Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup

Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup 

There’s nothing more exciting than spring veggies, especially if you live in a wintry cold climate where fresh food is less abundant for a few months. The feeling of seeing all the sprouting vegetables come up bringing color and fragrance to the environment is unparalleled. And those first farmer’s market trips have me nearly skipping with my produce basket from farmer to farmer with a broad smile and hungry belly! This Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup is so inspiring because it encapsulates the essence of spring while nourishing our bodies in a way which aligns and balances our individual expression of the season’s qualities. 

 

 

What’s the secret behind the “Cream” of the Soup?

I like to make a “creamy” soup using a sunflower cream inspired by Divya Alter in the Joy of Balance. The sunflower seeds offer a delightful depth and creaminess to the dish, yet ensuring it remains easily digestible. This is a feature that is particularly important in the warmer seasons when digestion tends to slow down.

This cream of asparagus soup is a nourishing, warm, yet refreshingly light meal that works wonders when the coolness of spring begins to give way to the heat of summer. Perfect for those days when you crave a meal that’s satisfyingly wholesome, yet won’t weigh you down.

Sauce it Up Ahead of Time

If you’re all about making fresh, home-cooked meals (and I highly recommend this approach), one fun shortcut is making sauces, chutneys, or dressings that you can use over the course of a few days. They can significantly enhance a simple meal, and the Sunflower Cream is an excellent example. It’s yummy over noodles or vegetables or even as a dip. It would also be amazing with Fenugreek Roti! 

I recommend doubling the sunflower cream recipe if you want to double-dip on the sauce. (I always do.)

 

 

Making Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup in the Summer

As the summer solstice arrives and the days get warmer, how do you make Asparagus Soup when asparagus is no longer at the farmer’s market? Great question. Use other summer veggies! Both broccoli and cauliflower emerge as easy local alternatives to asparagus, allowing you enjoy the same creamy goodness. You know what else would be delicious? A side of Chickpea Flour Pancakes.

I’ll leave it at that. Let’s make some soup!

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Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup

Prep Time: 15 Minutes + 15 minutes for sunflower cream

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 35 Minutes

Servings: 2 full meals, 4 side dishes

 

Ingredients

Sunflower Cream

1 cup toasted sunflower seeds

4 tablespoons of olive oil or canola oil 

½ fresh juiced lime

½ finger of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3/4 teaspoon of salt

2 chopped spring onions

1 handful of chopped cilantro and/or mint (optional)

½ cup of water or less for a thicker cream

 

Soup

½ large onion, chopped 

2 spring onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

Finger of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 tbsp of olive oil 

1.5 tsp of kitchari spice mix  (You can try the Maha Vidya Recipe, or order direct from Banyan Botanicals)

1/2 tsp of salt, plus more to taste

1 bundle of local asparagus, hard stems removed, roughly chopped

¾ cup of sunflower cream, plus more for garnish

2 1/2 cups of water

1 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (optional)

1 tbsp of fresh thyme, stem removed and chopped (for garnish)

 

Instructions

1. Prepare sunflower cream by adding all ingredients to a blender and blending until smooth. Set aside. Clean out the blender to use later.
2. Sauté onions with olive oil until translucent over medium heat.
3. Add spring onions, ginger, and garlic clove until the smell of raw garlic goes away. About 30 seconds.
4. Add kitchari spice mix and salt. Mix until well-coated.
5. Add asparagus. Mix to coat.
6. Add water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover.
7. Cook until soft. Add salt to taste
8. Pour soup in blender. Add sunflower cream and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (optional). Blend.
9. Return to pot and lightly heat up. 
10. Serve with sunflower cream and thyme as a garnish.

 

NOTES

**I like to toast the sunflowers in a toaster oven over short durations of time to prevent burning

***You can make the sunflower cream the day before to reduce cooking time!

****Use local cauliflower or broccoli if asparagus is no longer available

 

This recipe was shared in collaboration with Ashley Domers @mindfulmungbean. Stay tuned for more goodness Ash is cooking and sharing from her home kitchen. If you want to hear more about her journey with Ayurveda read her article From NYC to My Mountain Home.

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