Asparagus Soup Without Cream is a delicious and easy soup recipe the whole family will love! It is easy to make and is so full of flavor you will never guess it doesn't have cream! Naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
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Being dairy-free or vegan doesn't mean we can't enjoy traditional seasonal foods, comfort food classics, or childhood favorites. This recipe is no exception. Cream of asparagus soup is a rich and flavorful vegan soup that delivers on satisfaction and spring vibes without calling for any cream, butter, or other animal-derived products.
Best of all, this asparagus soup recipe is easy to make and comes together in just 30 minutes. If asparagus is in season where you are, grab a few bunches and make a double batch. Leftovers freeze beautifully to enjoy later when the asparagus cravings hit again.
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Why you'll love this vegan cream of asparagus soup recipe:
- One pot. Clean-up is a breeze for this soup! All you need is a chopping board, knife, measuring cups & spoons, and a large pot.
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients. All of the ingredients can be found at most major grocery stores in the US.
- A great way to enjoy the flavors of spring. The flavors of fresh Asparagus shine in this fresh and tasty soup.
- Dairy-free and so delicious! Being devoid of dairy doesn't need to mean a black hole of flavor. This soup is so tasty that my unassuming taste testers had no idea this soup was dairy-free!
- Naturally gluten-free and vegan. With no gluten-rich or animal ingredients, this vegan asparagus soup recipe is a great option for anyone with food allergies.
Ingredients:
- Asparagus: Look for stalks with a rich olive green color and that are firm and dense when lightly bent. Asparagus is usually in season March through May here in the Northern Hemisphere, but you can make this soup any time you can find fresh asparagus that meets these recommendations
- Vegetable Broth: Vegetable stock also works for this vegan cream of asparagus soup recipe. If you are not vegan or vegetarian, chicken broth can substitute for vegetable broth.
- Vegan Butter: My favorite brands are Earth Balance butter (not sponsored) and Trader Joe's vegan butter.
- Onion: White or yellow onions are best.
- Yukon Gold Potato: Adds a mellow and lightly sweet flavor to the recipe and also pureés up nicely to add a great texture to the soup.
- Silken Tofu: Contributes a creamy texture and blends up like a dream! If you can't find silken tofu, regular tofu can substitute. Just blend it up well until it achieves a smooth consistency.
- Nutritional Yeast: Looking for a vegan-friendly savory and cheesy flavor? Nutritional yeast is your pal! This ingredient adds extra nutrition and is a flavor powerhouse. This ingredient can be found at most major grocery stores, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods.
- Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest: You will need about ½ of a fresh lemon for this dairy-free asparagus soup recipe.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best for this recipe, but canned minced garlic can substitute in a pinch.
How to make asparagus soup without cream:
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Melt the vegan butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, or until softened.
Step 2: Add the potato to the onion mixture and saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 3: Add the asparagus pieces to the pot and saute until the potatoes are just starting to turn golden on some sides.
Step 4: Add the garlic and dried thyme to the vegetable mixture and saute for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant.
Step 5: Stir in the broth and increase the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer the soup until the potatoes and asparagus are cooked through and tender.
Step 6: Stir the cubed tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and zest into the soup. Cook until the tofu is heated through.
Step 7: Remove the soup from the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender or pour the soup into a blender and carefully blend the soup with the vent on the lid removed until smooth.
Step 8: Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with high-quality olive oil, croutons, lemon zest and/or flaky sea salt to garnish.
Recipe pro-tips:
- Trim the asparagus before adding it to the recipe. This will keep the asparagus flavor light and fresh, rather than bitter or woody.
- Trim the asparagus by holding a few spears length-wise between two hands. Gently bend the asparagus, putting slightly more pressure on the cut end of the stalk, until it breaks. Where it breaks will be where the woody section starts. Dispose of the woody ends and trim the asparagus.
- Use caution if blending this soup in a blender. The steam from the hot soup calls for a few precautionary steps: remove the vent from the lid of the blender and place a towel of over the vent hole.
Recipe variations:
- Extra cheesy: Craving a more cheese-forward soup experience? Double the nutritional yeast in the recipe and garnish with vegan (or dairy-free) parmesan cheese before serving.
- Extra citrusy: There's no such thing as too much lemon in my book and this soup is a great canvas for it. If you're also a lemon lover, double the juice or the zest for an extra lemony punch.
- Extra hearty: Add some nutrition and staying power to this spring soup recipe by doubling the amount of Yukon gold potatoes. The result: a luscious, thick, and satisfying soup.
Serving suggestions:
This soup is ultra-tasty served piping hot and drizzled with high-quality olive oil, flaky sea salt, croutons, and freshly cracked pepepr (or any combination of the above).
I served this recipe this year for Easter. It makes a great spring appetizer dish. It would also be so tasty for Mother's Day, a light lunch, or served with some crusty bread and vegan butter for an easy dinner.
Storing, freezing, and reheating directions:
To store: Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze: This vegetarian asparagus soup recipe can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: Heat the soup on medium-high heat in the microwave at 1-2 minute intervals, stirring between the intervals, or until the soup is fully heated through. You can also reheat this soup in a pan over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring it frequently as it heats up, until the soup is fully reheated.
FAQs:
There are so many ways to add the experience of dairy to a recipe without actually using it! To add flavor, you can substitute plant milk (almond, oat, coconut, cashew, or more), add nutritional yeast, or blend up silken tofu. To add mouthfeel, you can blend up potatoes (see the next section), silken tofu, or stir in coconut milk.
There are many ways that you can thicken a soup without milk or cream. One way is by using a thickener like cornstarch or flour. Another way is by pureeing (partially or fully) the solids in the soup. In this recipe, we will be pureeing the solids (asparagus, onions, and potatoes) to make the soup rich and creamy and to give it a great mouthfeel.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Heat-safe spatula
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Immersion blender (or high-speed blender)
More vegan soup recipes:
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Asparagus Soup without Cream (Vegan!)
Asparagus Soup Without Cream: so creamy, dreamy, and full of flavor that you'll forget this soup doesn't have cream! Made in just 30 minutes and naturally gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free.
This soup can also be made with chicken broth if desired, but will no longer be considered vegan or vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ large white or yellow onion, minced
- 1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and cubed into ½-inch pieces
- 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups (1 ½ quart) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 8 oz. silken tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve (optional):
- High-quality olive oil
- Croutons
- Lemon zest
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Melt the vegan butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until softened.
- Add the potato to the onion mixture and saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the asparagus pieces and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the potatoes are just starting to turn golden on some sides.
- Add the garlic and dried thyme to the vegetable mixture and saute for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the broth and increase the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes and asparagus are cooked through and tender.
- Stir the cubed tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and zest into the soup. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the tofu is heated through. Remove the soup from the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender or pour the soup into a blender and carefully blend the soup with the vent on the lid removed until smooth. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with high quality olive oil, croutons, lemon zest and/or flaky sea salt to garnish.
Notes
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- This recipe can also be made with low-sodium chicken broth though the soup will no longer be vegan (though it will still be dairy-free).
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 166Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 1mgSodium 253mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 7gSugar 5gProtein 9g
This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dietitians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Jess says
Made this last night and it’s delicious!! Only thing I did differently was I couldn’t put in nutritional yeast because we didn’t have it but it was still super good. I added a lot of salt and pepper because that is my preference. All around delicious and will make again!!
Mae's Menu says
Hi, Jess!!
So glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!! Thanks for sharing!
Chelsea