Cream of Asparagus Soup

This easy cream of asparagus soup recipe is made with fresh asparagus, simple seasonings, and a touch of half-and-half. Smooth, creamy, and ready in under an hour.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword asparagus

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 151kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1 Medium Onion diced
1 Celery Rib diced
2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper plus extra for serving
2 pounds Asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, about 20 tips reserved for garnish (optional)
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
¼ cup Half and Half
Salt if needed at the end
Parmesan Cheese for serving, optional

Instructions

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in large pot.
When the butter is melted and foamy, add the onions and celery. Cook gently for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic, oregano and black pepper, cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the asparagus (all but the reserved tips, if using) and the chicken broth. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the asparagus is very tender, stirring occasionally. Keep the soup at a simmer, raising or lowering the heat as needed.
Remove the pot from the heat. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, use a regular blender (see notes).
Add the half-and-half and stir to combine. Return the pot to low heat and cook gently until warmed through. Do not let the soup come to a boil.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
Serve garnished with the reserved asparagus tips, if using, and Parmesan cheese.

Notes

If using asparagus tips for garnish, reserve about 20 tips before adding the asparagus to the soup. Bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the tips and cook for 1 minute, then transfer them immediately to a bowl of ice water. Once completely cold, drain and pat dry.
If using a regular blender, purée the soup in small batches. Never fill the blender to the top with hot liquid. Remove the center cap from the lid, cover the opening with a clean, folded kitchen towel, and hold it securely while blending. Start on low speed and increase gradually as needed.
Use reduced-sodium broth and unsalted butter if you're sensitive to salt. Taste the finished soup before adding salt.
To make the soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and omit the Parmesan or use a vegetarian alternative.

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