How to make Creamy Asparagus Soup? (Loaded with Fresh Herbs)

• Food: Creamy Asparagus Soup
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-type: Food Blog

This lemon brings out the brilliant flavor of the asparagus in this soup, which is also loaded with fresh herbs and vegetables. It is the ideal dish for a night in the spring when the weather is cool.

I like to hunker down in the kitchen during spring’s dreary evenings and prepare this recipe for asparagus soup.

This soup is my springtime alternative to the butternut squash soup that I so enjoy preparing in the autumn. When the weather is too wet to be outside,

I find it relaxing and contemplative to put a pot of asparagus soup on the stove and listen to the rain pattering on the roof while the soup slowly simmers.

It is the quintessential spring soup in my opinion. The use of fresh basil lends it a pleasant perfume and a reviving quality, peas give it a hint of sweetness, and the blending of potatoes in the dish makes it softly creamy without the need for any heavy cream.

You can serve it as an appetizer to your dinner guests, or you can do what I do and enjoy it for lunch with a hearty slice of crusty bread.

Ingredients for the Recipe

This soup is a twist on the traditional cream of asparagus soup that I like to think of as having an extra-bright and extra-green flavor.

I do not use nuts or dairy products to get the silky texture; rather, I blend in Yukon gold potatoes, which gives it a scrumptious and softly creamy consistency. The following are the additional things that you will need to make it:

• Asparagus, without a doubt! Before you begin preparing this dish, you will need to prepare your bunch of asparagus by removing the woody ends. In the soup, you only want to use the young, sensitive stalks and tips of the asparagus.
• Peas provide a creamy texture and a flavor that is complementary to the vegetal taste of asparagus.
• Garlic and scallions are great for adding a depth of flavor that is both pungent and delicious.
• The soup is given a refreshing appearance and flavor thanks to the lemon juice and zest.
• Dijon mustard — For tartness.
• Basil leaves that are still fresh lend the soup a vivacious and fragrant finish.
• And some salt and pepper to bring out all of the flavors!

How to Make Asparagus Soup?

One further thing that makes this asparagus soup one of my favorites is the fact that? The preparation is speedy and uncomplicated! The following is how it works:

To begin, begin by sautéing the aromatics. The fact that we are working with scallions rather than more robust onions or shallots makes this phase go more quickly. They should become more pliable in only one or two minutes.

Next, simmer. Mix in the garlic, potatoes, salt, pepper, and water before serving. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to low and continue to simmer for a further 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked.

Then, simmer some more! After adding the chopped asparagus, continue to boil the mixture for an additional 5 minutes. The asparagus should be cooked until it is soft, but the color should not change.

Blending comes in last. It would be best to wait until the soup has cooled down a little bit before adding the peas and putting everything in the blender.

Blend in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard until the soup reaches a creamy consistency. Not least, but certainly not least, incorporate the basil into the mixture, and season to taste.

So simple!

Serve This Cream of Asparagus Soup These Ways

I like to serve this soup when it is warm, but not scalding hot, and directly from the blender. In this method, the brilliant flavors can retain their brightness and are not jumbled.

The soup is wonderful on its own, but I find that it enhances the flavor of the meal, even more, when it is topped with a combination of chopped pine nuts, fresh mint, and crushed red pepper.

They bring the ideal balance of crunch, tanginess, and spiciness to the dish. If you’d rather have a crunchier texture, you may sprinkle handmade croutons over the top of your bowl instead.

As I was saying earlier, one of my favorite ways to enjoy this asparagus soup for lunch is with some crusty bread.

It is also delicious when combined with a salad, such as my Carrot Salad, Kale Salad, or Strawberry Salad, or a sandwich, such as my Chickpea Salad Sandwich or Egg Salad Sandwich.

A straightforward green salad would also be a fantastic option here as well.

Whenever I make this soup with asparagus for dinner, I almost always serve it as an appetizer first. It is an invigorating first-course option for spring pasta recipes such as these:

• Pasta with Artichokes
• Easy Pesto Pasta
• Tagliatelle topped with peas and asparagus if you please.
• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Enjoy!

Soup with Asparagus

This asparagus soup has a subtle creaminess to it and is packed with the flavor of fresh asparagus. Ideal for a breezy evening in the spring! Vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, 1½ cups diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Heaping ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups chopped asparagus
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 packed cup of basil
• Fresh mint sprigs, optional

Mint & Pine Nut Topping

• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh mint, minced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. To prepare the topping with mint and pine nuts, chop the pine nuts, mint, red pepper flakes, and salt combined in a food processor. Set aside.
2. In a pot of medium size, bring the oil to a temperature of medium heat. After adding the onions, continue cooking for one to two minutes, or until the scallions have become tender. After adding the potatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper, as well as the water, continue to boil for another 12 minutes, or until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork.
3. After adding the asparagus to the saucepan of potatoes and continuing to cook for an additional 5 minutes, the potatoes should be done. Take the pot off the heat, and let it cool down for about five minutes. After the peas have been incorporated, the soup should be transferred to a blender. Blend in the mustard, the lemon juice, and the lemon zest until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the basil, and continue blending until everything is incorporated. Adjust seasonings according to taste.
4. If preferred, garnish each bowl of soup with a few sprigs of fresh mint, a drizzle of olive oil, and some of the mint and pine nut topping that was previously sprinkled on top of the soup. Include some crusty bread with the dish.

Notes

I like Sir Kensington’s, Dijon Mustard. It has a flavor that is not overbearing at all and is more subdued.