This Spicy Eggplant and Tomato Soup is a delicious winter warmer, packed with rich tomato flavour, tender aubergine and a lovely spicy kick. It is simple, comforting and perfect for chilly days when you want something easy but still full of flavour.
Aubergine, also known as eggplant, is such an underrated vegetable and works so well in soups, curries and tray bakes. It adds a lovely softness as it cooks, while the fresh tomatoes bring a natural sweetness to the soup. Most of the other ingredients are simple store cupboard staples too, so all you need are a few fresh vegetables like aubergine, leek, onion, ginger and garlic to bring it all together.
Calories in Spicy Eggplant and Tomato Soup
This recipe serves 4 and is 281 calories per serving.
If you're looking for more recipes by calories, you'll find plenty of options grouped by calorie range here: Slimming Eats Low Calorie Recipes
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie needs using a reliable calorie calculator. The calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes you use. Using your own calculations helps ensure you're meeting your individual needs. A calorie calculator can help you make informed choices and stay on track with your goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Eggplant (Aubergine): Eggplant adds a lovely soft texture to this soup once cooked and blended. Chop it into even pieces so it softens properly in the pan.
- Onion and garlic: These create the savoury base for the soup. Finely chopping the onion helps it soften quickly and blend smoothly into the finished soup.
- Cumin, paprika, oregano and cayenne: Cumin adds warmth, paprika brings a gentle smoky flavour, oregano adds a lovely herby note, and the cayenne gives the soup its spicy kick. Start with a teeny pinch of cayenne if you prefer it milder, then add a little more to taste.
- Passata: Passata gives the soup a smooth tomato base. Crushed tomatoes can also be used, but the soup may have a slightly more textured finish before blending.
- Fresh tomatoes: Fresh ripe tomatoes add a natural sweetness and freshness to the soup. Peeling them first helps keep the texture nice and smooth.
- Vegetable stock: Vegetable stock keeps the soup meat free while adding plenty of flavour. Use a good quality stock, as it makes a big difference to the finished soup.
- Maple syrup: A small amount of maple syrup balances the acidity from the tomatoes and rounds out the spice. You can use a little less or more depending on how sweet your tomatoes are.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is used to soften the vegetables and bring out their flavour before the soup simmers.
- Salt and black pepper: Season to taste once the soup has simmered, as the stock and tomatoes can vary in flavour.
- Fresh coriander: Fresh chopped coriander adds a lovely fresh finish. Stir some through at the end or sprinkle it over the top when serving.
- Sweet potato topping: Roasted sweet potato cubes make a great topping for this soup, adding a little sweetness and extra texture against the spicy tomato base.
- Cheese: A little grated cheddar makes a lovely topping for this soup, adding a savoury, melty finish that works really well with the spicy tomato and aubergine base.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions.
Variations and Substitutes
There are plenty of easy ways to adjust this soup depending on what you have in, how spicy you like it, or how you want to serve it.
- Aubergine: If you are not a big fan of aubergine, you can reduce the amount slightly and add extra tomatoes, red pepper, courgette or carrots instead. The texture will be a little different, but it will still make a delicious tomato-based soup.
- Passata: Crushed tomatoes can be used in place of passata. The soup may have a slightly thicker texture before blending, but it will still work well.
- Fresh tomatoes: Fresh ripe tomatoes add a lovely natural sweetness, but you can leave them out and add a little extra passata or crushed tomatoes if needed.
- Extra vegetables: Red pepper, carrots, courgette or celery can all be added for extra flavour and vegetables. Just chop them small and fry them with the onion and garlic before adding the stock.
- Spice level: Keep the cayenne to a teeny pinch for a milder soup, or add a little more if you prefer extra heat. You can also add a pinch of chilli flakes, a little hot sauce or some fresh chopped red chilli.
- Maple syrup: The maple syrup helps balance the acidity from the tomatoes, but you can use honey, brown sugar or sweetener instead. You can also leave it out if your tomatoes are already sweet enough.
- Vegetable stock: Vegetable stock keeps the soup vegetarian, but chicken stock can also be used if you do not need it to be meat free.
- Herbs: Fresh coriander works really well with the spices, but parsley can be used if you are not a fan of coriander. A little fresh basil would also work nicely with the tomato base.
- Adding protein: To make the soup more filling, stir through cooked shredded chicken, chickpeas, butter beans or lentils once the soup has blended. Let everything simmer for a few minutes until heated through. You can also add cooked turkey or chicken when serving if you prefer to keep the soup smooth.
- Cheese: Cheddar works really well as a topping, but you could also use any cheese you like such as a little crumbled feta for a salty contrast, mozzarella for a milder melty finish or parmesan for extra savoury flavour.
