When asparagus season rolls round, this is one of the first things we make. Asparagus Soup is a light and fresh soup, that is perfect for Spring. This creamy soup is low in calories and fat, but full of flavour.
Asparagus is such an underrated vegetable, and there is so much that you can do with it. We are going to be sharing more asparagus recipes, but this soup is one our our favourites. At just 115 calories for a big bowl, this plant based soup feels much more indulgent than it actually it.
Looking for some other ways to eat asparagus? Why not try our Cold Asparagus Salad, Easy Asparagus Tart, Roasted Lemon Asparagus, Feta and Asparagus Frittata.
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Why you will love it
- A great way to use asparagus - If you want to make the most of asparagus season, or you have lots to use up, then this recipe is for you.
- Low calories -Less than 180 calories per portion and it's really filling too.
- Can be eaten cold too - Cold soup? Yep, you heard right. This is perfect for summer as it can be eaten chilled too.
Ingredients needed
- Asparagus - To get the perfect asparagus, look for spears that are firm and a nice bright green colour. The tips should be dry and held tightly to the stalk. Thinner asparagus spears are younger and therefore more tender.
- Shallots - Shallots add a nice bit of sweetness, but If you don't have shallots, a standard onion will work.
- Garlic - Everything tastes better with garlic in our opinion. Feel free to adjust the amount up or down to suit your own taste.
- Stock - We used a standard vegetable stock cube for convenience, however you can make your own asparagus stock - see below for details.
- Oil - To cook the vegetables in - use a good quality vegetable oil.
- Cream - To make it creamier and to add a little indulgence. You can leave this out or see below for more tips on how to make soup creamier.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make asparagus soup - Step by step
One: Heat the oil and gently fry the shallots, garlic and asparagus until softened
Two: Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
Three: Add the cream.
Four: Blend until smooth.
Health benefits of asparagus
A member of the lily family, asparagus is a nutrient dense vegetable and definitely one you should be trying to include in your diet more often. It is high in fibre, vitamins A, C, E and K and packed full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
There is evidence that the cultivation of asparagus dates back over 2,000 years to Greece, where they believed in its medicinal properties and that it could be used for curing tooth ache. It has been grown in England since the 16th century.
How to store asparagus
You should try to use asparagus on the day that it is bought, but if that isn't possible then we have some tips on how to keep it fresh for up to 7 days in the fridge. Take a look at this comprehensive post on How To Store Asparagus.
Asparagus stock
Whilst you could use a standard vegetable stock for this soup, why not use the stalks that are cut off the asparagus to make a stock - it's a great way to reduce food waste. Add them to a pan with other vegetable cuttings and the amount of water needed and simmer for 30 minutes.
Variations
The asparagus really is the star of the show here, so you don't want to over power it with too many other flavours. However, we add a generous amount of spinach because it makes it a super green colour. Fresh herbs are a must in a homemade soup too and we went with chives, as they add a nice onion-y flavour.
We love to add toppings to soups, just to make them even more delicious and Parmesan and pine nuts work really in this soup. The Parmesan makes it more creamy and the pine nuts adds extra texture.
Storage
Store: You can make the soup in advance and store it in the fridge in an air tight container and it will be good for 2 days. You can also just make the stock in advance and then make the soup from fresh.
Freeze: You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Make sure it is cooled, and then put in a freezable container.
Defrost: Defrost it in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You can reheat through on the hob.
FAQs
A few slices of buttered, warm sourdough bread always go well with asparagus soup. However, you can use your favourite bread. I think something crusty like a French loaf or tiger bread are good too.
Why not also try our Homemade Flatbreads or Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia.
If you find your asparagus soup is too stringy, even after blending it up, then you are choosing asparagus spears that are too thick. Don't choose ones that are too thin either,
Use the bend and snap method. Take one stalk of asparagus and then gently bend it to the point of breaking and it will snap off at the point where the woody tough part begins. You can carry on snapping them all, or use that as a guide and use a knife to cut them all at the same point.
If you find the soup too thin, then we have a few ways to thicken it. You can use a cornflour slurry, however that will change the colour and taste. Try cooking it for a little longer and cook of some extra water. But that would have to be done before blending.
Adding a little coconut milk can thicken it up, however, that will give it a coconut flavour. You could also blend some chickpeas into it to thicken it.
This version isn't vegan, as we have added some double cream to make it extra creamy. However, you could either leave it out or use a vegan alternative.
