Dairy-free Asparagus Soup

April 15, 2020

Servings: 4-6

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 15 min

Total: 25 min

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There is no better way to welcome spring than with a bundle of fresh asparagus, better yet in soup form. This dairy-free version, chocked full of veggies, is perfect for a guilt-free lunch or dinner.

By: A Wholesome New World

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 rib of celery, chopped
• 1 large leek about 1 cup, cleaned and chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 russet or fingerling potatoes, chopped into small chunks (skin does not need to be removed)
• 3 cups asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces, woody ends removed (save a few spears for garnish)
• 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt or garlic salt
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• Optional Garnish:
• 1/2 cup asparagus tips only
• Croutons
• 1 TBSP Kite Hill cream cheese or spread (or dairy-free cheese alternative of your choosing)

Directions

• Step 1 Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Saute the onion, leek, celery and garlic until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the potatoes and asparagus and mix well.
• Step 2 Add the stock. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until all vegetables have become soft.
• Step 3 Once softened, remove from heat and puree the soup in a blender. You may need to do this in several batches.
• Step 4 Add the lemon juice and zest, then season with salt and black pepper. Stir to mix. Continue to cook over low heat for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Step 5 Serve hot with a dollop of the cheese and garnish with croutons and additional asparagus spears, if desired.

I love a good creamy soup (à la my Roasted Cauliflower Soup), especially when it’s one chocked full of veggies! But DYI you can achieve that same thick, creamy texture without any added milk or cream? It’s healthier, more satisfying, and arguably more delicious! In my opinion, the more veggies you add, the more depth of flavor you achieve. So with a blend of 4+ veggies in the base, this asparagus soup is just about as amazing as you can imagine. Here’s the lineup from the first time we made this.  I included leeks in the second round.  I also added more asparagus that time and you can see from the photos above that the soup was much darker in color.

One of the best things about soups – in general, but especially during this quarantine – is that they’re a healthy dinner supplement (I usually serve in place of a salad and then have a lighter main course) and the leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day. There’s only 5 of us in this house and two of them are toddlers, but we are still managing to blow through food like whoa. Not to mention, I’m running the dishwasher more times than I count. Every time I unload, I’m reloading a sink full of dishes and running it again. It’s bananas! So we are stretching leftovers and ingredients as far as they will go. See my Shepard’s Pie Cups with leftover mashed potatoes for example!

This is also a super easy recipe, something I promise you can replicate at home on your own, on a weeknight no less. Just saute the veggies, then add stock and simmer. After 15 minutes, you blend, then serve. That’s literally it.

There is almost nothing I look forward more to than this soup and once you make it, you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about! So grab your ladle, a bundle of asparagus, and then raid your veggie drawer for the rest because “Soups On!” Comment below and let me know what you think.

Recipe inspired by Ahead of Thyme.