Soup Topping and Side Ideas
This Spicy Aubergine and Tomato Soup is lovely served on its own, but you can easily make it more filling with a few extra toppings or sides. Roasted butternut squash works really well instead of the sweet potato, or you can add roasted chickpeas for crunch and a boost of protein.
Homemade croutons are another great option and are perfect if you have bread that needs using up. Just cut into cubes, spray or toss with a little olive oil, season and bake until golden and crisp or if you have some cooked rice, quinoa or pasta, added a scoop of that into the soup makes it more filling.
If you do not need the soup to be vegetarian, cooked chicken, sliced sausage or homemade meatballs can be added on top or served alongside. They turn it into a more substantial meal while still keeping the soup as the main part of the dish.
For simple sides, serve with crusty bread, toasted pitta, warm flatbread, or a grilled cheese sandwich. A simple green salad also works well if you want something fresh on the side.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating
Storing: Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep any toppings stored separately and add them when serving.
Freezing: This soup freezes well. Once cooled, portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Leave a little space at the top of the container, as the soup will expand slightly as it freezes.
Reheating: Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a saucepan over a medium heat until piping hot throughout. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring halfway through. Add a splash of stock or water if the soup has thickened too much.
More Soup Recipes
Looking for some other soup recipes to try? Check out these:
See more Soup Recipes →
or if you would like more recipe ideas - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more.
All recipes on Slimming Eats have estimated nutritional information for your convenience.
Let's Connect!!
Come and follow me on:
You can also Subscribe to Slimming Eats so that you never miss any new updates.
Need some support on your weight loss journey? Maybe you need advice or tips on a recipe, or just general meal ideas.
Come join the friendly and supportive Slimming Eats Community on Facebook.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, Rate It and Tag us in your Photos @SLIMMINGEATS on INSTAGRAM
Recipe Card
Spicy Eggplant and Tomato Soup
This Spicy Aubergine and Tomato Soup is a cosy, flavour-packed bowl with rich tomato, tender aubergine and warming spice, finished with roasted sweet potato, cheddar and fresh coriander.
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon of olive oil
- 350g (12.3oz) of eggplant (aubergine), chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- ½ tablespoon of ground cumin
- ½ tablespoon of dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne
- 240g (1 cup) of passata
- 2 fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped (I used roma)
- 960ml (4 cups) of vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- salt and black pepper to season
- fresh chopped cilantro (coriander)
For the topping:
- ½ tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (350g/12.3oz)
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- salt and pepper
- 60g of cheddar, grated
Instructions
- Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil to a large saucepan over a medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, until it starts to soften and turn translucent.
- Add the aubergine, garlic and fresh tomatoes, and continue to fry for around 5 minutes, until they start to soften and break down.
- Stir in the paprika, cumin, oregano and cayenne, mixing until everything is well coated in the spices.
- Add the passata, maple syrup and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 180°C fan, 200°C, 400°F or gas mark 6.
- Add the sweet potato to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, salt and black pepper, then toss to coat. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until tender and golden.
- Carefully add the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return it to the saucepan and stir until lovely and velvety. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the roasted sweet potato, fresh coriander and cheddar.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- Gluten Free Friendly - use gluten free stock
- Vegetarian Friendly
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly - - see freezing and reheating section.
Do not copy, paste, or post full recipes, screenshots, or any other content from Slimming Eats to social media or other websites. This is strictly prohibited. All recipes, text, and images on Slimming Eats are copyright protected.
Recipes are updated regularly with tips, improvements, and clarifications. Sharing screenshots or copied text outside this website can result in outdated or incomplete versions being used. To ensure the most accurate and up-to-date recipe, always share using the buttons at the top of the post, which link the user directly back to the recipe on Slimming Eats.
Nutritional information is an estimate and should be used for informational purposes only. Ingredient values vary by brand, so always calculate using the ingredients you use and the tools provided by your chosen programme.
It is the reader’s responsibility to ensure that any products or ingredients used in Slimming Eats recipes are allergen-free (for example gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, and/or dairy-free). Slimming Eats assumes no liability for inaccuracies or misstatements about products, opinions, or comments on this site.
Check Legal section, for Full Disclaimer, Disclosure and Privacy Policy.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1 servingAmount Per Serving Calories 281Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 4gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 15mgSodium 882mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 9gSugar 19gProtein 10g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
Amina says
Thanks for recipe. I have veg cubes and not ready made stock. How many would I use. Thanks
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Hi Amina, it will vary by brand of stock cubes, if you look on the packaging it will tell you how many you need for a certain amount of mls
Adrianna says
This was sensational, really flavoursome and definitely keeping me on the SW bandwagon. Slimming eats recipes are always on point and I am so glad to have found this website