Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan
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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.
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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
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- 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.
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Restaurant-style delicious! The easiest (onions, garlic and asperagus…lemon) and best asparagus soup without doubt. The lemon adds that special zing. Follow this easy recipe. It’s not heavy or rich. Everyone loves this. I reduced the butter to two tablespoons and cannot tell a difference. By accident, I forgot to add the Parmesan cheese once and everyone loved it just the same. The little bit of fresh lemon is important. Just be sure to snap the woody ends of each spear or the soup will be stringy and then you will need to strain it. This will be your ‘go to’ soup for friends and family. Great to freeze—add the cheese when reheating.
Delish! I love all of Jennifer’s recipes!
Hi Jen,
Fantastic soup! I have tried many other recipes for asparagus soup and yours by far is the best! As others have commented, I love that there is no cream, and the addition of parmesan cheese and lemon give the soup a delightful favor. I made the recipe as written; however, I might add fresh lemon thyme the next time as someone mentioned.
Jen, your recipes are my “go to” source and I have shared your recipes with my family and friends. I recently bought both of your cook books. The quality of your books is exceptional and I love that you include a full page picture for each recipe. I was shopping at my local Williams and Sonoma store a few days ago and suggested that they carry your books! Thank you for sharing your recipes and I look forward to your next book.
Jan
So glad you enjoyed the soup! Also, thank you for your very kind words — I’m happy you like the cookbooks (and appreciate you making the suggestion to Williams Sonoma)!! 🙂
Really delicious-tasting soup already, with minimal effort. I was looking for something to use up a bundle of asparagus where the tips were no longer perfect, but not yet stinky. (Waste is unnecessary.) I halved the recipe and this is earmarked for tomorrow’s lunch. It’s already amazing, can’t wait to taste it with the Parmesan and lemon added. Tips will need to wait until we make this again next spring. Thank you!
This soup knocked it out of the park. A great starter to the Thanksgiving meal. Thanks Jen
Excellent Soup! I make this as written, except I add just 1 to 2 Sprigs of fresh Lemon thyme to the broth. Then pull out the stems just before pulsing. [Lowes and Home Depo sell fresh Lemon Thyme in EARLY Spring. ] It is a perennial that I grow in 1ft X 1ft pots on my deck. Then I always have some on hand.
No other tweaks have ever been needed….( which is rare for me)
I think it is best fresh, but it does freeze well when you follow the directions given for freezing.
Also, try Jenn’s Green Pea & Asparagus Soup with feta…Another perfect Spring Soup.
Delicious take on asparagus soup. Love that no cream was used and enjoyed the addition of parm and zing of lemon. Will definitely make this again.
Absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to make a big batch and freeze some.
I am making this for the third time today. It is so delicious! Family loves it. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
Can I freeze this soup???? Saving a bit of summer for the winter?
Sure! See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions.
This is the most flavourful & delicious asparagus soup yet! It’s so smooth & creamy and yet not a drop of cream! The touch of lemon juice really makes the asparagus pop! Perfect soup for Asparagus season. Thank you again Jenn!
This soup is amazing. Easy to make and absolutely delicious. Very light and flavorful. It’s a regular in my house.