Description
Lemony Eggplant Soup is rich, creamy, smoky, sweet, and lemony all rolled into one.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 pounds firm eggplants
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups diced yellow onion
- Salt and pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 3 to 6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons green onion, chopped
Instructions
- For the eggplant:
- Preheat the broiler. Poke several holes all around the eggplant. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet. Cook about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until the skin has charred.
- Once the eggplant is completely cooked, remove from the broiler and place the eggplant in a medium- sized bowl. Cover with plastic wrap tightly. Allow the eggplant to sit for 10 minutes. This will create steam and help to loosen the skin.
- After 1o minutes, remove the eggplant from the bowl. Using a paper towel remove most of the skin. Chop the eggplant, set aside.
- For the other ingredients:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Add the cooked eggplant and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Puree the soup in batches using a blender or a hand-held immersion blender until thick and creamy.
- Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. The soup should have a lemony flavor; add more lemon juice if needed.
- Mix the lemon zest with the olive oil in a small bowl. Serve the soup immediately. Top with oil and lemon zest mixture and green onion.
Notes
Adapted from: The New York Times
