Simple Ratatouille Soup with Mini Meatballs: Goes Down Easy
Sneak Preview: This Simple Ratatouille Soup Recipe with Mini Meatballs features mini-meatballs combined with eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and basil. Quick to throw together and light on the belly.
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This is the kind of soup you want when you’ve been eating too much rich or junky food. The veggies are comforting, and the meatballs satisfy. Savory broth warms you from the inside out.
Three Reasons Why You Will Enjoy This Soup
- Throw this soup together in 30-35 minutes.
- It’s an easy way to make friends with eggplant.
- Combined with zucchini and tomatoes, this recipe will remind you of the enticing flavors in ratatouille.
Why is the Purple Vegetable Called “Eggplant”?
According to Wonderopolis, “Way back in the 1700s, early European versions of eggplant were smaller and yellow or white. They looked like goose or chicken eggs, which led to the name “eggplant.”
You can buy these smaller eggplants in international and specialty grocery stores. I use the aubergine-colored variety in this recipe. Aubergine is another name for the dark purple color and the eggplant itself.
Is It OK To Eat the Skin and Seeds of Eggplant?
As eggplants age and get bigger, the skin gets tougher and more bitter. If you are buying a small eggplant, leave the tender skin on. It adds texture to the soup. Otherwise, peel it.
According to Rebecca Bragg from Livestrong.com, “The seeds of a fresh eggplant should be soft and barely visible and if they are, there’s no need to remove them. If seeds are brown, scoop them out with a spoon.”
I never remove the seeds since this is soup. Nobody will notice.
📌Recipe tip📌
If you are cooking for picky eaters, peel the eggplant and cut it into small cubes. They will be unrecognizable amongst the other ingredients. (This is not guaranteed to work, but worth a try.)
Ingredients and Substitutions
Meatballs
- If you find making meatballs tedious or time-consuming, brown the ground meat without shaping it into balls.
- If you make the meatballs yourself, they will hold together better if the meat is not frozen beforehand. Save time and buy pre-cooked mini meatballs from the freezer section at the supermarket.
- The third option would be to leave out the meat and go vegetarian. Mushrooms would be a good substitution.
Onions
- Use frozen chopped onions to save time.
- Yellow or white onions are the best variety for this recipe.
Green Bell Peppers
- Substitute red, yellow, or orange peppers if you prefer.
- Leave the peppers out if you like, but it is a traditional ingredient of ratatouille.
Zucchini
- No need to peel the zucchini. The skin adds color.
- Substitute yellow squash for the zucchini if you must.
- Don’t overcook the soup. The zucchini should still have some bright green color.
Eggplant
- Substitute mushrooms for the eggplant if you like. I’ve been forced to do this when I let the eggplant sit in my refrigerator for too long. The flesh turns brown and gets soft spots as it ages.
Tomatoes
I’m fond of the Red Gold(paid link) brand of diced tomatoes. But whatever you have on hand will work. Some people would rather use whole canned tomatoes. Break them up by squeezing them with your hands, or give them a quick chop.
Beef Broth
Use canned beef broth or beef bouillon cubes reconstituted with hot water. If you make your own broth, use it, and please invite me to your house.
Mushroom & Company Umami Seasoning
I recently discovered this seasoning at Trader Joe’s (but you can get it from Amazon(paid link)). It’s perfect for this soup. Warning: It’s high in salt, so taste your soup before adding more salt.
If you want to make your own mushroom powder seasoning, look at this recipe from NomNomPaleo. I used this for quite a while before I found the Trader Joe’s brand.
Parmesan Cheese
- Optional. Any variety is OK, but fresh cheese tastes best.
- Sprinkle it over individual bowls immediately before eating.
Variations
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of pesto instead of the Italian Seasoning or basil.
- Use ground turkey, sausage, hot sausage, or Italian sausage instead of beef.
- Add 1/3 cup of dry white wine to the broth.
- A teaspoon of chopped parsley adds color and freshness.
How To Make This Easy Mini-Meatball Soup Recipe
FAQ
French bread or garlic sticks, a green salad, or nothing. It’s a complete meal by itself.
Since the eggplant in this recipe cooks in broth (not fried), there is no reason to salt and let the eggplant sit ahead of time.
Did you know eggplant is technically a fruit? So much for being proud of myself that I was eating more vegetables. However, eggplant is usually prepared and served as a vegetable. I guess that’s why eggplant has an identity crisis.
Parting Thoughts: If you like eggplant, you might find these eggplant side dish recipes interesting: Roasted Eggplant and Potatoes and Corn and Eggplant Vegetable Medley. What is your favorite way to eat eggplant?
Are You In a Soup Mood? Check Out these Recipes
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Ratatatouille Soup Recipe with Mini Meatballs
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Ingredients
- ½ pound (227 g) ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup (80 g) onions, chopped
- ½ cup (74 g) green peppers, chopped
- 1½ teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2-3 medium (392 g) zucchini, sliced 1 pound
- ½ small to medium (275 g) eggplant peeled and diced (use the whole thing if you really love eggplant)
- 1 14-oz can (400 g) diced tomatoes
- 1 10-oz can (280 g) can beef broth or 1 tablespoon beef base or bouillon added to water
- 1 cup+2 tablespoons (255 g) water
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Mushroom & Company Umami Seasoning optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil to garnish optional
Instructions
- Form ½ pound (227 g) ground beef into mini meatballs. You can do this by hand, but my preference is to use a tiny ice cream dipper.
- Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. When the oil glistens, add meatballs and brown on all sides.
- Add ½ cup (80 g) onions, chopped and ½ cup (74 g) green peppers, chopped to ground beef, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add 1½ teaspoon garlic, minced, and saute another minute.
- Add 2-3 medium (392 g) zucchini, sliced, ½ small to medium (275 g) eggplant, 1 14-oz can (400 g) diced tomatoes, 1 10-oz can (280 g) can beef broth , 1 cup+2 tablespoons (255 g) water and ½ teaspoon dried basil, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon Mushroom & Company Umami Seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt , ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve your soup when the vegetables are beginning to soften, but before the green skin on the zucchini turns a dull, lifeless green.
- Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of pesto instead of the basil.
- Use ground turkey, sausage, hot sausage, or Italian sausage instead of beef.
- Add 1/3 cup of dry white wine to the broth.
- A teaspoon of chopped parsley adds color and freshness.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.