This Roasted Ratatouille Soup is easy to throw together and packed with tons of healthy vegetables. Serve with salad and crusty bread, and enjoy for lunch or dinner. This plant based soup is creamy and super flavorful. Keep leftovers on hand for up to 5 days, or freeze for future meals.
We just experienced, what felt like, a polar vortex and it’s definitely soup season around here. It was so cold that the kids had a late start to school one morning, which never happens around here. To me, it doesn’t get much cozier than roasted vegetables and soup, and this Roasted Ratatouille Soup falls into both of those categories. The flavors in this recipe are inspired from the traditional dish of ratatouille, which is a stewed vegetable dish that originated in France. If you love vegetables, this is pure comfort food!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Ratatouille Inspired Soup
It’s mostly hands off – There is some chopping of the vegetables required, but other than that, the oven and blender do most of the work! This is basically a sheet pan meal turned into a soup.
It’s warm and cozy – All soups are warm and cozy, but I especially love it when they’re packed with roasted vegetables and blended up until smooth and creamy. This roasted ratatouille soup is perfect for serving with crusty bread for a hearty vegan meal.
Minimal ingredients needed – Besides the vegetables, you only need canned tomatoes, veggie broth, olive oil and spices to make this flavorful soup recipe. Ratatouille does use specific types of vegetables, but you can always throw in extra veggies that you have on hand.
Why Your Body Will Love This Cozy Vegetable Soup
Antioxidants – This soup is filled with colorful vegetables, such as bell peppers, eggplant and zucchini, all which are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our bodies from damage caused by free radicals and unstable molecules that can increase disease risk.
Fiber – All vegetables contain fiber, but eggplant is particularly high in both soluble and non-soluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the digestive tract, helping regulate the absorption of nutrients. It also binds to the bile in the digestive tract, carrying out toxins that would otherwise recirculate throughout the body. Insoluble fiber helps bulk up our stool, ensuring that things run smoothly.
Folate – Bell peppers are a good source of folate, also known as folic acid or vitamin B9. Red bell peppers contain more folate than green bell peppers. Folate is always important for our bodies, because it helps your body make new cells, including red blood cells, brain cells and skin cells. This is especially important for pregnant women, who are growing babies. It also helps prevent birth defects and can prevent anemia, which can be common in pregnancy.
Roasted Ratatouille Soup Recipe Ingredients
Eggplant – This recipe calls for about 2 cups of chopped eggplant. I used a globe eggplant, which is a common type sold in the US, but any kind of eggplant will work well.
Bell Peppers – You can use any color of bell peppers you like for this recipe. I used a mixture of red, green and orange. Red, yellow and orange are typically more sweet than green, so it’s nice to have a mix of colors if you can. Otherwise, it is totally ok to use just one type.
Zucchini – I used one medium sized zucchini, which was about 2 cups once diced. You could also use yellow summer squash in its place, or in addition.
Red Onion – I love roasted red onion because it gets nice and sweet when roasted, but any color onion will work.
Canned Tomatoes – I used fire roasted diced canned tomatoes because it adds extra flavor, but regular canned tomatoes will work great too.
Garlic – I added 4 cloves of garlic to this soup, but you can use less if you prefer.
Fresh Herbs – The vegetables get roasted with a few sprigs of fresh thyme and then I like to add fresh parsley into the soup when it gets blended up.
Lemon Juice – A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end adds a nice freshness. You could also use white or apple cider vinegar instead, to help brighten it up.
How To Make Vegetarian Ratatouille Soup
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Roughly chop all vegetables into bite sized pieces and add them to a large baking sheet. Add on the garlic cloves, fresh thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Use your hands to mix everything together until vegetables are fully coated with oil and seasonings. Place sheet pan in the oven and roast vegetables until softened and lightly browned, 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Allow vegetables to cool for a few minutes and then add to a blender, or food processor. Next, add in one can of fire roasted tomatoes, including the liquid.
Turn the blender on low speed and slowly add in your vegetable broth, or water, while turning the blender up to high speed. You will need to add between 1-2 cups of veggie broth, or water, (depending on how thick you like your soup) to make sure the soup is blend-able. Next, add in the lemon juice and fresh parsley and blend again, for about 30 seconds.
