Today I’m bringing this recipe back from the archive while I work on my e-cookbook. It’s one of my favorite soups: flavorful, simple to make, and perfectly seasonal—for most of you, at least.
I don’t know about you, but asparagus are the vegetables that shout “spring” to me. I see so many spring recipes and outfits on blogs, Pinterest and Instagram that I start to believe it’s spring where I am—although where I live it’s actually autumn, soon to be winter. I really can’t handle cold temperatures; I freeze easily even in layers. Thankfully the mild Australian autumn weather helps, and we often enjoy warm, comfortable days around 80°F. But enough about the weather—let’s get back to the soup.
About this Skinny Cream of Asparagus Soup:
1. Is it delicious and healthy? Absolutely.
2. Does it use heavy cream? No. This version is lightened with evaporated milk for a creamy texture without the heaviness.
I love how bright and satisfying it is—too bad fresh asparagus isn’t always in season where I am.
Skinny Cream of Asparagus Soup
Appetizer, Soup
American
5
minutes
15
minutes
20
minutes
3
217
kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter unsalted preferred
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 bunches fresh asparagus about 20 spears
- 2 cups chicken stock low sodium
- ½ cup fat-free evaporated milk unsweetened
- Juice of one lemon
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan for topping, optional
Instructions
-
Prepare the asparagus: trim the tough ends and chop the spears into pieces.
-
Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
-
Add the asparagus pieces and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring to combine.
-
Pour in the chicken stock and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the asparagus is very tender.
-
Remove from heat and blend until smooth using an immersion blender. Stir in the evaporated milk and lemon juice, mixing well. Season with salt to taste.
-
Ladle into bowls and top with freshly cracked pepper and shaved Parmesan if desired.
Recipe Notes
If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender—but allow the soup to cool slightly before blending and work in batches.
For a thicker texture, add a peeled, chopped potato to the pot with the onion and asparagus and cook until tender before blending.