Cream of Asparagus Soup
The asparagus flavour really shines through here, with garlic, lemon, and just a wee bit of mustard along for the ride, and the colour is quite pretty. Recipe and photographs by Renée Kohlman from Vegetables: A Love Story, copyright © 2021 by Renée Kohlman. Reprinted with permission of TouchWood Editions.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus tough ends trimmed
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- salt and pepper
- 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup whipping (35%) cream
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Trim the tips from 12 asparagus spears (about 2 inches from the top) and cut them in half lengthwise if thick. Set aside for garnish. Cut the remaining asparagus, including the leftover bits from the previous step, into ½-inch pieces.
- Warm the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about another 1–2 minutes. Add the asparagus and mustard powder. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add just enough broth to cover— about 3½ cups. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until the asparagus is very tender, about 15–20 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, cook the reserved asparagus spears in a small pot of boiling salted water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Purée the soup in a blender. (I do it in three batches.) Transfer the purée to a large bowl. Be careful! Hot liquid!
- Return all of the puréed soup to the pot, stir in the cream, and thin to your desired consistency with more broth. You may need to warm the soup over low heat as you do this. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with more salt and pepper. Divide the soup into bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips.
Nutrition Facts
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Serving Size
1
Amount per Serving
Calories
217
% Daily Value*
Fat
14
g
22
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
4
g
Cholesterol
44
mg
15
%
Sodium
114
mg
5
%
Potassium
776
mg
22
%
Carbohydrates
16
g
5
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
6
g
7
%
Protein
12
g
24
%
Vitamin A
2196
IU
44
%
Vitamin C
16
mg
19
%
Calcium
107
mg
11
%
Iron
6
mg
33
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.