Cream of asparagus soup, a wonderfully easy and delicious recipe that screams of spring/early summer with delicate flavours and a silky texture.
It's a recipe that takes just over 30 minutes to prepare and cook and it can be made 2-3 days in advance if needed.
Simple Creamy Asparagus Soup
I love a lovely creamy bowl of soup, and my site is littered with them.
I have everything from cream of "wild" mushroom soup to a creamy broccoli and Stilton soup, and a cream of celeriac soup to a wonderful creamy Jerusalem artichoke soup.
They are not exclusively British either. I have a fantastic Polish zupa ogorkowa recipe, a sour pickled cucumber soup!
My latest offering is a beautiful and really easy creamed asparagus soup.
Its silky smooth texture is pure asparagus, which, for me, is the essence of spring and early summer.
This recipe aims not to mask the flavour of asparagus, so in terms of additions, it only gets a couple of cloves of garlic.
In addition to that, we add plenty of butter, a bit of white pepper and some good quality vegetable stock.
It's probably the most "subtle" recipe on my website, and I love it greatly because of its honest simplicity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this will sit in the fridge in an air-tight container for 2-3 days and can be reheated over a medium heat.
It will also freeze for up to 3 months if you want to scale this up and store it for later use.
Do I have to use cream?
No, although the best substitution is creme fraiche, which is just as calorific as cream!
Can I make this vegan?
I got asked this question on social media, so I gave it a try. I used vegan butter (Flora) and vegan double cream (Elmlea), and it worked just fine.
Can I use an onion rather than a shallot?
Yes, but it is likely that you will only need to use part of an onion, which is the main reason I cook with lots of shallots.
You will also need to cook it longer (2-3 minutes more) because onion petals are naturally larger than the onion, and as a result, you can't chop them as finely.
Serving Suggestions
Like most bowls of soup, this asparagus soup needs nothing more than a nice lump of bread to serve with it.
If I were to bake bread, I'd make soda bread, mainly because it is so easy to make!
When I am shopping for bread, for this I like something with a bit of cheese in it. The sharpness works really well with the subtle asparagus flavours.
It is pictured here with a couple of small sourdough cheese sticks from a local baker.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Blender, I use a large upright blender, but an immersion blender will also do the trick.
- Fine mesh sieve.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug or measuring cups and spoons.
Cream of Asparagus Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 50g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 500 g Asparagus 20-25 spears
- 35 g Butter 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- 500 ml Vegetable Stock 2 Cups
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Salt (as required)
- 125 ml Double Cream ½ Cup (plus extra for garnish: heavy cream in the US)
- Fresh Chives for Garnish
Instructions
- Cut the shallot in half, peel it and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Peel the garlic cloves and crush them with your hand.
- Roughly chop the asparagus, keeping a few tips back for garnish if you want.
- Heat a 20cm or 8" saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the diced shallot and garlic and cook, without colouring, for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped asparagus, bay leaf, white pepper and pour in the stock and simmer for 10-12 minutes; you want the asparagus to be quite soft.
- Transfer the asparagus to a blender (removing the bay leaf) and blitz until very smooth, then pass it through a fine mesh sieve back into the saucepan.
- Pour in the cream, stir, taste and add more salt and white pepper if needed, then bring the soup back to serving temperature.
- You can fry off some asparagus tips for garnish at this point if you want.
- Serve with a swirl of cream and some freshly snipped chives.
Mark, CompassandFork
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
This is a really delicate looking soup. So English! I love the floral decorations on top. It certainly makes for a very classy starter when you out to impress someone.
Igor @ Cooking The Globe
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
Another great instant pot recipe and I still don't have one. I need to get it ASAP! This cream of asparagus soup looks heavenly!
Elizabeth
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
This soup sounds absolutely amazing and your garnish - how utterly adorable! I need to make this recipe, soon!
Helene D'Souza
Wednesday 6th of February 2019
Your cream of asparagus soup is making me want it asap. I am going to pass on fresh asparagus this year, it's still not that common in Asia. You get the green ones but they look sickly and thin. Love the cherry blossom garnishing touch with the radish slices.
Stephanie
Tuesday 6th of March 2018
Instructions does not specify when the celery is added
Brian Jones
Tuesday 6th of March 2018
Not sure how I missed that, updated :)