables, garlic, olive oil and herbs.
More Recipes from Provence:
Tomato Vegetable Soup
Roasted eggplant, zucchini, fennel and tomatoes come together in this Provençal-inspired tomato vegetable soup. Seasoned with garlic, olive oil and herbes de Provence, it’s a vegetable-packed soup with French Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ Tablespoons/37ml extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- 2 small garlic cloves, grated on a microplane (divided use)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (divided use)
- ⅛th teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/ 2 a medium eggplant, cubed
- 2 small zucchini, cubed
- 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2 large vine ripened or heirloom tomatoes, cut in half crosswise
- 1 teaspoon harissa paste (optional)
- 10oz/300ml strained tomatoes
- 10oz/300ml filtered water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil, herbes de Provence, 1 clove of garlic, ½ teaspoon of sea salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl toss eggplant, zucchini and fennel with ⅔rds of the herbed oil and spread on parchment lined sheet. Brush tomatoes with remaining ⅓rd of herbed oil and place cut side up on baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing chopped vegetables occasionally.
- When the vegetables are done, remove baking sheet from oven and flip tomatoes over. Using a pair of tongs, carefully remove the skin from the tomatoes and coarsely chop.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add remaining, garlic clove, ½ tsp salt and harissa paste (if using); cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute until extremely fragrant. Add roasted vegetables, strained tomatoes and filtered water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 10-15 minutes.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
Notes
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 370mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 7gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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