Healthy Ratatouille Soup Food

HEALTHY RATATOUILLE SOUP

Steps:

• PREPARE VEGETABLES: Cut onion, red bell pepper, eggplant and zucchini into 2 inch/5 cm. chunks. If using a food processor to speed up chopping, you might need to do two batches. First, process garlic. Then add half the vegetables and pulse several times until chopped into small pieces. (you may still be left with a few pieces that need to be cut further with a knife). Repeat with remaining vegetables. Alternatively, use a knife to mince garlic and dice vegetables.
• MAKE SOUP: Heat olive oil to medium-high heat in a large pot. Add chopped vegetables and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes with juices, broth, basil and seasonings. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender soft. Stir in fresh spinach until wilted, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings including optional pinch of sugar, a splash of cream and/or pinch of red pepper flakes. If soup is too thick, add additional water or broth to taste. Note 4 for variations.
• FINISH SOUP AND SERVE: Prepare side dish, topping or garnish for soup if you like, Note 3. Ladle soup into bowls. Add one of the optional toppings as desired or serve with hot fresh bread.

HEARTY ITALIAN RATATOUILLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large pot, and saute onion.
• Remove casings from Italian sausage and cut up into 1 inch pieces, add to pan.
• Cook sausage until brown about 10 minutes, remove from pan and drain half the fat.
• Add the zucchini, squash, eggplant, red pepper, mushrooms and salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, stewed tomatoes, and sausage to the pot, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium/low - low to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through.
• Stir in fresh basil in last 5 minutes.
• You can reduce the fat and calories by using a turkey based sausage, or make this a vegetarian dish by using a soy/tofu sausage or even garbanzo beans.

RATATOUILLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the eggplant, zucchini and bell pepper and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the broth and half of the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Brush the bread with olive oil; sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence and salt to taste. Broil until lightly toasted. Top with the cheese, then broil until melted.
• Puree about half of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cheese toasts and the remaining basil.

RATATOUILLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large shallow roasting pan combine the eggplant, zucchini, sweet pepper, onion, and garlic.
• In a small bowl combine the olive oil, italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper; srizzle over vegetables, tossing to coat.
• Bake in a 425 degree oven about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring once.
• Meanwhile, in a dutch oven combine the broth and water.
• Bring to boiling; add cavatelli.
• Return to boiling.
• Cook about 12 minutes or until tender.
• Reduce heat.
• Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and roasted vegetables.
• Heat through.

RATATOUILLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 4 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the eggplant and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is just golden and starts softening, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes just start breaking down, about 3 minutes.
• Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer, then uncover and cook until the eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the squash and continue simmering until tender, about 5 more minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Combine the parsley, parmesan, lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Top each bowl of soup with some parsley mixture; serve with bread.