Spring Favorite: Cream of Asparagus Soup
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A beautiful bowl of Cream of Asparagus Soup is a delicious and special dish for any seasonal gathering or afternoon tea… or simply to celebrate spring.
History of Asparagus
A long and varied history, asparagus, beginning in the 16th century, was reserved for the royal courts of Europe.
In the 17th century, it was “cultivated in France for Louis XIV who was, apparently, very fond of it.
At that time, according to the records, it was the size of a swan’s feather and was grown solely for the requirements of the nobility.
Only in the 18th century did the asparagus make its appearance on the local marketplace and in numerous culinary works.”
An easy but delicate in-season Cream of Asparagus Soup that makes a special statement.
How to Make Cream of Asparagus Soup
Clean and remove the tough stems from the asparagus spears. Reserve about 6 asparagus tips to garnish the soup if you like and set aside. Then cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and shallots; sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent. Then add the lemon juice and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add the chopped asparagus and stock, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain the soup and stir in the cream plus more stock if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Set the pan over low heat and reheat the soup to serving temperature.
Tools I Use to Make Cream of Asparagus Soup
This recipe calls for an immersion blender (here is the immersion blender I bought at Amazon), but if you don’t have one, a regular blender works just as well. Remove the vegetables from the soup once cooked, run through a blender, and return to the soup pot. A final run through a sieve delivers a silky smooth and beautiful soup.
More Spring Soup Recipes
This Cream of Asparagus Soup is one of my favorite spring soups! But here are a few other contenders!
- 15 Minute White Bean Soup with Garden Vegetables
- Classic Ribollita: Tuscan Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Cream of Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham
- Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
Spring Favorite: Cream of Asparagus Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 lb. asparagus tips removed and chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 2 teaspoons
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 shallots thinly sliced (save a bit for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk heavy cream, or creme fraiche
Instructions
- Remove the tough stems from the asparagus spears. Reserve 6 asparagus tips for garnish and set aside. If the asparagus spears are large, peel them to remove outer skin which can become bitter in the soup. Chop asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
- Melt the butter in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and shallots, sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the chopped asparagus and stock, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain the soup. Stir in the cream plus more stock if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Set the pan over low heat and reheat the soup to serving temperature.
- In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 teaspoons butter. Add the reserved asparagus tips and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the asparagus tips and serve immediately.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I made this soup earlier this year and my husband and I loved it. So much so, we’re making it for our Christmas Eve dinner to go with salmon.
That is such a great idea! I love the combination with salmon— and the colors will be so Christmas!
Very tasty and easy soup! I added some diced celery and did not strain it because I like a thicker soup. I also added a bunch of fresh lemon thyme from my garden which enhanced the subtle lemon flavor.
This soup recipe is easy to make. Taste is very good. I would not change a thing.
I absolutely love this soup too. I’m SO glad you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe tonight, it was delicious! I loved how the combination of lemon and asparagus added to the fresh flavor of this soup.
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad you loved the soup. It’s honestly one of my favorites soups too. I love the flavor combinations as well. Every time I make this soup for guests, they always love it. Asparagus and lemon belong together 😍. Again, thank you for taking time to let me know how you liked it!
Do you trim off all the tips and dicard them?
Hi Janet! I do usually remove the asparagus tips but I like to boil them separately and add them as a garnish to the soup bowls.
Great!!
Thanks so much!
Excellent! I would leave the recipe as is, its really good and the lemon doesn’t stand out at all, in fact unless you know its there you probably wouldn’t notice them. Perfect!
So glad you liked it! We love it too. A perfect spring soup!
I absolutely love this soup!
Thanks, Ann!
I’m not sure where I went wrong. I followed the recipie but it turned out WAY too lemony. Wanted something more creamy and rich