Cream of Asparagus Soup

5 from 1 vote

Vivid green, this creamy asparagus soup is rich and easy to make. Use coconut milk (it doesn't taste like coconut) for no-dairy, or dairy heavy cream. Serve with lemon wedges if desired. See recipe notes for garnish ideas. Soup keeps 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Prep Time12

Cook Time18

Total Time30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12-ounce servings

Calories: 268kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Ingredients

2 bunches fresh asparagus 2 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter unsalted dairy butter or unsalted plant butter
½ medium onion ¾ cup, chopped
2 large garlic cloves finely chopped or zested
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (or tarragon) or ¾ teaspoon dried
1 ½ cups low sodium broth Chicken or vegetable
1 cup canned coconut milk or dairy cream
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon pepper I use white pepper

Optional Garnishes (non-dairy and dairy)

4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, parsley, or chives
4 pieces crisply crumbled bacon
2-4 hardboiled eggs chopped or grated
4 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
4 teaspoons lemon olive oil
1 cup garlicky croutons DF or GF

Instructions

Set up

Fill a large pot (5 quarts) three-quarters full with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Fill a medium bowl half full of ice, then fill with cold water. This creates an ice bath. While water is coming to a boil, prep the asparagus.

Blanch and chill

Chop the tough ends off of the bottom of the asparagus spears. Trim off the tips, then chop the rest of the spears into 1" pieces. Drop all of the asparagus into boiling salted water and cook for 2 minutes (this is called blanching). Strain asparagus through a sieve into the sink and add the asparagus immediately to the ice batch to stop the cooking process. Chill until cold then drain again. Separate out enough asparagus tips for garnish (12-20 pieces).

Make the soup

In the same pan, cook onion in olive oil or butter over medium to medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute longer. Add asparagus, broth and coconut milk. Simmer for 7-10 minutes for flavors to blend. Puree in a blender until smooth. Depending on the capacity of your blender container, you may need to do it in two batches. Adjust seasoning to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve asparagus soup hot, warm, or chilled with cooked asparagus tips and other preferred garnishes.

Notes

For broth, homemade really shines in soup, especially vegetable broth. Make this easy homemade vegetable broth recipe ahead of time and freeze. The Instant Pot chicken broth recipe is also easy to make ahead and freeze.
Garnish ideas: Chopped fresh herbs like dill, parsley, chives, or chervil, crisp crumbled bacon, grated or chopped hard boiled eggs, a drizzle of lemon olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, garlicky croutons, a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche, even cold bay shrimp.
Optional garnishes are not figured into the nutrition calculation.

Dietary note: People with histamine intolerance should be fine enjoying this soup, as long as they're ok with the coconut milk. Skip the Parmesan cheese though, aged cheese is high histamine.

Nutrition