Asparagus, Leek, and Parsley Soup Recipe

This naturally dairy-free and gluten-free asparagus, leek, and parsley soup recipe was submitted by Wai Leng for the March Recipe Madness Contest we held several years ago.

I don’t consume dairy and I live in cold and windy Chicago which has many soupy days in a year. But ironically, I didn’t come up with this recipe during winter. It was actually born on a suddenly cold day last Spring. This savory soup has a mild leek taste complemented by the earthy flavor of asparagus and the fresh flavor of parsley….it’s a perfect partner for a piece of whole grain toast.

Slurp Your Greens with this Asparagus, Leek, and Parsley Soup

Recently, we’ve made some slight updates to Wai Leng’s recipe and also have answers to a few soup FAQs.

Can I Substitute a Different Type of Potato?

Yellow potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes also work well in soups like this one. And you don’t need to peel them since they are thin skinned.

Can I Substitute a Different Herb for the Parsley?

Parsley is a very mild herb. I would recommend substituting a leafy green like baby spinach leaves or arugula instead of another herb. If you decide to use another herb, I would choose a leafy one, like basil, and would loosely measure it rather than packing it. If you substitute another, stronger herb, reduce the amount.

What Can I Substitute for the Leeks?

If you don’t have any leeks, you can use green onions or simply substitute diced yellow onion.

What Milk Alternative do you Recommend in Soup?

Wai Leng used almond milk, but you can use your favorite milk alternative. Just make sure it is plain and unsweetened. We like coconut milk beverage or homemade cashew milk in soups. But some of the newer milk alternative blends are seamless. For another “clean” soup option, you could use lite or regular canned coconut.

Can I Substitute Chicken Broth?

Wai Leng intended this as a vegan and plant-based recipe. But if you do like to use chicken broth, it should work well as a vegetable broth substitute in this asparagus, leek, and parsley soup.

Can I Use an Immersion Blender Instead?

Yes, you can blend everything in the pot with an immersion blender. You could alternatively combine all ingredients in a food processor until relatively creamy. But if you do have a blender, you only need a regular blender, not a high power blender. The greens should be tender enough to blend easily.

Special Diet Notes: Asparagus, Leek and Parsley Soup

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose the vegetable broth and milk alternative that suit your dietary needs.

Asparagus, Leek, and Parsley Soup

 

Author: Wai Leng

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: American

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only) and rinsed
• 1 small or medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, plus additional to taste
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound asparagus, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup unsweetened milk alternative

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté for 3 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add the potatoes and season with the ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes.
3. Add the vegetable stock and water, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the asparagus and parsley, and continue to cook uncovered until the asparagus softens, about 10 minutes. Let the soup cool for 10 minutes.
5. Put the milk alternative and soup in your blender and carefully blend until smooth. If quite hot, remove the center piece from the blender lid and cover it with a kitchen towel as you blend to allow steam (but not food) to escape.
6. Return the soup to your pot and simmer it for about 5 minutes.
7. Season the soup with additional salt and/or pepper, to taste.

Option: Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into the soup for a brighter, more summery flavor.

Serving size: ⅕ recipe Calories: 120 Fat: 3.9g Saturated fat: 1.8g Carbohydrates: 19.1g Sugar: 4.1g Sodium: 218mg Fiber: 3.4g Protein: 3.9g

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