cream of asparagus soup
Home |RecipesSoupCream Of Asparagus Soup With Lemon-Cilantro Pesto

Cream Of Asparagus Soup With Lemon-Cilantro Pesto

by Lily
Published: Last Updated: 1K views
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

this post may contain affiliate sales links. for more information, please read my disclosure here

This delicious Asparagus soup is ready in 30 minutes and made with only half a cup of heavy cream while the rest consists of chicken broth, asparagus, potatoes and a nutty lemon-cilantro pesto for added flavour!

Asparagus season is here and that means making delicious soup! If you have not tried it before, well…what are you waiting for? You’ll have this soup ready in 30 minutes from start to finish. Since St. Patrick’s 🍀 day is coming up, this would be a great way to celebrate with something green! I also have a dairy-free asparagus soup recipe here, that uses leftover chicken to make a chunky (unblended) soup version.

*Good To Know*

  • Can I make this dairy free?
    Yes! Replace the heavy cream with unsweetened nondairy milk such as almond, rice, coconut etc. You can also replace with extra broth or water.
  • I can’t find pine nuts. Can I replace it with something else?
    For my Pesto recipe, you can replace pine nuts with roasted peanuts or cashews.
  • Can I use olive oil in place of a neutral oil for my Pesto?
    You can, however, olive oil has a stronger flavour than neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil. Since we want notes of lemon and cilantro to come through in our Pesto, it’s best to stick to a neutral oil. Avocado oil may be a better alternative to olive oil.
  • What else can I use Pesto for?
    Use leftover pesto on bread, in stuffed chicken breast, mix into hot pasta or mashed potato, mix into a dip or dressing, enjoy on pizza and so much more!
  • How to store Pesto?
    Pesto, can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen in an ice cube tray and transferred to a freezer bag that will last up to 5 months frozen.

Ingredients you’ll need

For the soup

  • asparagus
  • white potatoes
  • onion & garlic
  • chicken broth
  • heavy cream

asparagus soup ingredients

For the Pesto

  • cilantro
  • lemon zest & juice
  • toasted pine nuts
  • garlic
  • seasoning (sugar, salt)
  • neutral cooking oil (ie. vegetable, canola or avocado)

pesto ingredients

How to make Lemon-Cilantro Pesto

Toast pine nuts over medium-high heat and continuously stir for 2 minutes (they brown quickly, so don’t walk away from your pan!). Set aside to cool.

pine nuts

In a blender, add rinsed and roughly chopped cilantro (roots removed), lemon zest and juice, salt, sugar, garlic, pine nuts and oil. Use a neutral cooking oil such as vegetable, canola or avocado to allow the lemon and cilantro flavour notes to come through. Blend until fully puréed and smooth. Set aside in a bowl.

how to make pesto

How to trim Asparagus

So why trim the ends? Asparagus have woody ends (even when harvested fresh), if not trimmed properly, it will have a stringy, inedible texture that won’t taste pleasant in your soup. To trim, simply use the bend-and-snap method. It’s fairly fast and simple. Hold your asparagus stalk near the end, bend and wait for it to snap. Naturally, the woody end will snap off, leaving the remainder as your fresh stalk for you to cook with. Cut your asparagus into 1″ pieces, leaving the spears or tip of your asparagus whole to use for garnish later.

how to trim asparagus ends

How to make Asparagus soup

Sauté onions and garlic until fragrant. Add in your chopped asparagus and diced potatoes and continue to sauté. Sprinkle in salt and add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are softened. I added potatoes to this recipe in order to give it a boost of texture and flavour without adding too much of the heavy cream (and to help thicken the soup without having to add a thickener such as cornstarch). You can omit the potatoes if you prefer a pure cream of asparagus soup and reduce your broth by 1 cup.

how to make asparagus soup
When soup is cooked, pick out approx. 12 cooked asparagus spears (3 for each bowl) for garnish and set aside. Add heavy cream to soup and blend soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, with a strainer set over a large bowl, carefully pour asparagus soup through strainer (reserve broth). Add vegetables into a blender or to a food processor.  *Important*, if using a blender remove measuring cup from lid to allow steam to escape and place hand towel over the opening. Add heavy cream and blend until smooth. Blend in batches if necessary. Pour blended vegetables and reserved broth back into pot and mix until combined (reheat soup if needed). Ladle soup into a bowl, drizzle 1 – 2 teaspoons of Pesto over soup and place 3 asparagus spears to the center of your soup. Enjoy while hot!

