Creamy Asparagus Soup (Gluten Free – Dairy Free)

Spring weather is finally arriving for most of the country and the farmers’ markets are overflowing with beautiful produce. One of my seasonal favorites is asparagus and today’s Creamy Asparagus Soup is a perfect way to celebrate the season!

Spring is the best time to visit farmers’ markets because the excitement mounts as the beautiful fresh produce arrives, brightening our meals after a long, dark, and wet winter. In addition to asparagus, look for rhubarb, spring garlic and onions, Meyer lemons, fava beans, and other tempting treasures.

Rich in flavor but low in calories, vegetarian, and dairy-free, this is an amazing soup. It is so smooth and creamy you will find it hard to believe there is no dairy in it. This is so good I would serve it at brunches, showers, or for lunch or dinner.

This soup came about because of a meal served to my husband many years ago by our friend Margie. She made a version of this soup that was incredible and for years The Artist raved about it. I never got her original recipe, but figured it wouldn’t be too hard to replicate with a few tricks I have learned over the years.

Because of the potential stringiness of asparagus, you need a powerful blender to puree this soup. A food processor doesn’t do as good a job and an immersion blender will miss pieces leaving you with a chunky soup. If you use either of these, be sure to pass the soup through a wire sieve to catch any solids. When using a blender, be sure not to fill the blender too full because hot liquids expand – if it doesn’t have enough room you will wind up with hot soup all over your kitchen. Yep, this is the voice of experience talking here.

This soup would be a beautiful addition to your Easter menu, one that everyone will marvel at when you tell them it is dairy free!

The Artist and I really enjoyed this Creamy Asparagus Soup – fresh and smooth without any dairy! The spring green color is stunning on your table, the soup is bursting with flavor, light enough to start any meal, and it is about as healthy as you can get. This is vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free soup that everyone will love!

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a progressive dinner party where each course is held at a different home. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. This month’s theme is Spring has Sprung! Hosted by Laura of Mother Would Know. We have a great mix of recipes including cocktails, appetizers, soups, sides, entrees, and desserts. Make sure you check out the links below.

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Ingredients needed for Creamy Asparagus Soup:

• Asparagus stalks, olive oil, salt and pepper, onion, potato
• Garlic, vegetable stock, water, pistachios, chives

 

PRO Tip:

All recipes say to trim the ends off asparagus, but how do you know how far up the stem to cut? Take one of the larger stalks, and holding it at either end, bend until it snaps. Use the longer piece as a guide to cut the rest of the bunch, discarding the smaller tough ends.

 

How to make Creamy Asparagus Soup:

1. Prep all your ingredients and set a wire sieve over a very large bowl and set aside. Set up your blender.
2. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus, peeling the stalks if the asparagus is older or very thick (lay flat on a cutting board to keep the stalks stable and not snapping under the pressure).
3. Place oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven (at least 4-quarts or more) and heat until shimmering. Add the asparagus pieces, tossing to coat thoroughly with the oil. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the onions to the pan and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the potatoes and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Pour in the stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender (continue cooking if there is any resistance to a fork).
6. When tender, puree the soup in a blender, half at a time. Never fill the blender more than 1/2 full to allow for heat expansion and blend until very smooth. Pour the puree through the wire sieve into the large bowl to remove any remaining solids. Repeat pureeing and straining the remaining soup.
7. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot. If it is too thick, add a little more stock. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Reheat gently over low heat. The soup can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled for hot summer days.
8. Microwave the reserved asparagus tips for 30 seconds or until crunchy but partially cooked. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips, chopped pistachios, and a sprinkling of chives. Serve immediately.
9. Store in an airtight container, cover, and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Store asparagus tips separately.

 

PRO Tip:

If the asparagus is thick and woody, you can peel the stalks to reveal the tender centers. The easiest way is to lay the asparagus flat on a cutting board and use a vegetable peeler. Holding it flat on the board helps keep the stalks from snapping as you work with them. You only need to peel the thickest part of the stalk – and if you are working with very delicate, slender stalks, you won’t need to peel them at all!

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• Chef’s knife
• Fine wire sieve
• Stockpot or Dutch oven
• Blender

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

The only ingredient where there is any chance of gluten contamination is the stock/broth. Be sure to read the labels carefully and use a brand that guarantees their products are gluten-free. If you have any questions, contact the manufacturer.

You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in April 2016. The article was updated in 2024.