Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This asparagus soup tastes rich, yet it’s made without heavy cream – just veggies, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection.
One of my favorite soup recipes, this creamy asparagus soup is made without heavy cream – just vegetables, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection. It’s perfect for early spring when asparagus is in peak season and there’s still a chill in the air. Serve with a focaccia or a good artisan bread.
What you’ll need To Make Asparagus Soup
How To Make Asparagus Soup
Begin by melting the butter in a large pot. Add the onions and garlic.
Cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
While that’s going, prep the asparagus. Trim off the tips (you’ll use them for a garnish), then cut the remaining spears into 1/2-inch pieces.
Add the chopped asparagus to the pot, along with the chicken broth, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are very tender.
Purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can blend the soup in batches in a blender.
Return the soup to the pot and stir in the fresh lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese.
Finally, cook the asparagus tips in salted boiling water for a few minutes until tender-crisp.
The best way to preserve the bright green color of the tips and keep them crisp is to shock them in an ice bath, but you can also refresh the tips under cold running water.
Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the asparagus tips, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.
You may also like
- Green Pea & Asparagus Soup with Feta, Mint & Pita Croutons
- Creamy Zucchini, Walnut, and Dill Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
- Spring Pea and Basil Soup
Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan
This asparagus soup tastes rich, yet it’s made without heavy cream – just veggies, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches asparagus (about 2¼ pounds), bottom ends trimmed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
- ½ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Handful fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill or basil (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
- In the meantime, cut the tips off of one bunch of the asparagus and set aside (you'll use those for a garnish). Cut the remaining spears and the other bunch of asparagus into ½-inch pieces.
- Add the chopped asparagus to the pot (minus the reserved tips), along with the chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
- Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes, or until tender-crisp. Drain the tips and then place them in a bowl of ice water to "shock" them -- this stops the cooking process and preserves their bright green color. Once the tips are cool, drain them and set aside.
- Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches, then return the soup to the pot.) Bring the soup back to a simmer and stir in the lemon juice and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. To thicken the soup, allow it to simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. (The soup will freeze best if you add the cheese when reheating.)
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 593 mg
- Cholesterol: 22 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This soup is amazing and I’ve made it so many times, I printed the recipe out for my book. My only complaint at the beginning was that bunches of asparagus vary so much in size that I found the ingredient “2 bunches” imprecise (I see now there is a weight given as well, but I never weigh things!). Now that I’ve made it so many times, I know how to adjust things like the lemon juice to taste depending on how much asparagus I have. Oh, also, once I got mixed up with my doubling of the recipe or something and put double the butter in – it wasn’t bad, I can tell you! So I don’t really measure the butter anymore either. I expect this soup to be in my life forever! Thank you!
As a chef, my goal is to have a repetoire of 50 recipes I make 50 times (I realize this probably makes me more of a nonna than a chef). Your asparagus soup recipe is one of my 50 and I am deeply appreciative. Thank you.
I’ve made this soup a few times now and love it. It’s super easy, delicious, and freezes well. I also adapted it for my instapot and it’s just as fabulous. Thank you!
Hi Deninne! Would you mind sharing how you cooked it in your IP?
Thanks.
I have just made this soup and it’s simply delicious. Can I give more than 5*?
The only thing different is that I grilled the tips on a fry pan, it gave a smoky flavour
Loved this soup hot and cold.
This is the best soup ever. I keep some in the freezer so I can satisfy the cravings quickly! I cool the soup, then use a NutriBullet to puree it. No strings at all. I’d give it 10 stars!!
Delicious, light summer meal paired with your Smoked Gouda & Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Thank you again so much, Jennifer!
Fantastic soup! Made it last night and loved it.
This was the most incredible soup!! I served it to a group of ladies and they all wanted the recipe. My husband, a non soup lover, actually enjoyed it and asked for seconds. I also made it with Beef broth the second time, as I had run out of chicken. It was every bit as good! Thank you!!!
Have made this and loved it. Question: it’s a hot July day, how will this be served cold?
I think it’d be excellent, Carol. 🙂
As good as it is hot, it was even better cold. Made a couple of days in advance and by the third day, it had thickened up beautifully. Served in crystal goblets with a swirl of sour cream and chopped chives. Heavenly. Perfect on a hot summer night. Thanks Jenn