Last updated on May 26th, 2016
Believe it or not, I hated asparagus when I was a kid. Silly me! Now older and wiser, I love the green spears however they are served: steamed, blanched, grilled, or turned into a screamingly-delicious soup.
I planted a crop of asparagus a couple of years ago, and although the plants are growing with gusto now, no harvest can occur until another year has passed (details here). The Spears of Spring for the following soup recipe came from my local farmers’ market.
And what a spectacular soup it is, my friends. It comes together easily, too. I simply simmered some asparagus and onion in chicken stock and white wine. Then I pureed the brew with an immersion blender, and thickened it up with a tub of Crème Fraîche. Freshly-squeezed lemon juice, added at the end, made all the flavors sing.
You’ll sing, too, once you’ve tasted this jewel-toned bliss. Here’s the step-by-step:
First, take 2 bunches (2 pounds) of perfectly fresh — and preferably just-picked — asparagus…
And cut off and reserve some of the green tips for garnish. Or, skip this step, and plan to garnish your soup with croutons or chopped chives.
If you are fussy like me, you’ll want to cut off and compost the bottom 1/2-inch of the spears. This is the part that has been submerged in water of dubious quality at the farmers’ market or grocery store.
Roughly chop the spears into 1-inch pieces.
Roughly chop a large (1 pound) onion, too.
Then melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a wide soup pot or Dutch oven.
And by the way, this is what my kitchen looks like when I’m photographing recipes for you. For the sake of natural light (a must-have for picture-taking), I have to push my heavy work station beside a window. And since my gas stove is far away from a window, I use a cheap hot plate for cooking.
Oh, the things I do for you.
Add the onions to the pot…
Along with some salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Saute over low heat until the onions are soft but not colored — about 5 minutes.
Now stir the chopped asparagus into the onions…
Add 4 cups of good chicken stock…
And 1 cup of crisp white wine. I used Sancerre, but Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc should work as well.
Are you still with me? I only ask because I haven’t heard a peep from you since we started this recipe. Perhaps you’ve dashed off to the liquor store for some Sancerre, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc.
Good for you.
Now bring the works to a boil, and then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let the ingredients simmer quietly until the asparagus is soft enough to puree easily — 20-25 minutes.
Then puree the soup. An immersion blender will accomplish the job nicely enough. I bought my purple model from this online source.
To thicken the soup, add 8 ounces of Crème Fraîche, and stir it in with a spoon. Homemade Crème Fraîche is particularly delightful. Here’s the easy recipe.
To make the flavors pop, finish the soup by adding the juice from 1/2 a lemon.
Garnish each serving with croutons, chives, or asparagus tips (if you remembered to reserve them). You’ll find this spring symphony is delicious at any temperature. I served mine alongside some crusty homemade sourdough bread and multiple goblets of chilled white wine.
Here’s the printable:
A simple spring soup of asparagus, onion, chicken stock and white wine, thickened with Crème Fraîche and finished with lemon juice. Delicious hot, warm, or cold from the fridge.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus (2 bunches)
- 1 large onion
- 3 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Sancerre, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc
- 8 ounces Crème Fraîche
- The juice of half a lemon
Instructions
- If you'd like to use them as garnish, cut the ferny tips from a dozen or so of the asparagus spears, and set them aside. Cut the remaining asparagus stalks into 1-inch pieces. Peel and roughly chop the onion.
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Then add the chopped onion and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper, and saute until the onion is soft but not colored -- about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped asparagus, add the chicken stock and wine, and bring to a boil over high heat. Then lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the asparagus is soft enough to puree easily -- 20-25 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until perfectly smooth. Then stir in the Crème Fraîche and the lemon juice. Serve hot, warm, or cold from the fridge, Garnish with the reserved asparagus tips, or, if you desire, with crisp croutons or freshly-chopped chives. Delicious!
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Catharine R. says
I hated asparagus when I was a kid, too! Love it now. Your recipe looks delicious — I can taste it just from reading the ingredients. Easy, too. Making soon! Thanks, Kevin!
Dia says
I have always loved asparagus. My paternal grand parents had a large corner of their garden dedicated to a bed of asparagus. It was such a treat to visit during the spring season when the tender spears were ready for cutting. I really miss those wonderful spring and summer visits. Your recipe sounds so wonderful and I know that this is a must try recipe! Thank you for sharing!!
Peter and Shelagh says
Yes I’m still with you, I was away for a while, not to buy wine but to find a perfectly blue Dutch oven…
This soup will be delicious!
Myrtle Miller says
I started eating asparagus when I was in the fifth grade and my teacher brought cans of vegetables and insisted we taste some of the vegetable we had been given. I wonder if aspargus retains its vitamins when cooked in a soup.
gloria says
No matter how early in the morning, as soon as I read your recipes i am starving,
This looks beautiful and easy and great for company.
Loved the shout out to you in the current issue of The Valley Table-You are a “Lifestyle Guru”.
