This vegan asparagus soup with spinach is easy to prepare and so delicious. Using lemon zest and juice, it’s bright, fresh and simply a perfect spring soup to enjoy seasonal produce.
This asparagus spinach soup recipe was originally posted in April 2016 but has been updated with new pics, more recipe details, and small recipe tweaks.
Hi friends!
Today I’m sharing a vibrant green vegetable soup that you’re going to love!
This vegan asparagus soup is such a great way to enjoy all the seasonal produce while making your belly happy at the same time.
This recipe just looks and tastes like a big bowl of springtime goodness. It’s a light soup that has a few simple ingredients and takes minutes to make.
When you have so few ingredients, they really shine through. Sometimes simple is best, don’t ya think?
Plus, when one has about 3 pounds of asparagus in one’s fridge, you know something asparagus-y has to happen, LOL.
Fan of green vegetable soups? Check out this broccoli spinach soup!
Why We Love This Asparagus Spinach Soup
- This vibrant green soup is made in about 30 minutes.
- It’s a one-pot meal so there’s minimal fuss and cleanup.
- It’s chock-full of veggies.
- It makes for a light lunch or side with dinner.
- Most importantly, it tastes delicious!
How to Make This Vegan Asparagus Soup
Full details on how to make this green vegetable soup are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- In a pot, cook onion in some olive oil.
- Then add and cook minced garlic and chili.
- Stir in asparagus, salt and pepper and give that a little cook.
- Pour in veggie broth and a little more salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until asparagus is nice and tender.
- Add baby spinach with a pinch of nutmeg.
- Give it a little stir to cook and wilt spinach.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in lemon zest and juice. All that’s left to do is serve and enjoy!
Tip: Don’t skip the lemon here! It really brightens and lifts the soup. It adds a little something special.
Can I Use Frozen Spinach Instead?
Absolutely!
You can thaw it out, drain and stir into the soup. Alternatively, add to the pot as is and simply cook until it’s heated through and wilted.
Delicious Garnish Options
- Reserve some of those asparagus tops for garnish! Simply cook in a pan with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. It only takes a few minutes or so (or until you’ve reached your desired doneness).
- Buttery croutons are so good! You get a nice textural component with the creamy soup.
- A swirl of coconut yogurt adds a creaminess.
- Drizzle of olive oil (lemon flavoured olive oil is so good here) adds richness.
- Freshly grated lemon zest adds a yummy pop of flavour.
- If you don’t need this to be a vegan or vegetarian asparagus soup, you can garnish with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, swirl in some cream, dollop with Greek yogurt, or top with crumbled blue cheese.
Tips for Making this Asparagus Spinach Soup
- Stalks of asparagus can vary in thickness. Cook until they’re tender.
- Don’t have fresh chili? Sprinkle in some dried red chili flakes. Alternatively, if you aren’t a fan of spice, feel free to omit.
- Don’t omit the squeeze of lemon juice; it really brightens the soup.
- Always zest your lemon before juicing. Things are much easier that way!
- Enjoy this soup for a nice light lunch or part of a multi-course meal.
More Yummy Soup Recipes
If you make this spring vegetable soup, be sure to leave a comment below!
Vegan Asparagus Soup with Spinach and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Thai chili pepper, minced (optional)
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends removed and stalks cut into 1.5-inch to 2-inch pieces
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 5 ounces baby spinach, a little more than ¼ pound or 140 grams
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus more to taste for optional garnish
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Lemon olive oil, garnish to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and chili pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Add asparagus, ½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Note: If you like, for garnish you can reserve some of the tops of asparagus and cook in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper until tender. Garnish soup with asparagus tops upon serving. This is optional.
- Pour in broth and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat (to about medium-low heat) to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.
- Stir in spinach and nutmeg and cook until spinach has just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.
- To serve, divide the soup into bowls and top with reserved cooked asparagus (if you opted to reserve some), lemon zest and a drizzle of regular or lemon flavoured olive oil (all optional garnish). Alternatively, simply enjoy the soup as is!
Notes
- Stalks of asparagus can vary in thickness. Cook until they’re tender.
- Don’t have fresh chili? Sprinkle in some dried red chili flakes. Alternatively, if you aren’t a fan of spice, feel free to omit.
- Don’t omit the squeeze of lemon juice; it really brightens the soup.
- Always zest your lemon before juicing. Things are much easier that way!
- Enjoy this soup for a nice light lunch or part of a multi-course meal.
Nutrition (ESTIMATE ONLY)
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
