Springtime Asparagus Soup Adventure

You know the feeling from traveling of being tired, smelly, and so hungry that you’re not sure what to do about any of it? That was the situation my close friend Laurel and I found ourselves in after driving across the country from east to west back in the day.

Her Grampa Phil welcomed us in Moraga, California, and helped us decide by offering lunch right away. He fed us bread and homemade asparagus soup that was so creamy and lemony, I couldn’t believe it had so few ingredients when he shared the recipe: a small chopped yellow onion sautéd in olive oil, several cups of vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and a pound of fresh asparagus pieces simmered for 45 minutes and then pulsed to perfection with a blender.

We recovered a bit from days on the road, and even cleaned out the stinky cooler that got us through. Our trip wasn’t done, though, so we went north, heading to Seattle in the dusty car. We brought Grampa Phil’s recipe with us, and made the soup for my cousins and a vegan friend in Petaluma along the way.

Since those halcyon days, I’ve made that soup pretty much every spring, including this one, when asparagus is in season. It’s easy, and also a little homage to Grampa Phil, who I loved dearly. Guillaume and I had some of the velvety green soup along with experimental mini cheese quiches while we watched the Oscars. 

Recently we opened the fridge to find a bit of asparagus, dill, and assorted leftover produce. Riffing on the asparagus soup recipe, I came up with a new version. Now, I was just hoping it would taste okay. But the flavor was so much better and brighter than either of us expected. Like spring in a bowl.

Springtime Lemony Asparagus Soup

½ lb. fresh asparagus
1 small yellow onion
1 large leek
Juice from half a small lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
1 quart vegetable broth
Generous ½ C. orzo (around 110g)
1 Tbsp. fresh dill
Salt
Ground black pepper
Olive oil

Peel and cut the onion into small pieces. Rinse the asparagus, remove any woody ends, and cut it into small chunks, depending on how thick it is. Remove the dark green top from the leek and rinse white part well. Cut the leek into ½-inch rounds, and then cut each round in half. Rinse the pieces and dry them as needed.

Mince the dill. Juice the half a lemon.

In a soup pot, heat 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and leeks, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 5 minutes or so until the vegetables are translucent and soft.

Stir in the asparagus pieces, the vegetable broth, and bring it to a rolling boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes or until the asparagus is very tender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in the lemon juice, orzo, and dill. Cook according to the orzo instructions, adding another minute or two so it’s nice and soft.

Taste the soup, adjust seasonings if needed, and make sure the orzo is completely cooked.

Serve in large bowls. This goes well with a side of extra sharp Vermont cheddar cheese and crusty bread or crackers.