Asparagus soup is the best way to make use of the vibrant vegetable when it’s in season. It’s light yet creamy, and packed with flavorful fresh asparagus. With a perfectly velvety texture made just a little decadent with a swirl of heavy cream, you’ll want to make this simple soup recipe on repeat!
Serve this cream of asparagus soup recipe however you like, garnished with fresh herbs, grated parmesan, or blanched asparagus tips. It works as a light starter by itself, perhaps with crunchy croutons on top, or as a comforting, satisfying dinner alongside delicious bread. For more soup recipes, try my sopa de fideo, corn chowder, or cream of broccoli soup.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Aromatics — you’ll need garlic and chopped onion to build flavor in the asparagus soup recipe.
Broth — I typically use high-quality chicken broth in asparagus soup, but you can use chicken stock, vegetable stock, or vegetable broth as well.
Asparagus — fresh asparagus is the star of the show in this easy recipe. You need 2 pounds, with the woody ends trimmed and chopped into roughly 2-inch pieces.
Cream — a splash of heavy cream adds a hint of decadence to this soup.
Lemon juice — fresh lemon juice brightens all the flavors and adds a subtle tang.
Garnish — fresh herbs like dill and chipped chives are my favorite garnish.
How to Make Asparagus Soup
1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Then add chopped onion and cook until it has softened. Add minced garlic cloves and stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
2. Add chicken broth to the pot.
3. Stir in the chopped asparagus and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the asparagus is fork-tender and bright green. Remove the pot from the heat.
4. If you want to garnish the soup with asparagus, and don’t want to blanch them separately, grab a few asparagus tips from the pot and set aside.
5. Carefully purée the mixture until smooth. You can either use an immersion blender or a regular blender. If using a regular blender, don’t fill the container all the way and leave the vent open in the lid with a kitchen towel on top for steam to escape.
6. Place the pureed asparagus mixture back over low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, black pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat until heated through. Serve immediately with a drizzle of cream. Garnish with herbs and asparagus tips.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Trim the asparagus. Asparagus ends are very hard and woody, so be sure to cut them off beforehand.
- Garnish idea: Save about ¼ cup of raw asparagus tips to use as garnish. While the soup is cooking, bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus tips, and cook until tender and bright green, about 1 minute. Remove using a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath.
- When blending the soup: If you use a regular blender instead of an immersion blender, there are two important things to do to ensure there are no accidents. Firstly, don’t fill the blender container completely. Next, make sure the center piece of the blender lid is removed and place a kitchen towel on top. This will allow the steam to escape so it doesn’t build up in the blender jar and pop the top off during mixing. You can also use a food processor if you don’t have a blender.
- A note on texture: If you prefer a bit more texture and don’t want a completely creamy soup, remove some of the asparagus from the pot before blending. Then add it back once the rest is blended.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, fresh asparagus is the best option here. Canned asparagus has a dull green color compared to the vibrant green of fresh asparagus, and a much less appealing flavor.
A swirl of cream or olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, like fresh dill, are delightful, aesthetically pleasing ways to serve the soup. You could also add croutons to each individual serving. Asparagus soup is also delicious served with grated parmesan cheese on top! I sometimes add a side of dinner rolls, Irish soda bread (make it without the added fruit!), a slice of sourdough bread, or fluffy focaccia for a filling side.
Once the leftovers have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat them over medium-low heat until warmed through.
I don’t recommend freezing the soup once it is fully prepared because of the dairy. The soup can lose its creamy texture once it is thawed out. If you do want to freeze it, simply omit the heavy cream. Freeze in freezer bags or a freezer-safe container. Then, when you reheat the soup, you can add the cream.
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If you’ve tried this creamy asparagus soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Asparagus Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Immersion blender or regular blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups chicken broth (720ml)
- 2 pounds asparagus ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces (900g)
- 1½ teaspoons salt divided
- ½ cup heavy cream (120ml)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh herbs to garnish (chopped dill, chopped chives)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth, asparagus, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is fork-tender and bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Reserve a few asparagus tips for garnish, if desired.
- Carefully purée the mixture until smooth using an immersion blender or transferring the soup to the container of a regular blender. Place over low heat.
- Stir in the cream, lemon juice, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with a drizzle of cream and garnish with herbs and blanched asparagus tips, if desired.
Notes
- Trim the asparagus. Asparagus ends are very hard and woody, so be sure to cut them off beforehand.
- Garnish idea: Save about ¼ cup of raw asparagus tips to use as garnish. While the soup is cooking, bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus tips, and cook until tender and bright green, about 1 minute. Remove using a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath.
- When blending the soup: If you use a regular blender instead of an immersion blender, there are two important things to do to ensure there are no accidents. Firstly, don’t fill the blender container completely. Next, make sure the center piece of the blender lid is removed and place a kitchen towel on top. This will allow the steam to escape so it doesn’t build up in the blender jar and pop the top off during mixing. You can also use a food processor if you don’t have a blender.
- A note on texture: If you prefer a bit more texture and don’t want a completely creamy soup, remove some of the asparagus from the pot before blending. Then add it back once the rest is blended.
