Suffering through a faux spring? Ward off a spring chill with a bowl of Creamy Roasted Asparagus, Shallot, and Parmesan Soup. An easy recipe to pull together, this silky smooth homemade soup is an indulgent and satisfying meal.
One of my favorite soup recipes, the delicious flavor combination of earthy asparagus and sweet shallots is heightened by roasting in the oven. The flavors become more intense - the asparagus is caramelized and the shallots are sweeter.
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Spring Is In The Air
The arrival of asparagus season is a harbinger of spring. It is one of the first fresh vegetables to arrive in late March or early April - a sign of the start of the growing season.
But what is so special about spring asparagus? The flavor is sweeter and more delicate and the spears are tender with tight tips. On the plus side, this is generally a time when asparagus is on sale.
While you can feel the promise of sunny days with milder temperatures, spring can still bring damp and cold weather. It is still soup season - have bowl of warm, comforting soup to get rid of a chill.
Ingredients
Fresh Asparagus - Choose spears that are tender but still have some snap. Steer away from stalks that look wrinkled or withered. The tips should be tightly closed.
Shallots and Garlic - These aromatics add a lot of interest to the soup. They also caramelize nicely while the asparagus is roasting.
Thyme - Adds herby flavor that complements the asparagus.
Chicken Stock and Heavy Cream - You can substitute with vegetable stock.
Parmesan Cheese - The soup flavor is impacted by the quality of the cheese. Get the best you can find and grate it yourself. Pregrated parmesan often contains cellulose as an anti-clumping agent.
Garnishes - Minced chives, creme fraiche, and fresh lemon juice add depth of flavor. Plus the soup looks very appetizing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Roasting Asparagus
Roasting the asparagus with garlic and shallots elicits some sweetness and caramelization from the vegetables. The addition of olive oil, salt, and pepper will season the vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Trim the tough ends of the asparagus spears. If the stalks are thick and woody, you can peel them with a vegetable peeler. This helps the stalk to roast evenly. Peel and slice the shallots into ½-inch wide slices.
- Place the asparagus, garlic cloves, and shallots in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.
- Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the vegetables for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Rotate the spears and toss the shallots and garlic. Place the sheet pan back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. The asparagus should still be green. Some of the shallots will be crispy and browned.
Preparing the Soup
- Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Reserve the tips to add when the soup is finished.
- Combine asparagus pieces, shallots, garlic, and chicken stock in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
- Add the chicken stock and the thyme sprigs. Heat the soup over medium-high heat until it comes to a simmer, about 7 minutes. Don't simmer too long, the asparagus should still be green, not gray.
- Remove the thyme sprigs. Pour the soup ingredients into a blender. Blend until everything is creamy and smooth. You may need to do this in a couple of steps. Don't overfill the blender. Hot liquids can expand and blow the top of the blender off.
- Pour the soup back into the saucepan. Add the heavy cream and heat the soup over medium heat until it is hot. Continually stir to combine the soup and prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
- When the soup is hot, add the reserved asparagus tips and parmesan, stirring until the cheese has melted. At this point check the seasoning. Because the cheese is salty, add the salt ½ teaspoon at a time, until it is to your liking. Add the ground black pepper.
- Stir in the fresh lemon juice to flavor the creamy asparagus soup.
Garnish the Soup
- Ladle the soup into a bowl and garnish with a swirl of creme fraiche, a sprinkle of minced shallots, and a side of good artisan bread.
Substitutions & Tips
- You can use sour cream or yogurt as a substitute for creme fraiche.
- A food processor or a hand-held immersion blender can be used to puree the soup.
- To make this a vegetarian recipe you can substitute the chicken stock with vegetable broth.
- Other garnish suggestions include garlic croutons or a bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
- Substitute thyme with some other fresh herbs such as dill.
FAQ's
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few days. The soup will last for 4-5 days.
Becauses this is a creamy soup, reheat it gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Alternatively, you can microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between, until heated to your liking.
Diced carrots would be a nice addition.
Spring Meal
Creamy Roasted Asparagus, Shallot, and Parmesan Soup is one of my favorite ways to celebrate fresh produce in season. This rich and flavorful soup is warm and comforting, full of vibrant flavor.
Enjoy the peak season of asparagus with a bowl of this fresh soup.
Need another soup recipe? Try this delicious chicken soup - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/creamy-chicken-and-orzo-soup/
Recipe
Creamy Roasted Asparagus, Shallot, and Parmesan Soup
Equipment
- 1 rimmed baking sheet
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
- 1 large saucepan or dutch oven
- blender or food processor hand-held immersion blender
Ingredients
- 3 pounds asparagus (1361 grams)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 8 shallots (¾ cup sliced/6 ounces/168 grams)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces/946 ml)
- 1 cup heavy cream (8 ounces/237 ml)
- 1 cup Parmesan, shredded (3 ounces/86 grams)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chives minced
- ½ cup creme fraiche (4 ounces/123 grams)
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
Roast Asparagus, Shallots, and Garlic
- Prepare the asparagus stalks. Trim the ends and if any of the stalks are too woody, you may want to use a vegetable peeler to peel the stalk. The stalks will then roast evenly.
- Peel and slice the shallots into ½-inch wide slices. Place the asparagus, garlic cloves, and shallots on a sheet pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.
- Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the vegetables for about 15 minutes. Rotate the asparagus spears and toss the shallots and garlic. Place the sheet pan back in the oven for 15 more minutes.
- The asparagus should be pliable but still green, not gray. The shallots may be brown and crispy on the edges.
Prepare the Soup
- Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Reserve the tips to add when the soup is finished. Put the roasted asparagus pieces, shallots, and garlic in a large saucepan with thyme sprigs.
- Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables and heat until simmering, about 7 minutes. Since the vegetables are roasted, you are heating the chicken stock to a simmer. Don't simmer too long, the asparagus should still be green.
- When the stock is hot, remove the thyme sprigs and pour the contents into a blender. Blend until everything is smooth and creamy. You may need to do this in a couple of steps. Don't overfill the blender. Hot liquids can expand and blow the top of the blender off.
- Once all the vegetables and stock are blended, pour back into the pan. Add the heavy cream and continue to warm over medium heat. Occasionally stir the soup so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- When the soup is hot, add the asparagus tips and parmesan, stirring until the cheese has melted. At this point add the seasoning. Because the cheese is salty, add the salt ½ teaspoon at a time, until it is to your liking. Add the ground black pepper.
- Stir in the lemon juice to flavor the soup.
Garnish the Soup
- Garnish the soup with minced chives. Add a swirl of creme fraiche over the top of the soup.
Notes
Substitutions & Tips
- You can use sour cream or yogurt as a substitute for creme fraiche.
- A food processor or a hand-held immersion blender can be used to puree the soup.
- To make this a vegetarian recipe you can substitute the chicken stock with vegetable broth.
- Other garnish suggestions include garlic croutons or a bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
- Substitute thyme with some other fresh herbs such as dill.
Nutrition
Helen Demeranville says
Restaurant quality AND easy to make — five stars from the family, including those who are not veggie fans. I used lemon thyme from my garden, which added a hint of citrus. Simply sublime!
Julie says
The lemon sounds like a great addition!