cream of asparagus soup

If you enjoyed my recipe, please leave a comment or rate it below.  Also don’t forget to follow me on my social media channels (YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram) to keep up with my latest kitchen shenanigans.

cream of asparagus

Cream Of Asparagus Soup With Lemon-Cilantro Pesto

This delicious Asparagus soup is ready in 30 minutes and made with only half a cup of heavy cream while the rest consists of chicken broth, asparagus, potatoes and a nutty lemon-cilantro pesto for added flavour!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yields: 4

Ingredients

Soup

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons garlic (2 cloves), minced
  • cups yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cups white potatoes (approx. 6 small/medium), peeled & diced
  • 5 cups asparagus ( 2 bunches), ends trimmed & stalks chopped (cut spears whole, for garnish)
  • 3 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream (18% M.F.)

Lemon-Cilantro Pesto

  • 1 cup fresh cilantro (1 bunch), roots removed & stems & leafs roughly chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 1 clove garlic
  • cup pine nuts, toasted
  • ¾ cup neutral cooking oil, vegetable, canola or avocado

INSTRUCTIONS 

Lemon-Cilantro Pesto

  • In a medium non-stick pan, toast pine nuts on medium-high heat, continuously stirring while toasting until nuts are brown (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
  • In a blender or food processor, add cilantro, lemon zest & juice, salt, sugar, garlic, toasted pine nuts and oil. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Soup

  • In a large pot, heat 2 Tablespoons oil on high heat. Add diced onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until onions are translucent.
  • Add chopped asparagus, diced potatoes and kosher salt. Continue to stir on high heat to combine and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot with lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove asparagus tips (12 spears) and set aside for garnish. Add heavy cream to soup and blend soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, with a strainer set over a large bowl, carefully pour asparagus soup through strainer (reserve broth). Add vegetables into a blender or to a food processor.  *Important*, if using a blender remove measuring cup from lid to allow steam to escape and place hand towel over the opening. Add heavy cream and blend until smooth. Blend in batches if necessary. Pour blended vegetables and reserved broth back into pot and mix until combined (reheat soup if needed).
  • Ladle soup into a bowl, drizzle 1 – 2 teaspoons pesto over soup and place 3 asparagus spears to center of soup. Enjoy while hot!

Video

Category: Soup
Cuisine: Canadian
Keyword: asparagus, lemon cilantro pesto, soup, st. patrick’s day, vegetables

Tips

Can I make this dairy free?
Yes! Replace the heavy cream with unsweetened nondairy milk such as almond, rice, coconut etc. You can also replace with extra broth or water.
I can’t find pine nuts. Can I replace it with something else?

For my Pesto recipe, you can replace pine nuts with roasted peanuts or cashews.
Can I use olive oil in place of a neutral oil for my Pesto?

You can, however, olive oil has a stronger flavour than neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil. Since we want notes of lemon and cilantro to come through in our Pesto, it’s best to stick to a neutral oil. Avocado oil may be a better alternative to olive oil.
What else can I use Pesto for?
Use leftover pesto on bread, in stuffed chicken breast, mix into hot pasta or mashed potato, mix into a dip or dressing, enjoy on pizza and so much more!
How to store Pesto?
Pesto, can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen in an ice cube tray and transferred to a freezer bag that will last up to 5 months, frozen.
Your Own Digital Notes
Nutrition Facts
Cream Of Asparagus Soup With Lemon-Cilantro Pesto
Amount per Serving
Calories
814
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
68
g
105
%
Saturated Fat
 
47
g
294
%
Cholesterol
 
41
mg
14
%
Sodium
 
3216
mg
140
%
Potassium
 
1504
mg
43
%
Carbohydrates
 
51
g
17
%
Fiber
 
9
g
38
%
Sugar
 
10
g
11
%
Protein
 
11
g
22
%
Vitamin A
 
1988
IU
40
%
Vitamin C
 
77
mg
93
%
Calcium
 
122
mg
12
%
Iron
 
6
mg
33
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this? I would love to see your creation!Tag me @sweet2savoury on Instagram and hashtag it #sweet2savoury

Leave a Review

Rate This Recipe!