Classic Cream of White Asparagus Soup
A simple classic for asparagus season: creamy white asparagus soup with butter, cream and a touch of nutmeg and lemon, ready in 30 minutes with few ingredients.
White asparagus season has a signature dish, and this is it: a silky soup that needs only a handful of ingredients and half an hour. A light roux gives the soup body, cream rounds it out and lemon juice keeps the flavor fresh.
Instructions
- 1
Wash the asparagus and peel it thoroughly. Cut it into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces.
- 2
Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the sugar, salt and asparagus pieces and sauté over low heat for 2 minutes.
2 min
- 3
Sprinkle the flour over the asparagus and stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the water while stirring and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the asparagus is tender.
10 min
- 4
Before blending, fish a few asparagus pieces out of the pot and set them aside as a garnish.
- 5
Add the cream, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and pepper, then blend with an immersion blender to your desired creaminess. Serve with the reserved asparagus pieces.
I love how a humble roux and a splash of cream turn white asparagus into something so silky and elegant. In Italy we would reach for a potato or a simple béchamel to thicken a vegetable cream, and this German approach is close in spirit, only more direct. The result is delicate, gently sweet and a little earthy, with nutmeg and lemon lifting it; I always keep a few tips on top for bite.
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