Aspergesoep
Creamiest No Cream Asparagus Soup
This super easy Aspergesoep is ready in no time!
Aspergesoep is packed with white asparagus and is rich and velvety without using any cream... It's perfect for a light lunch or a cool spring night!
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Aspergesoep is packed with white asparagus and is rich and velvety without using any cream... It's perfect for a light lunch or a cool spring night!
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Why We Love It!
- Quick and Easy: This gourmet soup is a breeze to make! Because with just a few simple steps, it’s ready in less than 30 minutes. It is perfect for lunch, dinner and entertaining.
- Spring Treat: This is one of our favorite ways to welcome the budding season, spring in a bowl!
- Cream Free: This velvety, yet light soup is lusciously creamy - minus the cream.
- Healthy: Our simple and luxurious Aspergesoep is not only packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals but is also low in calories.
- It’s Vegetarian!
What Is Aspergesoep?
Ever wondered why white asparagus are called ‘white gold’ in Belgium? Well, let’s dive into its fascinating story! This veggie has been cherished in Belgian cuisine for centuries. Alongside Aspergesoep, or asparagus soup in English, there are many other classic Belgian recipes featuring this delicacy. In fact, white and green asparagus are the same vegetable. While green asparagus grow above ground, basking in the sun, white asparagus are carefully cultivated under ground. So farmers heap mounds of soil over the spears to keep them from the daylight. Due to this unique and painstaking growing method, white asparagus obtain their pale color and tender, creamy texture, which truly sets them apart. Once harvested, it’s a race against time to enjoy this seasonal delicacy, making dishes like creamy white Aspergesoep. And so it’s no wonder ‘white gold’ is one of our springtime favorites!
Ingredients
Aspergesoep
left to right top to bottom – check ‘Recipe’ below for quantity info
- White asparagus: Choose asparagus that look perky and crisp, with straight stems and closed tips. Also, give the ends a quick check, because if they’re not too dry, it means they’re pretty fresh from the field.
- Salt & Pepper
- Butter: A knob of butter complements the earthy notes of the asparagus and makes the soup taste rich and silky. Opt for unsalted butter for better flavor control.
- Bay leaf: You can use a fresh or dried leaf, just toss it in and let it work its magic.
- Parsley: Roughly chopped parsley adds a pop of color and freshness to the finished soup.
- Thyme: You can use fresh or dried thyme.
- Vegetable stock: Use homemade or high-quality store-bought vegetable stock, because that forms the base of this delicious Aspergesoep.
- Onion: When sautéed, onions add depth and natural sweetness to the soup.
- Potato: One floury potato is all it takes to make this soup velvety smooth and super creamy. So, no need for heavy cream here!
How to make Aspergesoep
Warm Up
Firstly, pour the vegetable stock in a pot and bring to a boil.
Peal & Chop!
In the meantime, cut the tips of the asparagus separately from the rest of the spears, about 2"/ 4cm. Peel the onion and potato. Then chop the asparagus spears, onion and potato into smaller pieces. No need to peel the asparagus if you chop them in pieces of about 0,5"/1,5cm.
Blanch the Tips
Next, blanch (cook) the asparagus tips for 2-3 minutes in the boiling stock, until tender but still crispy. Then scoop out the tips but keep the stock. Roughly chop some parsley and set all aside for later garnishing.
Sauté
In a separate pot, melt a knob of butter over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion and potato in the butter. Then add the remaining pieces of asparagus, as well as the bay leaf and thyme.
Cook
After that, pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil. At that moment, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the asparagus are tender. Then remove the bay leaf and thyme.
Mix
Use a hand mixer to blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
Strain
Then strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve to remove any fibrous bits. Finally, season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve your Aspergesoep hot, garnished with the blanched asparagus tips and roughly chopped parsley.
Serving Tips & Pairings
- Bread: We like to keep it simple and serve the Aspergesoep with thick slices of warm crusty bread or sourdough baguette. It’s ideal for sopping up every last drop of this delicious soup.
- Olive Oil: The grassy notes of a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil work perfectly with the asparagus.
- Cheese: Who doesn’t love a good cheese pairing? So sprinkle some grated cheddar or Emmental cheese over the hot bowl. It melts beautifully into the creamy soup.
