How To Make Creamy Asparagus Soup Without The Cream
It’s finally feeling like Spring around here and that means it’s time for asparagus. We’ve been dreaming up this simple asparagus soup for some time now. We wanted it to be light, healthy, and scream Spring. As much as I love luxurious cream-based soups, I don’t always want the extra calories that go with them. For this lighter asparagus soup, we wanted to leave out the cream. That doesn’t mean the soup isn’t ultra-creamy, though. To make it rich and creamy, we take a tip from our creamy vegetable soup and add potatoes. Just two medium potatoes makes this blended asparagus soup ultra-creamy and satisfying. The soup is also vegetarian (and if you leave out the parmesan cheese when serving, it’s vegan). Instead of using chicken stock — our usual go-to for blended soups — we make a quick broth using the trimmings of the asparagus. I’d usually tell you to toss them since they are pretty tough and don’t become very tender compared to higher up the stalk. This time I want you to save them and use them to make a broth. This means that we’re reducing waste in the kitchen and taking advantage of the fact that even though the asparagus ends are tough, they still taste like asparagus. By simmering the asparagus trimmings along with a garlic clove, bay leaf, and the dark green tops of a leek (also something we’d usually ask you to toss), we make a delicate and fragrant broth that’s perfect as the base for the soup. It’s also excellent for cooking rice, grains, and risotto by the way. The last trick up our sleeves for this bright green asparagus soup is to add spinach. It doesn’t add a ton of flavor, but it does keep the soup vibrant and green when blended.
More Easy Asparagus Recipes
If you love asparagus as much as we do, definitely take a look at these recipes:
How to Roast Asparagus — We love roasted asparagus. Here’s how we make it in our kitchen in minutes!Garlic Roasted Asparagus — Served with our five minute garlic herb sauce, it’s deliciously garlicky, fresh, and vegetarian. Asparagus and Goat Cheese Omelet — See how to make an omelet filled with perfectly roasted asparagus and fresh goat cheese.Roasted Asparagus, Ricotta and Pesto Crostini — This easy crostini with ricotta cheese, pesto and roasted asparagus is simple fresh and perfect for entertaining.Ultimate Curried Chicken Salad Wraps — I’m going to go ahead and call this the ultimate curry chicken salad wrap. It’s packed with flavor and crunch thanks to blanched asparagus.
Green tops of 1 large leek, rinsed of sand and grit 1 medium carrot, chopped 1 garlic clove, halved 1 bay leaf Salt to taste 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 9 cups water 1 leek, white and light green parts only, rinsed of sand and grit and sliced 1 garlic clove, minced 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 pound) Salt to taste 6 to 7 cups asparagus broth (from recipe above) 2 pounds asparagus, woody ends trimmed and used for broth 3 cups baby spinach Half of a lemon, cut into wedges Fresh ground black pepper Fresh shaved or grated parmesan cheese for garnish, optional 2Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute. Toss in the potatoes and pour in about 6 cups of the asparagus broth (save the remaining broth for thinning the soup later). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and then cover and simmer until the potatoes fall apart when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. 3Meanwhile, cut tips from 12 asparagus spears 1 1/2 inches from the top. Reserve these for a garnish when serving. Roughly chop the rest of the asparagus. When the potatoes are ready, stir in the chopped asparagus (not the reserved tips) and simmer until tender, but still bright green. 4Remove from the heat and stir in spinach until wilted, but still bright, about a minute. 2Return the blended soup to the pot and heat through. Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper. If the soup seems too thick, thin out with more asparagus broth a 1/4 cup at a time. 3Just before serving, toss the reserved asparagus tips into an inch or two of boiling salted water and cook until tender, but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. 4Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with two asparagus tips and parmesan cheese. Serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing over the top.
