Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the cherry blossoms are blooming. Spring has finally sprung! And with the new season comes a new harvest of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Asparagus has got to be the most iconic vegetable of the season. Take advantage of this in-season crop and savour its glorious flavour in a delicious, smooth and creamless cream of asparagus soup.

I love soup on cold and rainy days. Wait, what am I saying? I love soup on any kind of day. But I have to admit, there are some hearty soups that can only be appreciated in the winter. Light vegetable soups, on the other hand, can be savoured all year round. There is something about cream of asparagus soup, in particular, that I find myself craving a bowl of even when it is scorching hot outside. Nothing beats asparagus when it is fresh in season and I seriously can’t get enough!

So, the question you are all pondering… how can this soup be so creamy, yet contain NO cream? The answer is simple: potatoes! The potatoes bulk up the soup and gives the soup its creamy consistency. In other words, buh-bye cream!

If the creamless feature of this soup wasn’t enough to make you get off your seat and start cooking, another reason that this asparagus soup is so appealing is that it can be whipped up in no time. All it takes is a little bit of sautéing, bulking up, simmering and pureeing. 20 minutes later and you have yourself a nice big pot of creamless cream of asparagus soup ready to serve, nice and hot! To present your soup like a five-star chef, cook some asparagus tips and garnish them on top of your bowl(s) of soup.

So go ahead, make a batch of this soup and welcome spring into your home! Heck, help yourself to seconds of that smooth and silky creamless soup. With a soup this healthy, you won’t ever feel guilty! You are welcome 🙂

Tips:

• To make this soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• To make this soup vegan, dairy-free or paleo, also substitute the butter for 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Use a blender to puree your soup rather than a food processor. The blender will get the soup ultra smooth, whereas the food processor doesn’t blend the vegetables as well and may leave it slightly textured.
• Made too much? No worries, this recipe is great for freezing!

Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

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★★★★★ 4.9 from 18 reviews

• Author: Sam | Ahead of Thyme
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 cups
• Category: Soup

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Description

Take advantage of in-season asparagus this spring and savour its flavour in a delicious and smooth, creamless cream of asparagus soup.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil if making this vegan/dairy-free/paleo)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 russet potato, chopped
• 3 cups asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces, woody ends removed
• 5 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock if making this vegetarian)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup asparagus tips only (optional for garnish)

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Instructions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, garlic and celery until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the potatoes and asparagus and mix well.
2. Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock. Bring to a simmer.
3. Turn the heat down to low and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables have become soft.
4. Puree the soup in batches using your blender and pour it back to the pot.
5. Add the lemon juice and black pepper and stir to mix. On low, continue to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve hot with crackers and asparagus tips on top.

To prepare the asparagus garnish:

1. Cook the tips in boiling salted water for about 4 minutes they are slightly tender. Drain and serve on top of your bowl of soup.