Vegetable Soup with Eggplant and Zucchini Balls
Vegetable Soup with Eggplant and Zucchini Balls
Ingredients
For the Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved for garnish
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup small pasta, such as star-shaped pasta
- 4 cups dandelion greens, chopped
For the Eggplant and Zucchini Balls
- 1 eggplant, cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for sautéing eggplant
- 1 zucchini, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, for zucchini, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup cooked onion, from soup base or separately cooked
- 1 teaspoon cooked garlic, from soup base or separately cooked
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for pan-frying
For Serving
- 1 lemon, for fresh juice
- 2 tablespoons fennel fronds, reserved from fennel bulb, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, chopped fennel, and chopped celery. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing it to deepen in color.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaves. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it gently cook while preparing the eggplant and zucchini balls.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
For the eggplant and zucchini balls: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the cubed eggplant and sauté until tender and soft, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the cooked eggplant to a large mixing bowl.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Shred the zucchini and place it in a colander. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and let it sit for 5 minutes to draw out moisture. Squeeze the shredded zucchini thoroughly to remove as much liquid as possible, then add it to the bowl with the eggplant.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Add 1/4 cup of the cooked onion and 1 teaspoon of the cooked garlic (from the soup base or separately cooked) to the bowl with the eggplant and zucchini. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, egg, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
If the mixture is too watery to form balls, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour and mix until it holds together. Roll the mixture into small, bite-sized balls.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Place the eggplant and zucchini balls on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes to help them firm up.
⏱️ 15 min
- 10
While the balls are chilling, return to the soup. Add the 1/2 cup of small pasta to the simmering broth. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or according to package directions, until the pasta is al dente and has slightly thickened the broth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Stir in the chopped dandelion greens. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the greens have wilted and their initial bitterness mellows out.
⏱️ 7 min
- 12
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a clean pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the chilled eggplant and zucchini balls in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 13
Taste the soup and reseason with salt and pepper as needed.
⏱️ 1 min - 14
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Add a few pan-fried eggplant and zucchini balls to each serving. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and garnish with the reserved chopped fennel fronds. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Vegetable Soup with Eggplant and Zucchini Balls
For the Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved for garnish
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup small pasta, such as star-shaped pasta
- 4 cups dandelion greens, chopped
For the Eggplant and Zucchini Balls
- 1 eggplant, cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for sautéing eggplant
- 1 zucchini, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, for zucchini, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup cooked onion, from soup base or separately cooked
- 1 teaspoon cooked garlic, from soup base or separately cooked
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for pan-frying
For Serving
- 1 lemon, for fresh juice
- 2 tablespoons fennel fronds, reserved from fennel bulb, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, chopped fennel, and chopped celery. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing it to deepen in color.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaves. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it gently cook while preparing the eggplant and zucchini balls.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
For the eggplant and zucchini balls: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the cubed eggplant and sauté until tender and soft, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the cooked eggplant to a large mixing bowl.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Shred the zucchini and place it in a colander. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and let it sit for 5 minutes to draw out moisture. Squeeze the shredded zucchini thoroughly to remove as much liquid as possible, then add it to the bowl with the eggplant.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Add 1/4 cup of the cooked onion and 1 teaspoon of the cooked garlic (from the soup base or separately cooked) to the bowl with the eggplant and zucchini. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, egg, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
If the mixture is too watery to form balls, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour and mix until it holds together. Roll the mixture into small, bite-sized balls.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Place the eggplant and zucchini balls on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes to help them firm up.
⏱️ 15 min - 10
While the balls are chilling, return to the soup. Add the 1/2 cup of small pasta to the simmering broth. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or according to package directions, until the pasta is al dente and has slightly thickened the broth.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Stir in the chopped dandelion greens. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the greens have wilted and their initial bitterness mellows out.
⏱️ 7 min - 12
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a clean pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the chilled eggplant and zucchini balls in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 13
Taste the soup and reseason with salt and pepper as needed.
⏱️ 1 min - 14
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Add a few pan-fried eggplant and zucchini balls to each serving. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and garnish with the reserved chopped fennel fronds. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 3 min