Eggplant Supper Soup with Ground Beef and Pasta
This recipe is a keeper.
The first time I had this soup was at a friend’s house for dinner.
She served it as the main course and it was so delicious that I absolutely had to get the recipe from her that same evening.
I’ve made a few changes to the recipe since then and it’s now one of my go-to recipes.
I just couldn’t believe that it was made with eggplant.
The diced eggplant actually turns translucent and adds such a nice texture to the soup.
This supper soup is filling tastes like comfort food.
Here are more comfort food recipes you may like “Simple Fried Chicken“, “Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes” and “Skillet Biscuits with Sage Sausage Gravy“.
Leftovers warm up great in the microwave too.
To stretch the recipe for additional servings, just add more chopped celery, carrots, and salad macaroni.
Here’s another version of this delightful soup that has a bit more garlic added, the skin is left on the eggplant (makes the color of the soup a little darker), and is served with a small piece of corn on the cob and slices of avocado in the soup…”Eggplant Supper Soup with Corn an Avocado“.
This soup makes a wonderful gift for friends and family too.
One of my friends was sick with a cold so I made a pot of this soup, then transferred the warm cooked soup to another pot, covered it with a lid and brought her the soup, pot and all.
She of course didn’t feel like cooking and said she enjoyed the soup for lunch and dinner for a number of days.
Regarding the Timing of Serving this Soup – This soup has salad macaroni (diti pasta) in it which is the last ingredient added to the soup.
The macaroni pasta tastes best when it’s cooked al-denti (firm) so when making this soup, don’t add the macaroni until 25 minutes before serving it.
Otherwise, the pasta will continue to cook and turn soft if its left in the pot to simmer further.
Serve with Easy Homemade Garlic Bread and you’re set for an amazing dinner.
Let’s check out the ingredients.
Eggplant, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, lean ground beef, butter, olive oil, beef broth, canned diced tomatoes, salad macaroni (diti pasta), fresh parsley (curly or Italian), water, salt and pepper
A printable recipe with the measurements and instructions is located at the bottom of this post.
Here’s how to make it.
For the Onion, Garlic and Ground Beef – chop the onion…
…peel and chop garlic.
Set aside for just a moment.
In a large pot, add olive oil and butter.
Turn the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic.
Sauté the onion and garlic for about 4 minutes.
Stir as the onion and garlic cooks.
To the pot, add lean ground beef and mix it in with the onions and garlic.
As the ground beef cooks, stir and break it apart so there aren’t any big pieces or chunks of ground beef.
TIP – If the ground beef you’re using isn’t lean, cook the beef in a separate skillet.
After it’s thoroughly cooked, turn the heat off and transfer the ground beef mixture to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
For the Soup – transfer the ground beef mixture from the plate back into the pot.
If the ground beef is cooked separately, after transferring it on the paper towel lined-plate, transfer it back to the pot with the onions and garlic.
While the ground beef is cooking, peel the eggplant.
Peeling the eggplant is optional, the skin can be left on if preferred.
Next,
…dice the eggplant into about 1 inch squares. Set aside.
Turn the heat (for the soup pot with the ground beef mixture) back on to medium heat.
To the pot, add carrots, celery…
…canned diced tomatoes (an option is to first put the canned tomatoes in a big bowl and with clean hands, squeeze the tomatoes so that they are not in chunks)…
…beef broth…
…water…
…salt…
…pepper,
and the cubed eggplant.
Stir.
Simmer the soup on low heat for 40 minutes or until the eggplant turns translucent.
Then add the dry pasta and…
…chopped parsley.
Continue to simmer on low heat for 30 more minutes or…
until the macaroni pasta is cooked al dente (firm).
TIP – The macaroni pasta tastes best when it’s cooked al-denti (firm) so don’t add the macaroni until 25 minutes before serving this soup. Otherwise, the pasta will continue to cook and turn soft if its left in the pot to simmer further.
Do a taste test and add more salt if needed.
