I love asparagus! But I have to say, I’ve never made an asparagus soup. I usually assume that an asparagus soup, much like a broccoli or a potato soup,  would need to be creamy and rich and sometimes that just is too much for me. Well, this recipe, which is from Whole Foods Market, is light, flavourful and actually, quite easy to make.

It gets it’s smooth texture from simmering with low-sodium chicken broth, not milk or cream. The effect is delicious!

You can shake things up a bit depending on what you prefer. I use organic chicken broth or my own stock, which you could do, or use vegetable stock if you want to keep it strictly vegetarian.

I loved using this in my Table Setting Inspiration post because it really does bring that feeling of Spring.  I think that it would be great at lunch but also works really well for an evening party because it is so light and won’t feel heavy for guests. Okay, really, it’s good anytime!

Enjoy this one all Spring long!

Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15ml) butter
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups (1L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), woody stems snapped off and discarded, spears cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup (80ml) low-fat sour cream
• 1/2 tsp (2ml) sea salt
• ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp (30ml) chopped chives

Directions

• melt butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat
• add leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes
• add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil
• reduce heat to medium low
• add asparagus and simmer gently until potatoes and asparagus are tender, about 10-15 minutes
• remove pot from heat and set aside to let cool slightly
• carefully transfer soup to blender in batches and puree until smooth
• return soup to pot and bring to a boil
• remove from heat and whisk in sour cream and season with salt and pepper
• ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chives
• serves 4

recipe via West of the City magazine