By Melissa Clark
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- 4(280)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This silky, verdant soup gets its color from a mix of green vegetables. Asparagus is the dominant flavor, with fennel and leeks adding sweetness, zucchini its plush texture, and spinach and herbs their earthy mineral character. The color is at its brightest right after puréeing and will darken as it sits, but this won’t affect its rich, complex flavor. If the soup thickens too much after cooling, add a little broth or water when you reheat it.
Featured in: Asparagus Season Is Here. Make It Count With These 3 Stellar Recipes.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 2½tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
- ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 2teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- 1large fennel bulb with fronds, trimmed and diced (save the fronds)
- 2medium zucchini (about 12 ounces), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4cups vegetable stock
- 1cup cilantro, mint or parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 1cup dill fronds and tender stems, chopped
- 10ounces baby spinach
- 1 to 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
201 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 1098 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a soup pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. Let heat for 30 seconds, then add leeks, red-pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Sauté leeks until golden brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in fennel, zucchini, 1 teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Step
2
Set aside the asparagus tips and add the stems to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables turn bright green, about 5 minutes.
Step
3
Pour in 3½ cups vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
Step
4
While the soup is simmering, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining ½ tablespoon oil. Once hot, add asparagus tips and pinch of salt, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside for garnish.
Step
5
To the soup pot, add the herbs and 1 cup reserved fennel fronds (save remainder for garnish) to the broth. Working in batches, stir in the spinach until wilted. Add remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
Step
6
Use an immersion blender to purée until smooth (or purée in batches using a regular blender or food processor). You may need to add the remaining ½ cup broth for a looser texture.
Step
7
Stir in lemon juice, and taste for salt and pepper, adding more if needed. Serve garnished with fennel fronds and asparagus tips.
Ratings
4
out of 5
280
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Cooking Notes
Julie
I'm not sure (especially as it's a puree) that this would be asparagus' finest moment, since its subtleties will be buried under fennel, dill, cilantro, garlic & other players. I'll stick with my own tried-&-true asparagus/leek soup, riffed off of Deborah Madison's recipe in the original Greens cookbook. The flavors of asparagus & leek are intensified by first making a stock using the woody asparagus stems and leek greens, then heightened & played up at the end with lemon zest & parsley.
Cliff
To Melissa (and the other food writers at the Times): When you write "3 leeks" in a recipe, do you mean 3 leeks that each have one inch of white stalk, or 3 leeks that each have 9 inches of white stalk?? I can find both in my grocery store. It would be so much simpler and clearer if you wrote something like "1 cup of thinly sliced white and green parts of a leek" -- or 3 cups, or whatever...
Danamaya
Wondering if this soup could be frozen and defrosted/heated later and still be good?
Linda
Yes, it can be frozen and will taste good. Soups are a mainstay in our household for the warmest and the coldest of days.
GregK
Enjoyed this one. One could add potatoes for a vichyssoise variation or add creme fraiche when serving.I made it with Italian parsley, dill and fennel fronds/leaves and will certainly try with other combinations. I used your exact recipe ingredients, but let the pressure cooker make it in a jiff. Used leek discards and asparagus peels to make broth base, roasted other components before adding all to broth and 10 min pressure cook. Add spin & herbs and puree
MMS
I would add less red pepper flakes unless you like the spicy kick. Otherwise tasty and went well with Trader Joe’s scallion pancakes.
Joanna
Any ideas on what to serve this with? It doesn't feel like ye standard biscuits or oyster crackers would really suit.
Sheila Grauer Fay
We made this soup this weekend and can only describe it as 5 stars. It is the greenest most delicious soup and we will certainly make it again. I even shared with a friend. The garnish is critical on the first day but the soup can indeed stand alone! We froze the small leftover portion after two nights and hope it will hold up! Many steps but all easy and we highty recommend trying it! it is indeed beautiful as well as tasty.
Leni
Nice spring soup with a complex and elegant taste. I adjusted the amounts of vegetables since asparagus is expensive over here. I guess it's a good way to use the stems of asparagus when you use the tips in another recipe. I served the soup with a dollop of crème fraiche.
TD
Asparagus flavour is totally lost in this recipe, except for bites with tips. Good flavour but not a recipe if you want to taste asparagus. Made it exactly as instructed.
BFF
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit all around, kids and adults. Some changes: used a dash of red pepper (bc of the kids) and 5 instead of 10 oz of spinach (bc I grabbed a container when shopping without checking the oz- my bad). Will make again!
wingin' it
This soup is amazing, but in my opinion the recipe makes way more than four servings. I froze a quart for later and easily will have four servings or more from the remaining. Also I think it's better day 2 although the color does fade as Ms. Clark warns above.
Alison
Try this inthe instapot. Use Italian parsley . See the one on this . It sure about the fennel . Add crème fraice
s roberts
Do not put a cup of cilantro in this. It is way too much. Overpowering. My husband eats any green soup but would not eat this.
Jillarey
This version of asparagus soup is simply the best I've ever tasted. All the other vegetables manage to punch up the flavor of asparagus into a creation that is sublime.
Helen
this is quite lengthy in prep. Pretty good, the asparagus tips are a bonus. they fall into the mix in leftovers though. It’s even better left over than the first serving.
Angela
Asparagus was overwhelmed by the cilantro and chilli flakes, couldn't taste it at all. Will make it with parsley next time and leave out the chilli flakes.
David B.
The soup came together quite nicely. Cooked as instructed. Took a little longer than expected with all the vegetable and herb prep, but the flavors and warmth were perfect for a cool late spring night.
Anne
This was delicious. I substituted parsnips for zucchini, as that was what I had on hand. I added a tablespoon of butter and some white wine. I topped the soup with a dollop of plain greek yogurt.
SK
Delicious soup! I put it all in Vitamix so it was nice and smooth. Next time I'd use less fronds (a bit stringy) and slightly less red pepper flakes as the spice took over some of the other fresh flavors. Squeeze of lemon is essential to provide brightness. Overall, a great way to leverage all the Spring green veggies at the farmer's market - asparagus, spinach, fennel & herbs. Thanks Melissa!
Leslie
Delicious. We omitted the fennel because we are not fans. Also, had no leeks and no inclination to go shopping, so we used some shallots (and garlic chives from the garden). For herbs, we also used what was in the garden, which this early in the year happened to be apple mint. The red pepper was just right for us, although others might want to start with less and give it a taste.Definitely will make again. Goes well with some crusty bread and a good white wine.
Marti
I made this soup and it was DELICIOUS - then stored it in the fridge and it became sour and awful tasting - can anyone help me with why? Too much lemon? It tastes like the lemon and dill are interesting poorly once sitting for awhile. Open to recommendations!
R
Helpful cooking tip: Find a local pond or creek with some agricultural fertilizer runoff. A ladleful of the algal blooms of late July really do wonders in adding a depth to this soup! My kids really hate drinking this but I tell them it'll help them grow.
Sheila Grauer Fay
We made this soup this weekend and can only describe it as 5 stars. It is the greenest most delicious soup and we will certainly make it again. I even shared with a friend. The garnish is critical on the first day but the soup can indeed stand alone! We froze the small leftover portion after two nights and hope it will hold up! Many steps but all easy and we highty recommend trying it! it is indeed beautiful as well as tasty.
daphne
Confused about how much dill and how much fennel fronds. One cup of each?Then fronds for garnish?
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