Creamy Asparagus Soup Lemon (Printable version)

Velvety spring soup with asparagus, cream, and lemon for a fresh, elegant light meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

→ Fats

08 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Seasonings

10 - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or dill (optional garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown.
03 - Add diced potato and asparagus pieces. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to lightly coat in fats.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are completely tender.
05 - Remove from heat. Puree with an immersion blender until completely smooth, or work in batches using a countertop blender.
06 - Return soup to low heat. Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat gently until warmed through without boiling.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chives or dill. Add an extra squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy base somehow manages to feel light and refreshing rather than heavy
  • Ready in about 40 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all day
  • Lemon transforms what could be an ordinary soup into something worth serving to dinner guests
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after adding the cream or it will separate into unappealing ribbons
  • Reserve some asparagus tips to steam separately if you want texture contrast
  • The soup thickens as it cools, so keep extra warm broth handy for reheating
03 -
  • Cut asparagus into uniform pieces so everything cooks at the same rate
  • Blend hot soups carefully, leave room for steam to escape

Return