I love this time of year! It’s usually warm enough during the day to get out the first summer clothes and at night it’s still cool and fresh enough to cuddle up and enjoy a warm cup of soup. And my fresh green asparagus soup with spinach and mint is just perfect for this kind of season. It’s refreshing, light and, at the same time, comforting and satisfying. Serve it with toasted, crusty bread or eat with a sandwich or wrap for lunch or dinner.
When you read through the recipe you’ll see that the soup is really straight forward and there’s nothing really fussy to do. You simply make your own quick veggie stock by boiling the pea pods and woody asparagus ends and add this to your sautéed vegetables. Easy peasy and full of flavour. Also, I’m a big fan of using the entire vegetable when cooking, so nothing of nature’s goodness is wasted. A win win for everybody.
As most of my soups, this asparagus cream is vegan and minimalist in the ingredients. But, if you feel like alternating the recipe or you can’t find fresh spinach for example, please feel free to make your own variation! You can easily replace the spinach with some mangold or a mixture of herbs and/or rocket salad. Adding some leafy greens at the end with give you an extra detox and vitamin boost. Just don’t get stressed out about any of it! Cooking should be fun, inclusive and an act of self-care. So, go with the flow and make it your own recipe.
If you happen to make this recipe or even take a picture of it, please feel free to tag me @themellowkitchn and/or #themellowkitchn. Or leave a comment right here on the blog! It always makes my day to hear from you!
Keeping it short and simple today. I’ll leave you with the recipe and hope to hear from you soon!
Anna
Green Asparagus Soup
A healthy, clean and fresh asparagus soup, perfect for the cooler days of spring! A great dish if you’re looking for a light dinner or lunch. Facebook0TwitterPinterest0email
- Prep Time: 10m
- Cook Time: 15m
- Total Time: 25m
- Serves: 2
- Yield: 2-4 portions
Ingredients
- 350 grams green Asparagus
- 500 grams fresh Peas (unshelled), makes about 230-250g (alternatively use 250g frozen peas)
- 1 small white onion (about 120g)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 big hand fresh spinach (roughly 2 cups)
- 2 -3 sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- kosher salt & black pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Wash the asparagus and break-off their woody ends (see tips for help). Place them in a small pot. Break the peas out of their shells and place the washed shells in the pot together with 750g water. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil to make your own veggie stock.
- Meanwhile cut the asparagus in 2cm pieces and set aside. Peel and cut the onion and garlic in small cubes.
- Heat up the olive oil in a medium stock pot and add the onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes at medium heat until they're translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add asparagus and stir through. Top with the veggie stock that you've been making in the separate pot. Season with some salt and let cook on medium-low for 5 minutes.
- Add the peas and cook for another 2 minutes. Meanwhile wash the spinach and mint and add both to the soup. Stir through.
- Transfer the soup to a blender (making sure your blender can handle hot liquids), add the lemon juice and blend for 60-90 seconds. Or blend with a handheld mixer. Season with salt and pepper and add more garlic and/or mint if you like. Garnish with more asparagus, fresh mint, lemon zest and/or olive oil.
Warm spring days put together with chilly spring nights makes this soup a great choice for dinner. Veggie Inspired fills her family up with this smooth, creamy soup loaded with spring greens. This is a tasty alternative for those that aren’t fans of eating their greens.