If you use a gluten free stock and make sure there is no cross contamination, then this is a delicious gluten free soup.
Extra tips
• Try to use a stick blender to blend this asparagus soup. You could use a jug blender, but you would have to wait until it was completely cooled before blender, as the jug could explode when hot liquid is blender. Try to do it in batches in the blender.
• You could swap the chives for parsley or basil.
• A dollop of crème fraiche adds some extra creaminess to this asparagus soup.
More soup recipes
If you’ve tried this creamy asparagus soup recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Asparagus soup
Ingredients
- 320 g (11 oz) Asparagus spears - woody ends trimmed and chopped into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 4 Shallots - chopped
- 2 Garlic clove - minced
- 425 ml (1.75 cups) Vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) Chives - chopped
- 2 tablespoon Double (heavy) cream - (optional)
- 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil and gently fry 4 Shallots, 2 Garlic clove and 320 g Asparagus spears until softened.
- Pour in 425 ml Vegetable stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoon Double (heavy) cream and 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper.
- Blend until smooth.
- Serve topped with 2 tablespoon Chives.
Recipe tips
- Try to use a stick blender to blend this soup. You could use a jug blender, but you would have to wait until it was completely cooled before blender, as the jug could explode when hot liquid is blender. Try to do it in batches in the blender.
- You could swap the chives for parsley or basil.
- A dollop of creme fraiche adds some extra creaminess to this soup.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
I LOVE asparagus so much. Always get so excited when I see it in the shops! I'm not sure I've ever made asparagus soup though so will definitely have to try this one :)
Betty
Decadent and filling! I made it with fresh asparagus this morning, ate it for lunch and then later this afternoon, tried the same recipe using carrots. So, it's versatile, too! Thanks, Danni!
Betty
whoop, whoop!
Alison
Never tried asparagus soup, but it looks perfect for a wet day like today
Jessica
Another dish for asparagus that is worth to try. Looks yummy!
Alida @My Little Italian Kitchen
I had loads of asparagus in Italy.. they are just so delicious and versatile. I made lasagna last week, so good!
I love you soup, it must be so delicate and perfumed!
Jessica @ Jessica in the Kitchen
This looks truly delicious Dannii! Love the combo of spring AND soup season!
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I have never had asparagus soup. I think I wouldn't mind it if it was hot. But I have saw it made cold and I am not a fan of cold soup.
Ana De- Jesus
You can most definitely get a whoop whoop from me because I love me some asparagus. I am so excited that it is in season!
nicol
ive been going through an asparagus phase recently. i need to try this
mesin kangen water
Yay for asparagus season! I made the mistake of introducing it to my girls and they love it – means smaller portions for me & Mr C!. Love this soup – Will be definitely attempting your recipe. Pinned x
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts
I love your childhood soup memories featuring ingredients from your grandparent's garden. This looks like a nice way to keep the memories going into adulthood!
Harriet Emily
I love asparagus soup! This looks so creamy and delicious. Such a great idea to add greek yogurt. Yum! Lovely recipe Dannii!
Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness
I just had my first asparagus soup of the season last week in wine country!
It's so true, food is not just about nourishing our bodies, it's about the memories that we create with the people we break bread with. I have so many memories of my grandma and mom cooking growing up. Homemade tomato soup reminds me of my mom making a huge pot often, and zucchini parm, homemade bread, apple dapple pancakes and so much more remind me of my grandma :)
hannah gee
ooh asparagus is one of my faves but I have never even thought about it for a soup. I will definitely be trying this out for work one day next week. Thankyou so much for sharing x
Oliver
I love asparagus! I have never thought about turning them into soup before so I'm bookmarking this one for future reference!!
Emily Rose
This looks so yummy! Definitely going to have to try this out xxx
Mina Joshi
This soup looks so inviting and filling. I can't believe that it's only 65 calories. You are so right, little changes on what we eat can make such a big difference to our waistline.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies for spring! can't wait to try this soup!
Choclette
As you say, hooray for asparagus season. We had our first last night and it was so good. I always use the ends to make stock, so although I've never made asparagus soup before, we often have asparagus flavoured soup. Yours looks fab. What a good idea. And NO to guilt over food, that doesn't do anyone any good. In our family it's my grandmother's shepherd's pie that everyone raves about.
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
I'm right there with you - yay for asparagus season! In the past week I think I've had it almost every day lol! This soup looks so delish, and that is so sweet that you learned to cook soup from your mother!