Pour the soup into a soup pot and heat over medium heat until soup is completely hot. Add in any extra veggie broth, salt or pepper needed. Once soup is heated up, you can enjoy immediately or allow to simmer for up to 30 minutes.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
This soup recipe is already vegan and gluten free.
How much soup does this recipe make? It makes about 4 servings but can easily be doubled if you want to make more soup.
Can different vegetables be used? I used the vegetables that are traditional to ratatouille, but feel free to add in any other soup-friendly vegetables you have on hand.
How long does this soup stay good for? If stored in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator, leftovers should stay good for 4-5 days. Re-heat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
Can this soup be frozen? Yes, this soup is very freezer friendly. Freeze the whole soup, or freeze in smaller portions, for up to 3 months. Use an air-tight, freezer friendly, container and thaw in the refrigerator, or at room room temperature. Re-heat in microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
This Roasted Ratatouille Soup is easy to throw together and packed with tons of healthy vegetables. Serve with salad and crusty bread, and enjoy for lunch or dinner. This plant based soup is creamy and super flavorful. Keep leftovers on hand for up to 5 days, or freeze for future meals.
Ingredients
2 cups chopped eggplant
1 medium zucchini, about 2 cups when chopped
3 small sized bell peppers, I used red, green and yellow
1 small red onion, diced
3–4 cloves garlic, peeled
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, or oil of choice
1 (14.5 oz) can diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 small squeeze fresh lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 – 2 cups vegetable broth, or water
Instructions
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Roughly chop all vegetables into bite sized pieces and add them to a large baking sheet. Add on the garlic cloves, fresh thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Use your hands to mix everything together until vegetables are fully coated with oil and seasonings. Place sheet pan in the oven and roast vegetables until softened and lightly browned, 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Allow vegetables to cool for a few minutes and then add to a blender, or food processor. Next, add in one can of fire roasted tomatoes, including the liquid.
Turn the blender on low speed and slowly add in your vegetable broth, or water, while turning the blender up to high speed. You will need to add between 1-2 cups of veggie broth, or water, (depending on how thick you like your soup) to make sure the soup is blend-able. Next, add in the lemon juice and fresh parsley and blend again, for about 30 seconds.
Pour the soup into a soup pot and heat over medium heat until soup is completely hot. Add in any extra veggie broth, salt or pepper needed. Once soup is heated up, you can enjoy immediately or allow to simmer for up to 30 minutes.
These Rice and Bean Fajita Quesadillas are flavorful and easy to make. They’re cheesy, hearty, and filled with vegetables. The fajita filling can be prepared in advance, and it only takes about 10 minutes to cook the quesadillas. Serve them with your favorite toppings and enjoy for lunch or dinner.
Cheese quesadillas are really easy to make, and I enjoy them as quick snacks. But when it comes to quesadillas for lunch or dinner, I like them to have a little more substance to them. These Rice and Bean Fajita Quesadillas are packed with rice, black beans, and seasoned fajita peppers and onions. They’re filling, packed with protein, and great for any meal. Enjoy these quesadillas with your favorite toppings and tortilla chips.
Why You’ll Love This Filling Quesadilla Recipe
Packed with flavor – These fajita quesadillas get much of their flavor from the onions and peppers. I like to cook them all together in a frying pan until they’re sizzling and browned, just like at a restaurant. Cooking them down until they’re caramelized adds delicious flavor to this recipe.
Easy to make – This recipe may have a few more steps than a regular cheese quesadilla, but it’s all easy. Once you mix the fajita veggies with the rice and beans, you add them to the tortilla with some shredded cheese, and then the hot frying pan does the rest of the work. You can also make these quesadillas in the oven if you wish.
Great family meal – You may not think of a quesadilla as a full meal, but these fajita rice and bean quesadillas are really filling. I like to serve them with a side of chips and dip, along with my favorite quesadilla toppings (lettuce, salsa, sour cream, guacamole). You can make cheese quesadillas for kids, and chicken or beef can easily be added for any meat eaters.
Why Your Body Will Love These Hearty Quesadillas
Heart Health – Black beans contain a significant amount of soluble fiber, which helps decrease cholesterol absorption in the bloodstream. Lowering the “bad” cholesterol in the body can significantly reduce the chances of a stroke or heart attack.