- Smoked Salmon: Dress to impress! Top the asparagus soup with delicate slices of smoked salmon. The smoky richness of the salmon takes the soup to a whole new level of luxury.
- Ham or Chicken: Dice up some cooked ham or a few slices of simple boiled or roasted chicken and stir it right into your Aspergesoep for an extra dose of heartiness and flavor. It’s comfort food at its best.
- Bärlauch Pesto: Turn it into the ultimate spring soup by finishing it with a spoonful of wild Bärlauch Pesto.
- Drinks:
- Keep things light and refreshing and pair your soup with a glass of cucumber, beetroot or grapefruit juice.
- Pair it with a crisp Chardonnay, Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc. The freshness in these wines cuts through the richness and earthy flavor of the soup. Or do it the Belgian way and crack open an ice cold Duvel beer. Because, trust us, it’s a match made in beer heaven…
Substitutions & Variations
- Green Aspergesoep: Substitute white for green asparagus. White asparagus is only available from spring into early summer, while green asparagus is available year-round.
- Old School Variation: Swap vegetable stock for chicken broth. Chicken broth gives the soup that old school umami depth.
- Herbs: Change parsley for other exciting herbs like cilantro, basil, tarragon or dill.
- Mushrooms: We love to throw in lots of sautéed mushrooms; add a spoonful of Funghi Trifolati for an extra rich and savory twist!
- Heat: Spice things up with a few slices of fresh chili. Chili goes surprisingly well with asparagus.
- Vegan: Just swap butter for olive oil.
FAQs
The way to pronounce this Dutch word is is ‘ahs-pair-zhuh-soop’, with the stress on ‘pair’.
White asparagus can be pricier than green ones due to its labour-intensive growing process and limited availability during the spring season. Believe us, it is worth every penny!
You can usually find white asparagus at farmers markets and ‘foodie’ shops.
You can store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Aspergesoep freezes quite well actually.
Recipe
Aspergesoep
Ingredients
- 500 g white asparagus
- 30 g butter - unsalted
- 1 piece bay leaf
- 1 bunch parsley - a small handful, only leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 l vegetable stock
- 1 piece onion - medium-size
- 1 piece potato - medium-size
Instructions
- Firstly, pour the vegetable stock in a pot and bring to a boil.
- In the meantime, cut the tips of the asparagus separately from the rest of the spears, about 2"/ 4cm. Peel the onion and potato. Then chop the asparagus spears, onion and potato into smaller pieces. No need to peel the asparagus if you chop them in pieces of about 0,5"/1,5cm.
- Next, blanch (cook) the asparagus tips for 2-3 minutes in the boiling stock, until tender but still crispy. Then scoop out the tips but keep the stock. Roughly chop some parsley and set all aside for later garnishing.
- In a separate pot, melt a knob of butter over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion and potato in the butter. Then add the remaining pieces of asparagus, as well as the bay leaf and thyme.
- After that, pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil. At that moment, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the asparagus are tender. Then remove the bay leaf and thyme.
- Use a hand mixer to blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Then strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve to remove any fibrous bits. Finally, season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve your Aspergesoep hot, garnished with the blanched asparagus tips and roughly chopped parsley.
Notes
- White asparagus: Choose asparagus that look perky and crisp, with straight stems and closed tips. Also, give the ends a quick check, because if they’re not too dry, it means they’re pretty fresh from the field.
- Salt & Pepper
- Butter: A knob of butter complements the earthy notes of the asparagus and makes the soup taste rich and silky. Opt for unsalted butter for better flavor control.
- Bay leaf: You can use a fresh or dried leaf, just toss it in and let it work its magic.
- Parsley: Roughly chopped parsley adds a pop of color and freshness to the finished soup.
- Thyme: You can use fresh or dried thyme.
- Vegetable stock: Use homemade or high-quality store-bought vegetable stock, because that forms the base of this delicious Aspergesoep.
- Onion: When sautéed, onions add depth and natural sweetness to the soup.
- Potato: One floury potato is all it takes to make this soup velvety smooth and super creamy. So, no need for heavy cream here!
Nutrition
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