Vegan Asparagus Soup
Make the most of the asparagus season with this creamy vegan asparagus soup that’s full of fresh vegetable flavors. Vibrantly green from plenty of asparagus, this asparagus soup is naturally gluten and dairy-free yet so smooth and rich-tasting.
Easy Vegan Asparagus Soup Recipe
This simple soup is so much more than the sum of its parts! No cream or milk is needed to create a gorgeously hued, delicately flavored creamy soup that relies on fresh vegetables for color and flavor. I use the Alice Waters method of adding water to vegetable soups rather than broth just to keep things simple, and it works to good effect in this soup. Pureed vegetable soups are extra nice because they turn out wonderfully creamy without the need for any added dairy. This vegan asparagus soup is full of spring flavors in every spoonful!
What You’ll Love About Vegan Asparagus Soup
The velvety texture of this soup is one of its defining features – a cream of asparagus soup without the cream, what could be better? A few simple vegetables combine to make a satisfying, rich soup. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Simply vegan: I love a good vegetable-based soup that doesn’t need any dairy or extras yet still tastes lux, and this one more than satisfies.
- Gluten-free: All of the ingredients included are naturally gluten-free, so if you’re keeping gluten-free you won’t have to make any substitutions to this recipe.
- Easy: This soup truly is an easy one to cook – just saute, cook, and puree. Add a batch of gluten free cornbread muffins and dinner is sorted.
Ingredients Needed
Just six ingredients plus water are all you need to make this beautiful soup. I’ve outlined them for you below – the full ingredient amounts will be in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil is my preferred oil to use in cooking.
- Garlic – I added 4 cloves of garlic to this soup – you can certainly add a bit more if you wish.
- Carrot – Use a large carrot.
- Asparagus – Make sure to trim the woody ends of the asparagus before using the stalks.
- Spinach – I use baby spinach, and regular spinach works just fine, too. You can add more spinach if you like.
- Water – To form the brothy base of the soup.
- Salt – I always use fine sea salt in my recipes!
How to Make Creamy Asparagus Soup
It’s so easy to make this pureed soup and I’ve detailed my simple method below. Check the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Saute: Heat the olive oil over medium heat then cook the garlic and carrots until softened.
- Add asparagus: Stir in the asparagus and cook a little more.
- Add spinach: Stir in the spinach.
- Add water: Add the water and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
- Puree: Turn off the heat and puree the soup until it is smooth.
- Serve! Serve the soup hot with a grind of black pepper.
Recipe Tips
This is such a lovely, easy soup to make you won’t have any difficulties. I do have a few tips you can try:
- Use an immersion blender. I love leaving the soup in the pot and using an immersion blender to whiz it smooth. Be careful, because the vegetables and liquid will be hot (I prefer this method to pouring the hot soup into a blender and then back into the pot!).
- Add more spinach. I LOVE spinach and often throw a few more handfuls into the soup than the recipe calls for you. You could also add two carrots rather than one carrot.
- Use broth. For extra flavorful soup, use vegetable broth rather than water (although, I think the soup is plenty flavorful just made with water).
- Add cream. No! Yes? OK, this would not be a vegan soup unless you added coconut cream if you add a splash of heavy cream. However, if you’re in the mood to take it up a notch, you can stir in a little heavy cream to each bowl before serving, or try a swirl of sour cream or Greek yogurt (dairy-free if needed).
Serving Suggestions
As shown, a few slices of fresh bread are the perfect accompaniment to creamy asparagus soup! I like to add a little butter, cheese, and hummus to the table along with bread. Or, try a few of these suggestions:
- Cornbread – A warm batch of gluten free cornbread (as muffins or in a pan) is the best alongside bowls of soup.
- Biscuits – A whole grain gluten free biscuit is amazing dipped into asparagus soup! Or make soda biscuits!
- Popovers – Light as air (though, not gluten-free), popovers with a little salted butter are amazing with bowls of soup.
- Salad – For a heartier side, make a quinoa salad with apples, or put together a simple green salad with lots of fresh crunchy vegetables.
Storage Options
If you have leftover soup, you have several options for what to do with it:
- Fridge – Place cooled, leftover vegan asparagus soup in an airtight container – I like a glass Mason jar or equivalent with a tight-fitting lid – and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer – Portion the soup into individual servings and place them in freezer-safe, sealable bags. You can store them flat in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost the soup in the fridge before reheating.
- To Reheat – Heat the soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat until hot. Or, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for a minute at a time. Stir the soup and keep reheating it as necessary.
More Easy Soup Recipes
Vegan Asparagus Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped, with the woody ends trimmed and discarded
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 6 cups water
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and carrots and a pinch of salt, and cook until they are softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the asparagus and stir to combine with the vegetables, then cook for a few minutes more until the asparagus is slightly softened. Add the water and the baby spinach and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are soft.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the salt, and, using an immersion blender (or, carefully transfer the soup to a blender), puree the soup until it is smooth and no chunks or threads of vegetables are visible. Add a little more water if you wish for a thinner soup.