Asparagus Soup

You’ll love asparagus soup because it’s a light and tasty recipe you can make with little effort and simple ingredients and have as a unique appetizer, first course, or side dish.

It’s perfect for spring when fresh asparagus is in season.

While most recipes use heavy cream, butter, and potatoes to thicken the soup, we use frozen peas.

Asparagus and peas are delicious together, adding excellent plant protein to the dish and making it more substantial and fulfilling.

We also add leek for extra flavor, but you can replace it with white onion.

The final touch is a dollop or two of yogurt for the extra oomph. We tried greek yogurt and unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, and they work wonderfully.

Ptss… Don’t forget the gremolata on top! It adds tang, umami, and a garlicky-herby flavor you’ll love.

Asparagus

We recommend using fresh asparagus when in season.

If you can’t find fresh asparagus, you can use frozen ones.

Peas

Green peas are a perfect flavor match with asparagus and add substance and protein to the soup.

You can use frozen green peas, canned green peas, or fresh green peas. We use frozen ones.

Olive oil

Use extra virgin olive oil to make a flavor base with leek and garlic. You can also use some oil to drizzle on top of the soup.

Garlic and Leek

We use leek and fresh garlic to make a delicious flavor base and pack the asparagus soup with taste.

You can substitute white or yellow onion for leek.

Vegetable broth

Vegetable broth is our liquid of choice for this asparagus soup recipe.

You can substitute chicken broth for asparagus, but we prefer to keep the recipe vegetarian so that everyone in the family can enjoy it.

Fresh herbs

Fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, basil, and dill are optional, but you can add them to the soup as it simmers to infuse it with extra flavor and aroma.

We use fresh thyme or lemon thyme.

Yogurt

Yogurt adds a nice tang and extra creaminess, much lighter than cream or butter. We love it in soups!

You can use your favorite unsweetened non-dairy yogurt or thick greek yogurt.

Gremolata

Gremolata is a simple condiment and topping made with fresh herbs to add to dishes like this soup and make them extra flavorful.

You can make the gremolata by mixing finely chopped fresh parsley, grated lemon zest, and minced garlic.

To make the gremolata extra flavorful, add a handful of grated parmesan cheese or non-dairy parmesan. You’ll see what a flavor boost it will be.

The gremolata is an essential ingredient in this recipe, so try to make it. It makes a big difference.

You can substitute dill, chives, and mint for parsley.

Salt and pepper

We use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

As a first step, prep the veggies. Cut the leek in half lengthwise, rinse it under tap water to remove dirt, and cut it into thin slices.

Cut off and discard the woody end of the asparagus, then cut them into discs.

Save a few asparagus tips for garnishing the soup. Set veggies aside.

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven, then add finely sliced leek.

Fry the leek on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until it starts to sweat and softens up, then add grated garlic and fry one more minute.

Add asparagus, frozen peas, fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, then cover with a lid, bring to a boil, crack the top open, lower the heat, and simmer until the asparagus are tender. It’ll take about 15 minutes.

Now puree the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth.

You can also do so with a regular blender, although be careful because the soup is very hot. If you use a regular blender, we recommend letting the soup cool down for a few minutes first and keeping the top slightly open to allow the steam to escape.

Add the yogurt and stir until thoroughly combined, then taste and adjust for salt.

You can add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice if you like some tang.

Tip: if the yogurt curdles, give it a quick blend with the immersion blender.

Your asparagus soup should be bright green and of medium consistency (not too thin, not too thick) and look like a cream of asparagus soup.

If you like a thicker soup, let it simmer for a few more minutes.

Make the gremolata

While the soup simmers, you can prep the gremolata as a garnish and flavor enhancer.

Mix together finely chopped parsley, grated lemon zest, and minced garlic in a small bowl.

Add a few tablespoons of grated parmesan or non-dairy cheese to make an even tastier gremolata.

Serve the soup in a bowl, sprinkle with the gremolata, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and the tips of the asparagus that you previously boiled in a small pot with water for 3 to 4 minutes.

The gremolata on top is a game changer for this kind of soup, and it adds a ton of taste and tang that boosts the flavor of the asparagus.

Asparagus soup with potato

If you want an even creamier, thicker, and more substantial asparagus soup, add two medium-sized potatoes, peeled and chopped, when adding the asparagus.

When blended, the potatoes release their starch into the soup, making it incredibly creamy and tasty.

Serve as a starter

With croutons or crostini before a spring-friendly main dish such as:

• Artichoke pasta bake (rigatoni pasta, jarred artichoke, ricotta, lemon, peas, etc.)
• Zucchini boats (lentils, walnuts, onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, parsley, etc.)
• Saffron risotto (arborio rice, saffron threads, vegetable broth, butter, parmesan, etc.)
• Pasta Puttanesca (spaghetti, olives, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, capers, etc.)
• Artichoke pasta (green olives, fusilli pasta, mint, pine nuts, jarred artichokes, lemon, etc.)

Serve as a side dish

With pasta, salad, and slices of warm bread. Pair it with these easy meals:

• No-knead focaccia (flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, rosemary, sea salt, etc.)
• Lemon ricotta pasta (rigatoni pasta, ricotta, spinach, lemon, nutmeg, olive oil, etc.)
• Pasta al Limone (spaghetti, spinach, red pepper flakes, lemon, nutmeg, fresh thyme, etc.)
• Artichoke salad (arugula, cherry tomatoes, olives, jarred artichokes, Italian dressing, etc.)
• Easy lemon tofu (tofu slices, flour, cornstarch, lemon, garlic, etc.)

Make ahead: asparagus soup is a great recipe as it keeps well in the fridge for days.

Refrigerator: let the soup cool down completely, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for three days.

Freezer: once cold, transfer leftovers to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for three months. Thaw in the fridge or the microwave.

Reheat: reheat this soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. Sprinkle with freshly made gremolata to make its flavor pop.

Get more spring and summer-friendly recipes with these green and easy asparagus ideas:

• Asparagus risotto (arborio rice, lemon, garlic, asparagus, parmesan, almonds flakes, etc.)
• Easy air fryer asparagus (lemon, asparagus, tahini sauce or mustard dressing, etc.)
• 20-minute asparagus pasta (bowtie pasta, asparagus, lemon, garlic, parmesan, etc.)
• Steamed asparagus (asparagus, lemon, olive oil, etc.)
• Grilled asparagus (asparagus, salt, pepper, lemon, etc.)

For velvety smooth and creamy soup inspiration, see these easy appetizer and dinner ideas:

• Zucchini soup (onion, garlic, zucchini, potato, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, etc.)
• Broccoli soup (potato, leek, butter, broccoli, vegetable broth, thyme, salt, etc.)
• Potato leek soup (leek, potato, parsley, yogurt, thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg, etc.)
• Cauliflower soup (cauliflower, potato, garlic, onion, thyme, nutmeg, etc.)
• Butternut squash soup (carrot, butternut squash, garlic, thyme, vegetable broth, etc.)

For more curries, stews, and soups, check out our soups category page.