Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup is a light and creamy puréed soup that that takes just half an hour to cook. Great way to use up those tough asparagus stalks and ends. The luscious texture of this soup is thanks to oats, and stir in some Vegan Yogurt at the end for some tangy zing.
Why This Recipe Works
Use your asparagus stalks and ends. You know I love finding ways to minimize food waste, whether it’s making sausages with soy pulp, saving watermelon rinds for preserves, or grinding peanut butter with the skins on. This is another zero-waste recipe, perfect for using up the tough woody ends of your asparagus stalks.
Use up the tough green parts of leeks. Just like asparagus ends, leek greens are a tricky ingredient because they’re fibrous, they’re stringy… they’re just not very good eating. But they still have a good flavour and lots of nutrients. Rather than throw them out, purée them into cream of asparagus soup for a delicate and slightly sweet flavour.
Adapt the recipe for your situation. There are lots of substitution options for this asparagus soup, so you can make it even if you’re missing some ingredients. Out of oats? Use rice instead, or even cashews. Avoiding alcohol? Skip the white wine. Don’t have leeks? Just use onions.
What You’ll Need
A few important notes on some of the ingredients used in this vegan cream of asparagus soup:
Light olive oil: Light olive oil is used to sauté the leeks and garlic and adds some rich fatty flavour to the soup. Light olive oil is more refined than extra virgin olive oil so it has a higher smoke point and is better for cooking. If you don’t have light olive oil, use another neutral oil like sunflower oil or grapeseed oil. Don’t waste your nice evoo on sautéing; all the nice complex flavour will be cooked off! (You can drizzle some onto the soup at the end when serving, if you wish.)
Leek greens: This is a good way to use up the tough green parts of your leeks, also known as the leek tops. If you don’t have leeks, use onions instead.
White wine: This ingredient is optional, but most of the alcohol will be cooked off, so you won’t taste any of it in the finished dish. Make sure to use a dry wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay. Dry white wines don’t have much sugar content and won’t make the soup too sweet.
Oats: I use rolled oats, but you can also use quick oats or even steel-cut oats. I once read in a Vegetarian Times article that you can also use cooked rice to create a creamy soup base. I tried that in this recipe and it worked pretty well, so you can use either oats or cooked rice here. Don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste them in the cooked soup.
Asparagus: You can use the whole asparagus spear, but I prefer to save the tender tips for sautéing and use just the ends.
Spinach: Adding a cup of spinach helps boost the vibrant green colour of the soup, but you can leave it out
For topping, you can either garnish with a few slices of whole sautéed asparagus, a dollop of cream, or my personal favourite, soy cashew yogurt.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you’re following a specific diet or need to be aware of allergies, here are a few ways you can modify this recipe:
- Gluten-free: This cream of asparagus soup is gluten-free as written, but make sure to use certified gluten-free oats as many oats have cross-contamination with wheat products.
- Low carb: Substitute the oats with cashews for a rich and thick alternative.
If you made this recipe with a successful substitution, please let me know! Post a comment describing what you did so I can add it to this section and help future readers. (Leave your name blank if you don’t want to be credited.)
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Heat a stock pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of light olive oil and toss in 1 cup of sliced leeks or onions. Sauté until soft and shiny, but don’t let them brown.
Step 2: Add 3 cloves of garlic and cook for another minute, then pour in 1/4 cup of white wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Step 3: Stir until nearly all the wine has evaporated, then pour in 1/4 cup oats, 2 cups vegetable stock, and 2 cups of asparagus stalks. Cover, turn up the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
Step 4: Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of spinach and 1/2 tsp of black pepper in the last few minutes of cooking.
Step 5: Use an immersion blender (or pour it into a blender jar) and blend until very smooth. If desired, thin out the soup with an additional cup of water.
Step 6: Taste for salt and adjust to taste. Divide the soup into four portions. Dollop a spoonful of yogurt onto each bowl of soup just before serving.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store vegan cream of asparagus soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Freezer: Cream of asparagus freezes well for up to three months!
What to Serve with Cream of Asparagus Soup
- Soda Bread
- Cauliflower Cheese
- Vegan Yogurt (for drizzling over the soup)
- Pesto Pasta
- Roasted Kalettes
More Creamy Soup Recipes
Recipe Card
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Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup
Use Imperial/Metric buttons below to toggle between volume vs weight measurements. I recommend weighing out your ingredients for best results.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp light olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion or leek tops, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup white wine *optional
- ¼ cup oats *can sub with 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 2 to 3 cups vegetable stock or water see Note 1
- 2 cups asparagus stalks, chopped
- 1 cup spinach *optional
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp Vegan Yogurt for serving *optional
Instructions
- Heat a stock pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of light olive oil and toss in 1 cup of sliced leeks or onions. Sauté until soft and shiny, but don’t let them brown.
- Add 3 cloves of garlic and cook for another minute, then pour in 1/4 cup of white wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Stir until nearly all the wine has evaporated, then pour in 1/4 cup oats, 2 cups vegetable stock, and 2 cups of chopped asparagus stalks. Cover, turn up the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of spinach and 1/2 tsp of black pepper in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Use an immersion blender (or pour it into a blender jar) and blend until very smooth. If you prefer a thinner soup, add an additional cup of water.
- Taste for salt and adjust to taste. Divide soup into 4 portions. Dollop 1 tbsp of yogurt onto each bowl of soup just before serving.
Notes
- Vegetable Stock: For a quick veggie stock, I like to use 2 cups water + 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base.