They should do a whole article on your gardens and recipes and just the joie de vivre you bring to your readers.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Gloria — I did not know I was mentioned in The Valley Table. Thanks for the heads-up!
Shelley says
I have 2 acres of asparagus that I sell to a local restaurant but still have SO MUCH left that isn’t “perfect”. What are your thoughts on freezing this soup prior to adding the creme fraiche and lemon? And also, when thawed and reheated next winter what about using straight Greek yogurt instead of creme fraiche? This does sound delicious and I’ll be making a test run today : )
Thanks, Kevin!
gloria says
Me again-It’s the March to May issue,#71-
Page 13-Under Spiralizing–Oodles of Noodles-
That way you don’t have to read every sentence of the mag to find it.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Shelley – Two acres of asparagus! Your local restaurant is lucky indeed. As for the soup, you could certainly freeze it exactly as you described. Yes to thick Greek yogurt as a substitute for crème fraîche. Enjoy the soup — and your harvest!
Hi Gloria – I found the magazine mention online. Thanks again!
Shelley says
Holly Hill Inn, Midway KY
Worth a visit if you’re ever in the Bluegrass visiting horses or on The Bourbon Trail!
Jeanne Collins says
Kevin, I made a similar recipe to this and used the only white wine I had, a nice Argentinian Torrentes, now I’ll never use anything else it was so amazing!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jeanne – Nice to know that the Torrentes grape produces a worthy wine for asparagus soup!
Karen says
had the soup along with a french bread garlic pizza. wow it was really good. going to have it again real soon.
Sue Buescher says
That soup looks yummy.
i make a similar cold asparagus soup but add fresh tarragon.
That is good, too . You might try it sometime
Sue
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Karen – So glad you tried — and liked — the soup!
aimee says
I made the soup yesterday, and it’s out of this world delicious. Having left overs for breakfast this morning! Thanks for the recipe!
Catharine R says
Hi Kevin! I used pinot grigio for the wine, and the soup turned out great! One of these days I’ll try making your recipe for crème fraiche, too. One of these days…
Jacki K says
Made the soup yesterday and oh my it is delicious. Even better the next day. I made your Creme fraiche and am afraid I’m now addicted -had to go buy more cream! I will have to look up how to make the little doohickeys over the French letters.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi aimee and Catharine – I’m so glad you tried — and liked — the soup!
Hi Jacki K – Glad you liked both the soup and the homemade creme fraiche! (There, I left out the little doohickeys, too.)
Jacki K says
I’ve already told you how good the soup and Creme Fraiche is but had some leftoverCF so here’s my desert tonight: fresh blackberries, blob of CF, drizzle of cranberry basil jelly. Oh my goodness!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jacki K – Ooo — your dessert sounds divine!
Kelly Brandt says
Kevin, thank you so much for this recipe! It’s delicious and so
easy! I will be making this a lot in the future. Do you think that this recipe could be done with white asparagus??
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Kelly Brandt – So glad you liked the soup. To answer your question, yes, you could use white asparagus. Just keep in mind that the final product will be chicken-stock-yellow, not green!
Tammy says
Kevin, I just harvested asparagus from our garden and made your recipe. So wonderful! I love how simple it is to make, with a short list of ingredients, yet so tasty. This one’s going in our “greatest hits” file. Thank you!
Molly says
The angels will be rockin’ !!!!!!! Thanks!
Maraya says
I made this soup with ingredients on hand, substituting dry vermouth and sour cream. It was SO delicious, I fear using anything else! I’m off to get more asparagus today to make some more.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Maraya – I often use dry white vermouth when making sauces. Glad to know it’s also supreme for this asaparagus soup!
phyllis says
Hi Kevin- Wanted to thank you for all your inspiring ideas you put into your site… I tried a recipe years ago while living in California using asparagus… it was awesome… but sounded
a little weird…. don’t remember the exact amount of ingredients, but fresh asparagus, chicken broth, and brown sugar and butter…I used about a good handful
of asparagus.. fresh out of my brothers garden, about 2 tbl. butter, and approx. 2 tbl. brown sugar (depends on how sweet you want)..,stir, butter and sugar till melted and combined… then add asparagus and stir, cooking a few minutes, add broth stir occasionaly till tender.. sounds odd, but delicious… only problem I ever had was
getting store bought asparagus that would not get tender… garden fresh was out of this world… hope you try,,, think you will enjoy….keep up the great work… auntie Phyllis…
Mimi says
Kevin, LOVE your website and your new signature, “Kevin Lee Jacobs, a gourmand’s guide to delicious living.” Sounds delectably sinful!
Can’t wait to try the zucchini fritters and to freeze some for the winter months. It will have to wait till I return from Rio. xoxo Mimi
Lori says
A few years ago, the idea of asparagus soup would have repelled me, but thanks to fining dining on a cruise while accompanying my aunt, I fell in love with warm veggie soups and cold friut soups. Naturally this automatically goes in the recipe book and will be fun to share with my girls as they love asparagus and I for once will be bringing something new.