Creamy Asparagus Soup with Turmeric Pesto Eases Me Into Spring
This vegan soup has a creamy texture thanks to cauliflower – and bright green color and spring flavor thanks to asparagus
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It’s officially spring now and I’m getting excited about my favorite spring ingredients – but that doesn’t have to mean putting the soup bowls in storage just yet. This vegan asparagus soup is a perfect way to transition between the seasons, and the turmeric pesto elevates it to something really fun.
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Creamy Asparagus Soup with Turmeric Pesto
Ingredients
Asparagus soup
- 1 small leek, white part only, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 Tablespoon plant butter or olive oil
- 2–3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1½ lb asparagus, trimmed and roughly chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt
Turmeric pesto
- 1 3-inch piece turmeric root, peeled and grated
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp lemon zest + 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Preparation
1. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat plant butter or oil on low. Add leek and cook, stirring often to prevent butter from browning, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups broth, cauliflower, ground turmeric and ½ tsp pepper. Cover and simmer until cauliflower is soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to a small food processor, add all pesto ingredients. Process for 30 seconds until blended but coarse. Transfer to a small bowl.
4. Add asparagus to soup and cook just until tender and bright green, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Transfer soup, in batches if necessary, to a blender and purée until very smooth, adding as much of the remaining broth as necessary to thin to desired texture. Season with ½ tsp salt.
6. Divide among bowls and garnish each with Turmeric Pesto.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of recipe
- Calories 149
- Carbohydrate Content 12 g
- Cholesterol Content 8 mg
- Fat Content 10.5 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 4 g
- Saturated Fat Content 3 g
- Sodium Content 484 mg
- Sugar Content 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g