Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place eggplant cubes on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until very soft and brown.

Heat more olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes. They should be clear and very soft. Do not let them turn brown or burnt.

Add the minced garlic to the pot with onions. Cook for just one minute until you smell it. Garlic burns quickly, so keep stirring the pot. This adds a great base of flavor.

Add the canned plum tomatoes and their juices. Break the tomatoes up with a large wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock and the dried oregano next. Stir everything together very well.

Carefully put the roasted eggplant into the soup pot. The ingredients for Ina Garten Eggplant Tomato Soup are now together. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat.

Lower the heat and let the soup simmer softly. Cook it for about 30 to 40 minutes. This helps all the flavors blend into one. The eggplant will start to fall apart.

Use a blender to make the soup very smooth. You can also use an immersion blender in the pot. Be careful with the hot liquid while you blend. Work in small batches if needed.

Stir in the fresh chopped basil at the end. Taste the soup and add more salt if needed. Serve it hot in large bowls with crusty bread.