Creamy Asparagus Soup
By ditching the requisite heavy cream and butter, we’ve stripped our creamy asparagus soup of its potentially weighty calorie count – it rings in at just over 200 calories and includes succulent toppers like crabmeat, Parmesan, bread cubes and more!
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Nutritional Bonus: The fact that 1 serving of our Creamy Asparagus Soup offers over 65% of your daily vitamin K requirement and 40% of today’s vitamin C may be a no-brainer, but the goodness doesn’t end there. A 1-cup bowl of this spring soup also offers an array of B vitamins (specifically thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and B6), which are necessary for converting carbs to glucose (food to fuel) and metabolizing fats and proteins.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb asparagus
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced small
- 1 tbsp whole-wheat flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 cup low-fat milk
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Garnish
- 2 slices multigrain bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
- 6 oz cooked crabmeat
- 2 tbsp slivered fresh basil
Preparation
- Wash asparagus, cut off bottom 2 inches and discard. Peel lower half of asparagus spear, then cut spear into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan on medium-high. Add garlic and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until onion begins to turn translucent. Mix in flour and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then gradually add broth and 1 cup water, continue to stir and bring to a boil, about 5 more minutes.
- Add potatoes and asparagus. Bring broth to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Working in batches, transfer mixture to a blender and purée for 20 to 30 seconds. (Careful; mixture is hot.) Return soup to pot off heat and blend in milk, salt and black pepper.
- Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in a small sauté pan on medium-high. Add bread and toss until lightly brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and sprinkle with Parmesan. To serve, spoon 1 cup soup into each of 6 bowls. In center of each soup, place 1 tbsp croutons, 1 tbsp red pepper, 1 oz crabmeat and 1 tsp basil. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 cup
- Calories 205
- Carbohydrate Content 28 g
- Cholesterol Content 22 mg
- Fat Content 5 g
- Fiber Content 5 g
- Protein Content 15 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1 g
- Sodium Content 364 mg
- Sugar Content 6.5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 0 g