Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup

Submitted by Sharon123

"If you can't find fresh asparagus, broccoli works well in this recipe too. Cashew cream stands in for the dairy and makes a rich, delicious dish. From Chef Tal Ronnen's The Conscious Cook."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• sea salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 quarts vegetable stock (or faux chicken stock)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup thick cashew cream, plus more for garnish (Cashew Cream(Regular and Thick))
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh Baby Spinach
• baby greens (to garnish, or use chopped chives, or chopped or slivered cooked beets)

directions

1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of sea salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will creat a nonstick effect.
2. Add the asparagus, celery, and onion and saute for 6-10 minutes, just until celery is soft. Add the stock and bay leaf, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender. Cover the lid with a towel(the hot liquid may spout out of the blender), blend on high. Add the spinach to the last batch and continue blending until smooth. Pour the soup into a large bowl and stir to incorporate the spinach batch.
4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with baby greens(or use chives or beets) and drops of Cashew Cream. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Wish I Could Cook]

Delish! What a great tasting soup. I cheated a bit with the cashew cream, by using boiling water for a couple of hours instead of overnight, but it worked great. And an immersion blender works great here instead of a blender. Everyone loved it and I'll be happy to make it again!

 

[Enjolinfam]

This is a wonderful soup! Full of healthy veggies! My girls made some funny faces when I served them green soup, but once they tried it they loved it alongside their grilled cheese sandwiches. It is actually a pretty soup too - I wish I'd had my camera to take a picture! It wasn't as thick as I expected. If someone is looking for a thicker soup I'd suggest less broth or more cashew cream. Thanks Sharon!