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Be sure to try this gorgeous and creamy asparagus soup this spring! Gently sautéed leeks, tender asparagus, potatoes, and silky cream come together in this beautiful soup that’s refreshing and kid-friendly. Only 25 minutes of easy prep are needed, and it’s ready to eat in less than an hour. This elegant soup feels tastes special, yet is simple enough for a quick meal.
Round out your spring dinner or Easter brunch with other recipes like strawberry bacon salad with spring greens and fluffy carrot and cheddar soufflé.
Quick Look: Creamy Asparagus Soup Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 25 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 55 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 4 servings
- 🌽 Cuisine & Heritage: American
- 🍽️ Calories: 366 calories per serving (more nutritional info in recipe card)
- 🥦 Dietary Info: Gluten Free; can be made Vegetarian, Dairy Free, and/or Vegan
- 🟢 Difficulty: Easy
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Stovetop
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: creamy, velvety smooth texture, sweet and buttery flavor from the leeks and potatoes, and a spring-like flavor from the herbs and asparagus.
- 🔑 Top Tip: Warm the chicken stock on a back burner before adding to the soup to speed up the cooking time.
- 🍷 Drink Pairings: Choose a crisp wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Grüner Veltliner, a clean Pilsner, or simple sparkling water with lemon to brighten and balance the soup’s rich, velvety texture.
- ❄️ Storage: Store leftovers tightly covered and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days. It’s not recommended to freeze this soup, as the cream may separate when thawed.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make & Tweak to Your Tastes: This creamy asparagus soup is very filling and takes less time and ingredients to prepare it than say an asparagus tart or other fancy asparagus dish. This is truthfully the most basic of recipes. The prep time is next to nothing, and depending on my mood, I taste as I go and leave things simple or add to it to taste.
- Extends the Time for Enjoying Asparagus: Asparagus is only around (truly at its freshest) for a very short window. I plan making asparagus recipes around the vegetable if I’m honest. Making a soup from it extends my opportunity to enjoy it!
- Popular with Kids & Adults Alike: One year, I was left with an entire platter of pencil thin asparagus fries because the recipe write-up claimed it was kid friendly. Not so much here…this soup is popular with adults and children alike! It’s among my favorite of Easter asparagus recipes and fits beautifully if serving an Easter brunch versus a formal sit-down dinner.
“Tried it last night and I loved it! So creamy and filling! It was so timely too because it was raining last night so this soup really kept me warm! Making this again for Easter!”
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Curious what ingredients you need to make this simple soup? Grab these key ingredients, along with a few others, and you’ll be ready to start cooking!
- Fresh Thin Asparagus Spears: Choose thin, crispy asparagus stalks. Use a sharp knife to trim the asparagus where the stalks turn from white into green. The bright greenish purply end with the tip is the crisp asparagus portion you’ll use for this recipe. If you are in search of a beautiful quiche and want to incorporate asparagus, consider this easy Asparagus and Ham Frittata.
- Leeks: This ingredient brings a lot of sweetness and a great depth of spring flavor to this creamy soup.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: These potatoes break down fairly easily and lend a buttery flavor to the soup that is wonderful with the sweetness of the leeks. Substitute with russets if you prefer.
- Heavy Cream: This makes the soup wonderfully creamy and delicious. Use full fat cream for the best and tastiest result.
- Orange Juice: The strangest ingredient in today’s recipe is the orange juice, but…it’s also the most important ingredient. Asparagus comes across as bitter to many eaters; people either love it or hate it! The sugar and acidity in the orange juice temper the flavor of the asparagus.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Vegetarian Version: Substitute the chicken broth with a good-quality vegetable broth; preferably homemade.
- Vegan/Dairy Free Version: Swap vegetable broth for chicken broth, and use full-fat coconut milk or cream instead of heavy cream.
- Try Adding Herbs: While asparagus shines on its own, adding fresh dill, tarragon, or chives can be a wonderful flavor to the soup if you’re working differently.
How to Make Creamy Asparagus Soup
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Sauté the Asparagus
Set your Dutch oven atop a burner on medium-high heat and add a teaspoon of a good quality olive oil. Add the cup of reserved asparagus tips and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring them to promote browning but avoid burning. Set aside the cooked asparagus on a plate.
2
Cook the Supporting Ingredients
Reduce the heat to medium. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and the thinly sliced leeks. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re lightly browned.
Toss in some peeled and cubed Yukon Gold potatoes and minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes have softened and are somewhat tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
3
Emulsify the Soup
Add in some Kosher salt and the remaining uncooked asparagus pieces and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender. Remove from the heat and add some chopped fresh parsley leaves and young stems.
Use an immersion blender to purée the mixture. (If you do not have an immersion blender, you will likely need to process the mixture carefully in multiple batches in your regular blender.)
4
Finish & Serve
Stir in heavy cream and orange juice and place back on very low heat to warm through.
Ladle soup into individual serving bowls. Drizzle with heavy cream and top with the cooked asparagus tips. Garnish if desired with chopped bacon, parsley, Parmesan cheese, croutons, or lemon wedges. (Sea salt and olive oil are also great garnishes.)
