Remember the recipe for broccoli soup without milk or cream I shared with you? So, I made it and my kids loved it! Well, maybe “loved it” is a bit of exaggeration. Let’s say they ate some of it and didn’t complain too much. As far as vegetable soups go, that’s a pretty stellar review from my kids. At least my husband loves it 🙂
Now that my kids are open to eating dishes made with veggies, I wonderdc what other ingredients I could use to create a deliciously creamy soup.
That’s when I thought of asparagus! They like asparagus boiled and barbeque’d, so maybe they’ll like it in soup.
The taste of asparagus, just like broccoli, is as unappetizing as grass, if it isn’t cooked right. It has a strong, earthy flavor and it’s a bit stringy. But, I found a way to make it palatable for my kids by adapting a recipe from Rachel at Plant Craft: https://www.rachelcarr.com/cream-asparagus-almond-soup/
Questions About Cooking with Asparagus
Do I buy fresh or store-bought asparagus?
While asparagus is available year round at the supermarket or at your local grocer, it’s still best to buy it in season. Freshly harvested stalks have fewer dry ends so you can use more of the asparagus. In other words, there will be less dry, woody parts to cut off.
How should asparagus be stored?
Keep your fresh asparagus stems clean, cold and covered. Trim the ends about 1/4 inch and then wash in warm water several times. Pat dry with a soft cloth and make sure you store them in moisture-proof wrapping or container.
You may store them in the fridge if you want, but use them within 2 or 3 days for best results. To maintain freshness, wrap a moist paper towel around the stem ends, or let them stand upright in a tall drinking glass that’s filled with two inches of cold water.
How long do I boil asparagus?
Trim the ends of your asparagus stems to remove the hard, wooden parts. Cook fresh asparagus for 5 to 8 minutes in boiling water before bathing them in a bowl of cold water for a crisp and tender result. Without the cold bath, the stalks will continue to cook and you’ll end up with soggy stems.
How do I roast asparagus?
The recipe calls for boiling or parboiling the stems, but if you’d rather have a nutty, smoky flavor added to your soap, try roasting the asparagus. It’s easy. Just put them in an oven-safe pan or dish and drizzle a bit of oil over the asparagus before placing them in the oven. That will prevent the stems from drying out. Cook until brown and tender.
You can also pan-roast the asparagus, which involves steaming the stems halfway before sauteeing. Heat a bit of cooking oil or butter in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the asparagus, cover and cook. Shake the pan now and again until the asparagus stems look brown and tender. This will take about 10 minutes.
Which variety of asparagus is the best for soups?
The green variety is traditionally used for making soup, but you can also use the white variety as well. In white asparagus, the stalks didn’t produce chlorophyll, making the asparagus paler in appearance and having a milder taste. If you’d like to have variety, use both green and white in your soup.
If you have access to purple asparagus, choose the Stewart Purple variety, which is not as watery as Pacific Purple. It’s one of the nicest and sweetest varieties. Avoid Pacific Purple at all costs. It tastes woody and bland and a bit too watery.
What are the health benefits of asparagus?
Asparagus is a good source of fiber, which promotes regularity. It’s also rich in folate and vitamins A, C, E, and K. The high potassium levels in asparagus can help lower blood pressure. Best of all, it has antioxidants that protect our cells, get rid of unwanted toxins in the body and strengthen the immune system.
Print
Cream Of Asparagus Soup With Almond Milk
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ white onion chopped into small cubes
- 24 oz. unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, minced
- 2 cups asparagus, blanched, woody ends trimmed and the rest chopped into 1 inch pieces
- zest + juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Over low heat, saute the chopped onion in a medium-sized pot with the olive oil until the onions are translucent (meaning you can start to see through them a little bit)
Mix in the fresh tarragon and then pour in the almond milk, heat to a simmer.
Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it stand.
In a second saucepan, heat water and add in the chopped asparagus.
Let the water come to a boil and cook in the boiling water for 5-8 minutes.
Pour the asparagus into a strainer and run cold water over the asparagus, this stops the cooking.
When cooled off, add the asparagus into the pot with the almond milk mixture.
Using an immersion blender, blend the almost milk mixture and asparagus until smooth.
Once smooth, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve garnished with cooked full-length asparagus.
Notes
To add more flavor and to hasten cooking the asparagus, try grilling the stems or pan roasting them. Cooking the asparagus this way adds a smoky flavor to its’ already nutty, earthy taste.
You can store the soup by freezing it. It’s not cream-based, and so, it will freeze well. You can keep it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
