The flavor of asparagus is warmed with a touch of cream in this Creamy Asparagus Soup. This quick and easy soup is a nutritious and delicious way to welcome spring!
If you could capture spring in a bowl, I just know it would look and taste like this Creamy Asparagus Soup. It is all things bright, fresh, and light and a delicious way to add a serving of veggies to your day.
The transition from winter to spring has been pretty drastic here in the Willamette Valley. We went from a historic ice storm just a month ago to crystal blue skies and flower buds beginning to form all over our little Oregon town. These gorgeous early spring days and the big bag of asparagus that I’d picked up at Costco were the inspiration behind this tasty soup.
This Creamy Asparagus Soup is very simply seasoned so that the flavor of asparagus shines through. I added a Yukon gold potato for additional body and finished it off with a drizzle of cream, a grind or two of black pepper, and fresh chives.
Ingredient Notes
- Asparagus – Look for asparagus with medium-thick stocks. For the best result, you don’t want scrawny-thin or fat and woody asparagus.
- Reduced sodium broth – Either chicken or vegetable broth (for a vegetarian soup) will work for this recipe. I stock jars of reduced sodium Better than Bullion in my fridge so I can mix up exactly how much broth I need for every recipe.
- Potato – Yukon gold potatoes are naturally creamy and a great way to add nice body to blended soups.
- Cream – A little heavy cream adds velvety, lusciousness. Half and half is also a great choice and will reduce the fat and calorie content of the soup.
Asparagus Nutrition
Asparagus is low in calories and has a really impressive nutrient profile. It’s an excellent source of vitamin K and contains a significant amount of antioxidant vitamins C and E. In addition, it contains a good amount of insoluble fiber to help promote healthy digestion. Throw in some folate and potassium and a variety of other vitamins and minerals and you have one powerhouse of a vegetable! In addition to being delicious, there are many dietary benefits to asparagus that make it a fabulous way to add a punch of nutrition to your menu.
Trim and discard the tough woody ends of the asparagus, leaving the tip and dark and light green stalk. Cut the trimmed stalks into 1-inch pieces.
How to Make Asparagus Soup
- Melt the butter in a heavy pot. Cook the onion for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
- Add the asparagus and potato. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to get tender.
- Add the broth and increase the heat under the pot to bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until asparagus and potato are very tender but asparagus is still bright green, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth. Alternately, you can transfer batches of the soup to a regular blender and pulse until smooth, returning to the pot.
- Stir in the cream or half and half and warm it through.
You can finish it off with a drizzle of cream if you’d like (I like!). And, I highly recommend adding a grind or two of black pepper and a sprinkling of fresh chives. Warm, fresh, bright and wonderful! There’s something about black pepper that pairs so well with this Asparagus Soup.
Storing Cream Soups
Leftovers should be covered, preferably in an airtight container, and refrigerated promptly after the soup has cooled. Leftovers should be consumed within 3 to 4 days for the best quality. Reheat the soup gently over low heat on the stove or in the microwave.
Cream soups typically don’t freeze well since the dairy has a tendency to separate and take on a grainy texture when thawed and reheated. If you want to freeze this Creamy Asparagus Soup, I recommend following the recipe as directed but omit the cream. Instead, add the cream after thawing the soup.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
- Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
- Carrot Soup with Parmesan Crisps
- Detox Vegetable Soup
Creamy Asparagus Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds asparagus, medium-thick stalks
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup finely diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced (about 1cup diced)
- ½ cup heavy cream or half and half, plus additional for garnish
- freshly chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Trim and discard the tough woody ends of the asparagus (leaving the tip and dark and light green stalk). Cut the trimmed stalks into 1-inch pieces.
- Melt butter in a heavy pot over MEDIUM-LOW heat. Add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender but not browned. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add asparagus and potato. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to get tender, about 5 to 6. Add broth and increase the heat under the pot to bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until asparagus and potato are very tender but asparagus is still bright green, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth. Alternately, you can transfer batches of the soup to a regular blender and pulse until smooth, returning to the pot. Stir in the cream or half and half and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Garnish servings with a drizzle of cream, chives, and pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home. All information provided regarding nutrition on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Content related to nutrition is not medical advice nor is it intended to replace medical advice. The website is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, condition, illness, or injury. Before beginning any diet program, modifying your diet, or making changes to the diet of a child in your care, including following the nutrition information available on the website, you should seek advice from a licensed professional.
This soup is fantastic!!! I prepared it last night and it was delicious.Instead of chives and cream, I put parmesan cheese over it. Sooo good!!!
This was SO good. Nice and creamy. I do have a question. To cut down on calories could I substitute evaporated milk for the heavy cream?
You can sub half and half or even whole milk. I haven’t tried it with evaporated milk so let me know how that works out for you if you decide to try it. Thanks, Gail!