I love asparagus. I love making creamy plant-based soups using coconut milk. I love recipes that feel so springy, you want to eat them surrounded by fresh flowers and Easter eggs. This delicious Asparagus & Pea Soup with Homemade Croutons (that can be easily made whole wheat or GF using leftover bread) fits the bill on all of those. The croutons offer a yummy way to use up the heels of the bread loaf that no one ever wants. So, if you have a few extra slices of bread, or leftover bagels work great too, save them for this recipe. Want to make this next week, but have bread ready to go now? Freeze the bread ahead of time and then let thaw briefly before you bake the croutons.
This is a great dish to serve at all the Spring get-togethers, especially if you’re like me and Spring has brought longer days, but not warmer temperatures. The savory and chewy croutons pair so well with this fresh and tangy soup.
A note on kitchen tools and another love of mine - the blender. One of the simplest and most effective kitchen appliances for helping cook more plant-based meals at home. I also love an immersion blender, which works well for this soup, just make sure to cut your asparagus into small pieces before roasting - all outlined below. If you have been thinking about investing in a high speed or immersion blender, consider this your sign to do it now.
Yield: 6-8 bowls of soup
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
2 lbs asparagus, tough woody ends removed and cut into 1-2 inch long pieces
~¼ cup olive oil, divided
2 tsp salt, divided. Plus more to taste.
1 tsp pepper, divided. Plus more to garnish.
½ cup red onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
16 oz frozen green peas
2 cup vegetable broth
1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk
2-4 pieces of sandwich bread or 1 bagel, cut into 1 inch cubes. Bread heels and GF bread work great. Older bread works better than fresh bread.
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Preparation
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°. Spread the asparagus spears (cut into 1-2 inch pieces) onto a baking sheet, lined if preferred. Cover in 1 Tbsp olive oil and add ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper on top. Stir to coat evenly. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus), rotating halfway through.
Step 2: Meanwhile, heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add the red onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper and stir. Let cook for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Add the frozen green peas and stir, scraping up any frozen bits from the pan. Let the peas cook for ~5 minutes.
Step 3: Add the vegetable broth and the coconut milk. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Turn to low once the soup boils and let simmer.
Step 4: If you plan to use an immersion blender, add the asparagus directly to the soup once it is done roasting. If you plan to use a high speed blender, add the asparagus to the blender. Either way, remove the soup from heat at this time, as well.
Step 5: Turn your oven temperature to 325° for your croutons. Add the cubed bread pieces to a baking sheet (you can use the same one if you wipe it off to remove any moisture). Combine 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (depending on how much bread you use) along with a ½ tsp of each of the salt, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl. Add the Italian Seasoning to the bowl, as well. Stir to combine and add the mixture over the bread cubes stirring to gently coat. Place them in the oven to bake for ~15 minutes (I like them a little chewy) turning over halfway.
Step 5: Using an immersion blender, begin to blend the soup, including the asparagus, until creamy and smooth. If you are using a traditional blender, let the soup cool until you can safely pour it. Transfer it into the blender with the asparagus and blend until creamy and smooth. Add the lemon juice and additional salt to taste. Serve with croutons and additional pepper (if desired) on top.
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