Creamy asparagus leek soup

Is mac and cheese, or a grilled rib-eye steak, or a big bowl of chocolate ice cream, your ultimate comfort food? Mine is asparagus soup. Call me crazy, but I could eat asparagus soup -- the greener, the better -- every day during the brief six weeks we get farm-fresh asparagus at the open markets and farmsteads here in New England.

A few years ago, I learned that you can freeze asparagus. I never knew that, but it has changed my asparagus buying routine. Now, I try to buy several pounds direct from the farm on the day the asparagus is picked, and freeze it immediately in a zip lock bag with most of the air removed. The texture of frozen fresh asparagus spears is a little bit googly, but that fresh-picked flavor will greet you when you defrost it. For soup, it's perfect. You can grill it or stir-fry it, too, or mash it into deviled eggs, or chop it very finely in a salad.

Creamy asparagus leek soup {gluten-free, can be vegetarian or vegan}

From the pantry, you'll need: olive oil, butter, chicken stock (optional), fresh thyme, kosher salt, black pepper.

Originally published on Soup Chick, this recipe serves 4. Can be multiplied.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter (omit for vegan, and use 2 Tbsp olive oil instead)
2 leeks, white parts only, trimmed, washed and chopped
12 medium spears of asparagus, trimmed and chopped
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 tsp fresh thyme or lemon thyme, or a mix
1/4 cup half-and-half (not fat-free), omit for vegan
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, heat the oil and butter over low heat. Add the leeks, asparagus and potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are translucent, 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock (or water). Raise the heat to high, and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, add the thyme, and cover the pot. Cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the pot from heat, and purée the soup with an immersion blender (or, let the soup cool slightly, and blend in batches in a stand blender or food processor). Return the soup to the stove top, and over low heat, whisk in the thyme and cream. Let the soup cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve hot, or cold (allow to cool, then chill the soup completely). Can be made 2 days in advance. You can freeze the soup without the cream added.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More asparagus soups:
Chilled green curry coconut asparagus soup, from Soup Chick
Creamy asparagus soup with bacon and asparagus tip garnish, from Always Order Dessert
Vietnamese crab and asparagus soup, from Girl Cooks World

Creamy asparagus leek soup {gluten-free, can be vegetarian or vegan}

From the pantry, you'll need: olive oil, butter, chicken stock (optional), fresh thyme, kosher salt, black pepper.

Originally published on Soup Chick, this recipe serves 4. Can be multiplied.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter (omit for vegan, and use 2 Tbsp olive oil instead)
2 leeks, white parts only, trimmed, washed and chopped
12 medium spears of asparagus, trimmed and chopped
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 tsp fresh thyme or lemon thyme, or a mix
1/4 cup half-and-half (not fat-free), omit for vegan
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, heat the oil and butter over low heat. Add the leeks, asparagus and potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are translucent, 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock (or water). Raise the heat to high, and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, add the thyme, and cover the pot. Cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the pot from heat, and purée the soup with an immersion blender (or, let the soup cool slightly, and blend in batches in a stand blender or food processor). Return the soup to the stove top, and over low heat, whisk in the thyme and cream. Let the soup cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve hot, or cold (allow to cool, then chill the soup completely). Can be made 2 days in advance. You can freeze the soup without the cream added.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More asparagus soups:
Chilled green curry coconut asparagus soup, from Soup Chick
Creamy asparagus soup with bacon and asparagus tip garnish, from Always Order Dessert
Vietnamese crab and asparagus soup, from Girl Cooks World

Comments

I have never made asparagus soup and for the life of me, I don't know why. I love asparagus. It is my favorite vegetable!

Donna, once you try it, you'll want to have it every day!

I love the idea of freezing asparagus for soup, and this one sounds delicious! (BTW, I don't think I got this post in my e-mail for some reason.)

Kalyn, I love freezing asparagus and pulling it out of the freezer in the off season. It feels like such a luxury! (and thanks for the heads-up about the email, though I did get it in both of mine. I'll check.)

I love Asparagus - but I haven't tried Asparagus soup yet. I'll definitely give that a try tonight... I promise!

appetizing photos of Asparagus