Chilled Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Soup

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8 Servings

Question: When did everyone get together and decide that all chilled soups are to be puréed? Just what is this obsession with homogenous cold soups come summertime? While I’ll admit I like the occasional gazpacho shooter, I think it’s time we explored the chunky, brothy alternative.

Ingredients

2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and cut lengthwise through the core into 1/2-inch slabs
1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 medium red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups tomato juice
2 to 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 large clove garlic, minced

Instructions

Place the fennel, eggplant, bell pepper, onion, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, grill until the vegetables are tender and dark grill marks form on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
When cool enough to handle, finely dice the vegetables and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato juice, broth, vinegar, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, parsley, basil, and garlic, and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.