Creamy Asparagus Soup
This healthful, vegan soup gets its creaminess from cannellini beans instead of cream. It’s also higher in protein than one made with cream, and it is suitable for an entrée.
Ingredients
FOR THE SOUP:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed and used for stock or composting
- 1 quart homemade vegetable stock (or 2 teaspoons bouillon dissolved in 1 quart water)
- 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (or a 15-ounce can of beans; rinsed well)
- Lemony Pesto, recipe below
FOR THE LEMONY PESTO:
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
FOR THE SOUP:
- In a medium-size pan, sauté onion on low heat until it is just starting to brown. While onions cook, cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces, reserving tips.
- Add asparagus stalks to pan with stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until just tender. Time will vary depending on thickness of asparagus stalks.
- Add cannellini beans and blend soup until creamy. A traditional or immersion blender will make it easy.
- When ready to serve, heat soup to a simmer and cook asparagus tips in soup for about 2 minutes, just until barely tender.
- Lemony Pesto mixture can be swirled into individual bowls or combined with soup right before serving.
FOR THE LEMONY PESTO:
- Grind all ingredients with a mortar and pestle or process briefly in a food processor.
Notes
PHOTO BY TRACY SMITH STUDIO