Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup
This soup is creamy from the asparagus stems and some potato that are blended with some fresh spinach thrown in for that vibrant green color. It has asparagus tips, fresh green peas and diced potato to give it some body. A keeper!
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Fresh asparagus
- 3 Medium potatoes
- 1 Cup Fresh green peas Frozen acceptable
- 2 Cups Fresh Spinach
- 1 Cup Unsweetened plant milk I use So Delicious coconut milk
- 3 Cups Water Enough to cover cooking vegetables
- 1/2 Tsp Thyme
- 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 Tsp White pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Himalayan Salt
- 1/2 Tsp White truffle oil Optional
- 1/4 Tsp Aleppo pepper Optional garnish
Instructions
- Wash, peel and trim potatoes. Cut into large cubes and throw the discarded rounded parts into a large sauce pan. Cut the large potato cubes into a 1/4 or 1/2" dice (Your choice). Place cubes in a steamer.
- Bend the asparagus and they will snap in two, separating the tender part from the stalk. Set aside the tender part. The remaining stalks will have a color change from the bottom to where the asparagus snapped. Cut the stalks in two where the color change is and discard the bottoms. Wash the top parts and place in the sauce pan with the potato shards.
- Add 3 cups of water, or enough water to cover the potato and asparagus "discards" - plus an inch or water. Start the cooking process with enough heat to bring to a slow boil.
- Place your potato cubes in a steam pot above your boiling potatoes and asparagus stems. Place a id on to hold in the steam.
- Cut the tender parts of the asparagus at a slant to create pieces about 1" long. Set aside in a bowl.
- Wash your peas and add to the asparagus pieces.
- Wash 2 cups of fresh spinach. Set aside.
- When the potatoes are soft in the bottom pan, set steamer aside over another pan of simmering water and add the asparagus tips and peas to start cooking from the residual heat.
- Move the asparagus stems, potato shards and cooking liquid to the blender along with the milk and seasonings. Add in the fresh spinach. Start blend on low for 2 minutes then high for 6.
- Combine the blended vegetables with the steamed vegetables into a saucepan and turn on to medium heat to continue cooking the asparagus tips and to warm the soup for serving.
- Spoon into soup bowls and top with Aleppo pepper. Enjoy.
Notes
This is a Snap Pea Sheep recipe!
Seems like I come up with a new favorite every week!
Asparagus is a great detox food for the liver and if it is not over cooked, it is often a favorite vegetable.
Asparagus stems start woody at the bottom and end with the tender tips. While the tips are obviously the most desired, about 4" of stem before the tender parts are still edible. They are not tender but can be added to soups. Unfortunately they start turning yellow past a certain cooking point.
Save the day and color with a handful of fresh spinach to rescue that vibrant green color. Add to the blender just before or halfway through the blending process to add nutrition and beautiful color to the soup.
You could also use a handful of basil instead of spinach, or just add a handful to the spinach for additional flavor.
I used fresh peas here but frozen are fine.
If you prefer a creamy soup with no visible vegetables, add the steamed tips and peas to the blender. You will not have needed to separate potato cubes from the shards at the beginning. I happened to enjoy the beautifully steamed vegetables in the soup.
Dill is an option and can be added with the Thyme or just sprinkled on as a garnish along with some Aleppo pepper.