Recipe FAQs
Holding a single stalk of asparagus with both hands and then bending it gently causes it to ‘snap.’ This process used to be the correct protocol for prepping it, but it can be wasteful.
Experts and chefs agree that it’s better to use your chef’s knife and cutting board. Line up all the spears in a row and slice off the bottom of the stalk right where they turn from white into green. Now you’re left with perfectly fresh and amazing tasting asparagus to cook with.
Don’t toss those tough ends though. Add them instead to the bag of vegetable scraps in your freezer for making easy homemade chicken stock down the road.
Some of the most common asparagus soup mistakes come down to overcooking, improper seasoning, and mishandling dairy. When making creamy asparagus soup, it’s important not to boil the asparagus too long, as overcooked spears can dull the color. Skipping the step of sautéing onions, leeks, or garlic before adding broth will reduce the flavor. Another frequent error is adding cream or milk while the soup is at a rolling boil, which can cause the dairy to separate and produce a grainy texture. Finally, under-seasoning is a common mistake; asparagus soup benefits from a good salt balance and a touch of lemon juice when serving.
To make the perfect creamy asparagus soup, begin by building flavor with gently sautéed aromatics, such as onion or leek in butter or olive oil. Trim the asparagus and cook the stalks in broth just until tender to preserve their fresh taste and vibrant color. For an ultra-smooth asparagus soup, purée thoroughly with an immersion blender or standard blender until silky. Once blended, reduce the heat before stirring in cream to ensure a velvety finish without splitting or curdling. Proper seasoning is essential when making asparagus soup. Taste and adjust salt as you go!
Serving Suggestions
Creamy asparagus soup tastes great when garnished with house-made croutons and Parmesan cheese, or room temperature crumbled goat cheese. A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt works well, too!
The recipe I am sharing today can be a perfect side dish to a main dish, salad, or an easy weeknight dinner main dish. I love serving this at my family’s Easter brunch in addition to the Easter ham with easy ham glaze and leg of lamb. It tastes great with a myriad of simple recipes, like Endive Gratin with Ham and Gruyere, Strawberry Panna Cotta, or Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake.
Expert Tips
- I like to warm my chicken stock on a back burner before adding to the soup. It is not required, but I find it helps to break the Yukons down that much faster.
- If you do not have an immersion blender, you will likely need to process the mixture carefully in multiple batches in your regular blender.
- Be careful not to overheat the soup once the cream is added, or it may split. Freezing this soup is not recommended, as the cream can split upon thawing.
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Creamy Asparagus Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Asparagus Soup
- 2 pounds fresh thin asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal; reserve 1 cup of tips
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- 2 large thinly sliced leeks, well washed; white and light green parts only
- 1½ cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock, warmed over low heat if desired
- 1½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped; leaves and young stems
- ½ cup heavy cream, plus additional for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Optional Garnishes
- croutons, homemade or store bought
- Parmesan cheese
- crumbled bacon
- fresh parsley, minced
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add reserved cup of asparagus tips. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat on Dutch oven to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to Dutch oven. Add the thinly sliced leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 minutes. This step is required to promote browning, but be careful not to burn the leeks.
- Add potatoes and minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
- Add all of the unsalted chicken stock at once. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Cook until potatoes are semi tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add kosher salt and uncooked asparagus pieces and cook for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat. Stir in chopped fresh parsley. Puree using an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in heavy cream and orange juice and place back on very low heat to warm through.
- Ladle soup into individual serving bowls. Drizzle servings with heavy cream and top with the cooked asparagus tips. Garnish additionally, if desired, with chopped cooked bacon, additional parsley, a dusting of Parmesan cheese, croutons, or basic wedges of lemon passed tableside. Sea salt and olive oil also work well to be minimal while keeping the dish bright.
Notes
- I like to warm my chicken stock on a back burner before adding to the soup. It is not required, but I find it helps to break the Yukons down that much faster.
- If you do not have an immersion blender, you will likely need to process the mixture carefully in multiple batches in your regular blender.
- Be careful not to overheat the soup once the cream is added, or it may split. Freezing this soup is not recommended, as the cream can split upon thawing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
With much gratitude and appreciation, this recipe is courtesy of our friends at Southern Living Magazine!
So delicious — we really enjoyed this soup and the potatoes gave it a little extra body! definitely making again!
Oh Jennifer, thank you! Thank you so much for circling back to tell me this! x – Jenny
The soup itself was so creamy and the best part is the addition of orange juice. It sounded a bit strange at first but it really balanced out the flavors perfectly. I opted for some crispy croutons on top for an extra crunch and it was perfect for Easter dinner. So yum!
I didn’t have heavy cream on hand, so I substituted it with coconut milk, and it turned out great! Still creamy and flavorful. Highly recommend trying it!
Such a gorgeous looking soup! And asparagus is one of my favourite spring veggies. Will be making it soon. Thank you for the recipe.
Padma, I have been enjoying asparagus for a little over 3 weeks now. I wonder though, what would you think of this soup assembled with white asparagus? It’s available more often that the tender thin green stalks, so curious. Jenny
Loved how creamy and full of flavors this soup was! I added some parmesan for extra flavors too!
Tried it last night and I loved it! So creamy and filling! It was so timely too because it was raining last night so this soup really kept me warm! Making this again for Easter!