Asparagus!
It is easy being green when spring is in the air, and it doesn’t hurt any to be living in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Young tender asparagus shoots take on their color from the sunshine...
This healthful, vegan soup gets its creaminess from cannellini beans instead of cream. It’s also higher in protein than one made with cream, and it is suitable for an entree.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4–6 Serving(s)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed and used for stock or composting
- 1 quart homemade vegetable stock or 2 teaspoons Organic Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon dissolved in 1 quart water
- 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (if using canned, 1 (15-ounce) can will do; rinse well
- Lemony Pesto, recipe below
Lemony Pesto
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼. teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
In a medium-size pan, saute onion in olive oil on low heat until it is just starting to brown. While onions cook, cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces, reserving tips.
Add asparagus stalks to pan with stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until just tender. Time will vary depending on thickness of asparagus stalks.
Add cannellini beans and blend soup until creamy. A traditional or immersion blender will make it easy.
When ready to serve, heat soup to a simmer and cook asparagus tips in soup for about 2 minutes, just until barely tender. Lemony Pesto mixture can be swirled into individual bowls or combined with soup right before serving.
Lemony Pesto
Grind all ingredients with a mortar and pestle or process briefly in a food processor.
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