Asparagus soup
A super-green and super-tasty vegetable soup with a few simple ingredients, including spinach and shallots
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Prep:10 mins
Cook:20 mins
- Serves 4
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
-
kcal 101
-
fat 8g
-
saturates 4g
-
carbs 4g
-
sugars 4g
-
fibre 4g
-
protein 4g
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salt 0.6g
Ingredients
- 25g butter
- a little vegetable oil
- 350g asparagus spears, stalks chopped, woody ends discarded, tips reserved
- 3 shallots, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 large handfuls spinach
- 700ml vegetable stock (fresh if possible)
- olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
- rustic bread (preferably sourdough), to serve (optional)
Tip
Keeping it seasonalSwap the shallots for a couple of leeks and the asparagus for purple sprouting broccoli during the winter months, when asparagus is not in season.What part of the spear to use
If you have thin spears, no thicker than your little finger, then simply use the whole stalk. If the spears are the thickness of your thumb, then snap off the woody ends.
Method
Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan until foaming. Fry the asparagus tips for a few mins to soften. Remove and set aside.
Add the shallots, asparagus stalks and garlic, and cook for 5-10 mins until softened but still bright. Stir through the spinach, pour over the stock, bring to the boil, then blitz with a hand blender.
Season generously and add hot water to loosen if needed. Ladle into bowls and scatter the asparagus tips over each. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with sourdough bread, if you like.