Salt really brings out the flavor in this soup.
Serve right away while warm and top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese and…
…chopped fresh parsley.
Then enjoy each and every warm, flavorful comfort food bite.
Thank you so much for stopping by CCC!
More Soup Recipes You May Like:
Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup
Slow Cooker Potato Soup with Smoked Sausage
Spicy Chipotle and Pasilla Chili Con Carne
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 ½ pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup chopped carrots*
- 1 cup chopped celery*
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) cut tomatoes
- 1 carton (32 ounces) beef broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoons salt or salt to taste
- 1 medium size eggplant peeled (optional) and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup uncooked salad (diti pasta) macaroni*
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley curly parsley or Italian parsley
- 8 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese for garnish
- *More can be used to stretch the servings; just add an extra cup of broth.
* More can be used to stretch the servings; just add an extra cup of broth.
Instructions
- For the Ground Beef, Onion and Garlic - In a large pot, add olive oil and butter. Turn the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 4 minutes.
- To the pot, add lean ground beef and mix it in with the onions and garlic. (If your ground beef has a bit more fat in it than the lean does, cook the beef in a separate skillet).
- As the ground beef cooks, stir and break it apart so there aren't any big pieces or chunks of ground beef.
- After it’s thoroughly cooked, turn the heat off and transfer the ground beef mixture to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
- Then transfer the ground beef mixture from the plate back into the pot. If the ground beef is cooked separately, after transferring it on the paper towel lined-plate, transfer it back to the pot with the onions and garlic.
- For the Soup - Turn the heat (for the soup pot) back on to medium heat. To the pot with the ground beef mixture, add the carrots, celery, tomatoes, beef broth, water, pepper, salt, and cubed eggplant. Stir.
- Simmer the soup on low heat for 40 minutes or until the eggplant turns translucent.
- Then add the dry pasta* and chopped parsley.
- *The macaroni pasta tastes best when it's cooked al-denti (firm) so when making this soup, don't add the macaroni in it until 25 minutes before serving time. Otherwise, the pasta will continue to cook and turn soft if its left in the pot to simmer further.
- Continue to simmer on low heat for 30 more minutes or until the macaroni pasta is cooked al dente (firm).
- Do a taste test and add more salt if needed. Salt really brings out the flavor in this soup.
- Serve right away (before the pasta cooks further) while warm and top each serving with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
TIPS:
- If the ground beef you're using isn't lean, cook the beef in a separate skillet.
- Regarding the Timing of Serving this Soup - The macaroni pasta in this soup which is added at the end tastes best when it's cooked al-denti (firm). So when making this soup, don't add the macaroni in the soup until 25 minutes before serving it. Otherwise, the pasta will continue to cook and turn soft if its left in the pot to simmer further.
What is your reasoning for peeling it? I would rather leave the skin on.
Hi Alicia, I think it’s more of a habit for me to remove the skin for this soup and maybe in the back of my mind I thought the skin may not be tender. But that’s not necessarily true especially since the veggies in the soup have time to simmer. Actually, I may just give it a try with the skin on next time I make it. Thank you for mentioning this. Have a great rest of the weekend!
Added to my list of Fall must-try recipes! Thanks for this.
Hi Shirley, thank you for stopping by!
Just found you thru your comment on Pioneer Woman’s contest for the knives. This Eggplant Soup looks delicious! I love eggplant, but most recipes for it are so labor intensive. This is perfect! Many thanks!
Hi Laurie, thank you for visiting! I’m glad you liked this recipe. It’s easy and tastes so good. I just love the Pioneer Woman’s site….good luck in her contest for the knives!
This sou looks sooo delicious, love the photos, great photography 🙂
Hi Ali, thank you very much.
This is beautiful! Your photos are gorgeous, and this sounds delicious.
Hi Emily, thank you very much!
This soup has all the food groups in it and it looks delicious! I would love to have some on a chilly evening. Glad you posted the recipe for this comforting dish. Yum!
Hi Tina, thank you!