Cream of Asparagus Soup Recipe
This creamy asparagus soup is a light and elegant spring recipe made with fresh asparagus, garlic, and cream. Smooth, comforting, and ready in about 30 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 153kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 pounds 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
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½-3/4 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.
Notes
- Asparagus tips: Choose fresh asparagus with firm stalks and tightly closed tips. If the stalks are thick, you can peel the lower portion with a vegetable peeler for a more tender soup.
- Blending the soup: An immersion blender works beautifully for this recipe, but you can also blend the soup carefully in batches in a standard blender.
- For an extra silky texture: After blending, strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve before adding the cream. This step creates an especially smooth, elegant soup.
- Adjusting consistency: If the soup becomes too thick, stir in additional broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Make it lighter: Substitute half-and-half or whole milk for the heavy cream if you prefer a lighter soup.
- Serving ideas: Garnish with asparagus tips, fresh chives, crème fraîche, or lemon zest.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1080IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg