This Cream of Asparagus soup is perfect is every way. It’s creamy, and the balance of asparagus is spot on delicious! The beautiful green color comes from an unexpected ingredient– and I will show you how easy it is to make it. You’re welcome!
Today, being St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve seen so many beautiful “green” dishes. It’s is purely, by coincidence, that I have this vibrantly green, beautiful (and very tasty) Creamy Asparagus Soup to share with all of you. This recipe is in the April 2010 issue of Cook’s Country— one of my favorite recipe magazines. I took these photos on Monday night, shortly before all my natural lighting was gone. For that reason, you can’t really appreciate what a verdant green this soup turned out to be. There are two secret ingredients, that the test kitchen of Cook’s Country (same owners as Cook’s Illustrated) added that delivered surprisingly great results. What are they? First, let’s start with the basics– fresh asparagus. The arrival of locally grown California asparagus validates that spring is just around the corner.
TIP: I save these blue bands. They are perfect for tying bouquet garni (herbs for seasoning soup stock and stews). Kitchen twine is great, but these hold up really well in hot liquids.
Prepare the leeks, but washing and cutting them and washing them well. If you are unfamiliar with how to prep leeks, click here. Cut tips off asparagus spears and chop stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter (I used a combo of olive oil and unsalted butter) in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add asparagus tips and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Creamy Asparagus Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds asparagus see note, stem ends trimmed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 small leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
- Salt and pepper
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut tips off asparagus spears and chop stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add asparagus tips and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Add remaining butter and asparagus, leeks, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add broth to pot and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in peas and Parmesan. Puree soup in blender** in 2 batches and return to pot.
- **NOTE: I always use an immersion blender to puree my soups right in the pot– so much easier and less cleanup.
- Stir in cream, lemon juice, and asparagus tips, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Soup can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days.)
Notes
This looks fabulous! I am so glad I discovered your blog!!
I love asparagus soup–especially the creamy kind. It looks delicious. Thanks for the shout out 😉 and for sending it to Souper Sundays. I'll look forward to adding it to this Sunday's round-up.
I am so going to make this while it is still cooler and rainy here where we are. Beautiful soup, beautiful pictures. I am dreaming of having a bowl right now and it's only 7 am here as I type this. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Asparagus soup is the first soup I ever made! This looks terrific. I agree with you about the heavy cream 1/2 cup for 6 servings is just right;D
Looks so good! And I don't think 1/4 cup cream for 6 servings is bad at all!
I made a version of asparagus soup yesterday..great minds think alike and it is the season for garden fresh asparagus!!
Beautiful color to this soup – I'm sure it was wonderful!
major yum!! i just sent this to my mom, who is an asparagus FREAK. we will definitely have to try!
I love cream of asparagus soup – your version looks excellent!
I love asparagus too and wish it was as cheap here as it is where you live! Asparagus soup is one of my favorites, I like the addition of the leeks… mmm… I can almost taste it!!!
I knew I bought all the asparagus for a reason!! Thanks again for another great idea/recipe!!
Mmmm I've been inhaling asparagus lately! Yay for spring. This soup looks delicious.
this looks heavenly. I keep trying to find soups that my husband would like (he's not a soup fan) but he does like his asparagus. Im hoping this will do the trick!
Asparagus and spring…the two go together and make me smile. Your soup looks delightful…great photographs!
What a wonderful soup! I also subscribe to Cook's Country, a great magazine! Nice to see how one of the recipes turns out! I think I'll make this for my Easter dinner! Thanks! Roz PS: 72 degrees today here, so spring has arrived here too (and hopefully it will stay!)
I have a bundle of aspargus sitting on my counter just begging to be turned into this soup…I'm going to try it with shallots instead of leeks..have to use what I have on hand.
This is definitely me favorite green dish so far. Thanks for posting it looks great!
What a grand looking soup. I wouldn't be concerned about the cream. Divided by six that really is not a bad amount. Some soups need that bit of richness to make them standouts. Your soup looks and sounds like a standout.
Thank Goodness asparagus is back in the stores again. It's seems bigger thicker and taster than I remember in years before. Our weather here in Texas can't seem to make up it's mind. 80 degrees yesterday and another freeze due again tonight. Perfect soup weather for a perfect vegetable! ~LeslieMichele
Mmmmm .. sooo purdyyyy! I could stare at asparagus for hours and photograph them for days .. such wondrous little veggies 🙂
That is one great technique, using peas to pump the green! I love asparagus soup, and asparagus is such a rite of spring, which has finally arrived! Glad to hear you like Cooks Country – I've been thinking of checking it out.
I love asparagus and this soup looks wonderful! Great pics, as always!
Happy Spring!
I had cream of asparagus soup the other day at one of my favorite cafes and it was so good. I'll have to try this one out!
Hey Deb, I just printed this out, I have a huge bag of fresh asparagus I got from Costco, guess what I'm making????
I recently discovered your blog and my mouth is already watering! I love soups but have never tried asparagus..will definately give it a go!
Gemma
http://musings-of-a-gem.blogspot.com/
This looks delicious! I'll be making it this weekend.
I have a 10 year collection of Cook's Illustrated- it's my encyclopedia, and I love my immersion blender too! Nice to have found your blog.
This was amazingly simple to make. I made this soup in just 35 minutes, however, I was moving quickly and wasted no time! Low fat and still very tasty!
I recreated this soup in my kitchen this morning Debbie and it was the perfect Spring pick me up.
I made a double batch of the soup and found that it did not have much flavour so I added a splash of hot sauce, a splash of reduced balsamic and a splash of white wine, salt and pepper some shredded chicken and it is awesome. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. Next time, I'll follow the ingredients to a t and see if it makes a difference.