Digestive Health – Black beans are high in insoluble fiber, which helps bulk up the digestive system and prevent constipation. The fiber in beans also acts as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in the large intestine and carries out toxins in the system.
Immune Health – Bell peppers are high in Vitamin C, essential for keeping your immune system healthy and fighting off sickness. Vitamin C is also very beneficial in healing wounds and collagen production. Bell peppers are high in antioxidants, which also help protect the immune system. Antioxidants are molecules that can neutralize harmful free radicals, which otherwise can damage cells and tissues in our bodies.
Rice and Bean Fajita Quesadilla Recipe Ingredients
Peppers and Onion – Pepper and onion make up the fajita part of these quesadillas. I like to cook a variety of bell peppers, yellow onion, and spices together in a pan until they’re softened and beginning to brown. I have seen a few frozen fajita pepper and onion veggie mixes that may make this recipe a little easier. You can also buy packaged fajita seasoning instead of making your own.
Black Beans – I like to use black beans in this recipe, but pinto beans will also work well. Beans add extra protein and fiber to these quesadillas, helping them be more filling.
Rice – I use cooked white rice for this recipe. Brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice can also be used, though. You can omit the rice if you prefer.
Cheese – Any cheese can be used for these quesadillas. I usually use shredded Colby Jack, but you can also use pepper Jack or quesadilla cheese, which is made specifically for melting in quesadillas. Dairy-free cheese can also be used.
Tortillas – I use large burrito-sized flour tortillas for my quesadillas; you can make yours smaller if you like. Corn tortillas can also be used to make them gluten-free.
How To Make Vegetarian Fajita Quesadillas
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the peppers, onions, and a pinch of salt. Mix and allow peppers and onions to cook until they are softened and starting to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent burning.
Next, add the rice, beans, and fajita seasoning to the skillet and mix again until all ingredients are combined and the rice and beans are heated through. You can add a little extra oil, if needed.
Assemble your quesadillas: Lay a large tortilla flat and sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheese onto just half of the tortilla. Top with about 1/3 cup of the fajita bean and rice mixture, and then another sprinkle of shredded cheese. Fold over the other side of the tortilla and press down.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add butter, oil, or cooking spray. Place the quesadilla into the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and enjoy fajita quesadillas with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free tortillas or corn tortillas.
Make this recipe vegan by using a meltable, shredded vegan cheese.
How should these quesadillas be served? You can eat them alone, or top with your favorite toppings and add a side of chips and dip for a more rounded meal.
Can quesadillas be cooked in the oven? Yes, they can easily be cooked in the oven. Just lay them flat on a large sheet pan and bake at 400 degrees F. for about 10-15 minutes.
How long do leftovers last? If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they should last about 4-5 days. They can be reheated in the oven, frying pan, or microwave.
Are quesadillas freezer-friendly? Yes, but they may not hold up the best in the freezer. I suggest assembling the quesadillas just until you’re about to cook them, wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap, and placing them in an airtight freezer bag. I have found it works best to reheat the frozen quesadillas in the oven.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
These Rice and Bean Fajita Quesadillas are packed with flavor and easy to make. They’re cheesy, hearty and filled with vegetables. The fajita filling can be prepared ahead of time and then it only takes about 10 minutes to cook the quesadillas. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, or oil of choice
2 medium sized bell peppers, diced (whatever colors you prefer)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 cup cooked rice
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
6–8 large flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese
Fajita Seasoning
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add in the oil. Once hot, add in the peppers, onions an a pinch of salt. Mix together and allow peppers and onions to cook until they are softened and starting to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent burning.
Next, add the rice, beans and fajita seasoning into the skillet and mix again until all ingredients are combined and the rice and beans are heated through. You can add a little extra oil in, if needed.
Assemble your quesadillas: lay large tortilla flat and sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheese onto just half of the tortilla. Top with about 1/3 cup of the fajita bean and rice mixture and then top with another sprinkle of shredded cheese. Fold over the other side of the tortilla and press down.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add butter, oil or cooking spray. Place quesadilla into the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and enjoy fajita quesadillas with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Quesadilla can also be cooked on a large sheet pan in the oven.
Prep Time: 20 mins
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