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Vegetarian, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Cream of asparagus soup with croutons

Cream of asparagus soup is a smooth green asparagus soup with cream, for 4 people, ready in 40 minutes, easy to make, for €2.60 per person. The key to success is gently cooking the stalks and straining the soup through a fine sieve for a silky texture, with no stringy bits.

Tonight, cream of asparagus soup, an old French classic, all softness and spring asparagus.

Cream of asparagus soup with croutons
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.60
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring

This is a gentle, tender green soup that keeps the clean taste of asparagus without ever turning bland. The cream rounds it out just enough, and the tips, cooked separately, add a bit of bite in the middle of all that softness. Croutons fried golden in oil bring the crunch that smooth soups often lack.

This is a spring recipe, best made as soon as green asparagus shows up at the market. Mon Chou likes to serve it on a weeknight, since it needs little attention once the vegetables are in the pot. It also works well as a warm starter before a simple main on a Sunday.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green asparagus 800 g
  • Potatoes 250 g
  • Onion 1

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g
  • Heavy cream 15 cl

Pantry

  • Vegetable bouillon cubeoften in the pantry 1
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Country bread 3 slices

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut off the asparagus tips and set them aside, then cut the stalks into pieces.

    Snap off the tough end of each stalk, it's fibrous.

  2. Cook the tips for five minutes in boiling salted water, cool them quickly and set aside. 5 min

    Plunge them into ice water, they keep their bright green color.

  3. Sweat the onion in the butter, add the stalks, the potato and cover with water along with the bouillon cube. 20 min

    Cook at a gentle simmer, too high a heat dulls the color.

  4. Blend finely with the cream, strain through a fine sieve, season with salt and pepper.

    Straining removes the little fibrous strands from the asparagus.

  5. Brown bread cubes in the oil and serve the soup with the tips and croutons. 4 min

    Serve soon after adding the cream, the soup stays a nice green.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm green asparagus with tight tips, they give the soup a brighter color than asparagus that's already gone soft.
  • Don't let the soup boil hard once the cream is in, it can split slightly if it gets too hot.
  • If the soup looks too thick after blending, thin it with a bit of the cooking water rather than cold water, the flavor stays better balanced.

The variations

  • Swap the heavy cream for thick crème fraîche for a richer, more velvety soup.
  • Stir in a pinch of curry powder at the end of cooking for a light warmth that doesn't cover up the asparagus flavor.
  • For a quicker version, skip setting the tips aside and blend all the asparagus together, the soup tastes just as good, just less dressed up.

What to serve it with

  • A soft boiled egg on top
  • A simple green salad
  • A little grated parmesan

Storage

The soup keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, ideally without the cream, which you can stir in when reheating instead. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring, without letting it boil.

Questions about this dish

Can you use white asparagus instead of green?

Yes, but the flavor will be milder and less grassy, and the soup will look paler. White asparagus also needs to be peeled before cooking.

Can you make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it up to the blending step a day ahead, then reheat it gently before serving. Add the croutons and tips at the last minute so they stay crisp.

Why strain the soup through a fine sieve?

Asparagus has fibrous strands that survive blending even with a good blender. Straining catches them and leaves a smooth, silky texture.

Can you use a different bread for the croutons?

Yes, any slightly stale bread works well, baguette or sandwich bread included. The main thing is that it's firm enough to brown nicely without soaking up too much liquid.

How long does it take to make a cream of asparagus soup with croutons?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a cream of asparagus soup with croutons?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a cream of asparagus soup with croutons cost?

About €2.60 per serving, or €10.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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