Hamdi Saidani Mary Berry Asparagus Soup is a light British-style lunch that highlights the fresh taste of spring vegetables. This vibrant green soup uses butter, spinach, and tender asparagus tips to create a smooth texture that’s perfect with sourdough bread.
Mary Berry’s approach here is all about preserving that bright, garden-fresh colour. Most recipes boil the vegetables until they’re grey, but this one is better because we only simmer the stalks and spinach briefly before blending. This results in a soup that looks as fresh as it tastes, rather than looking like a dull canned version.
If you do nothing else, make sure you fry the reserved tips in butter and oil before you start the base. That’s the difference between a garnish that feels like an afterthought and one that has a lovely, nutty bite. I’ve found that setting these aside first ensures they don’t get lost or overcooked in the blending process later on.
Asparagus Soup Ingredients
- 350g (12oz) asparagus spears, stalks chopped and tips reserved
- 25g (2 tbsp) butter
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 3 shallots, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
- 700ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
How To Make Asparagus Soup
- 1. Cook the tips: Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan until the foam subsides. Toss in the reserved asparagus tips and fry them for about 3 minutes until they’re just tender, then scoop them out and set them aside on a plate.
- 2. Soften the base: Add the sliced shallots, chopped asparagus stalks, and crushed garlic to the same pan. Cook them over medium heat for about 8 minutes until the shallots are see-through, making sure they don’t turn brown.
Keeping the heat low at this stage is vital for the final look of the dish. If the shallots or garlic scorch, you’ll end up with brown flecks in your bright green soup which ruins the delicate appearance.
- 3. Simmer the greens: Pile the spinach into the pan and pour over the vegetable stock. Bring the liquid to a boil and let it bubble for only 2 minutes, which is just enough time for the spinach to wilt and the asparagus stalks to finish softening.
- 4. Blitz the soup: Remove the pan from the heat and use a hand blender to liquidise the mixture until it’s completely smooth. If you find the texture is a bit too thick, stir in a splash of hot water until it reaches the consistency you like.
- 5. Season and serve: Add a generous amount of salt and pepper, then ladle the hot soup into bowls. Scatter the buttered asparagus tips over the top and add a drizzle of olive oil if you’re feeling fancy.
Don’t skip the final seasoning check before you pour. The earthy flavour of the asparagus needs enough salt to really stand out, otherwise the soup can taste a bit too much like plain grass.
Recipe Tips
- Snap the woody ends off: To find where the asparagus becomes tough, hold a spear at both ends and bend it until it snaps naturally. The bottom part is too fibrous to blend smoothly, so discard those ends and only use the tender top sections.
- Use fresh spinach for colour: While the asparagus provides the flavour, the spinach is what gives this soup its deep emerald hue. Make sure you only simmer it for a couple of minutes so the heat doesn’t kill that vibrant green.
- Don’t over-blend the tips: If you accidentally drop the fried tips back into the pan before blending, you’ll lose that lovely texture. Always keep them in a separate bowl until the very last second when you’re ready to eat.
- Choose the right shallots: Look for the small, round shallots rather than the long ones, as they have a sweeter and more subtle taste. This ensures the onion flavour doesn’t overwhelm the delicate taste of the fresh asparagus.
- Swap for broccoli in winter: If you can’t find good asparagus, you can use purple sprouting broccoli instead. Just use the same method of frying the florets first and then simmering the stalks with the spinach and stock.
- Sieve for a silky finish: If you want a really professional result, pour the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve. This removes any tiny bits of asparagus skin that the blender might have missed, leaving you with a perfectly smooth liquid.
What To Serve With Asparagus Soup
A thick slice of toasted sourdough bread with plenty of salted butter is the best way to enjoy this. The sour tang of the bread works brilliantly with the sweet, earthy greens in the soup.
You could also add a dollop of crème fraîche or a few shavings of Parmesan cheese on top for extra richness. If you want a more substantial meal, a small poached egg perched in the middle of the bowl is a classic Mary Berry touch.
How To Store Asparagus Soup
- Fridge: Store any leftover soup in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Be aware that the bright green colour will fade slightly the longer it sits, though the flavour will stay just as good.
- Reheat: Pour the soup into a small pot and warm it over medium heat until it’s just simmering. Avoid letting it boil for a long time, as this will further dull the green colour and can make the garlic taste a bit bitter.
- Freeze: This soup freezes very well for up to 3 months. Just leave the asparagus tips out and freeze the blended base, then fry up some fresh tips when you’re ready to thaw and eat it.
Mary Berry Asparagus Soup Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 4):
- Sodium: 560mg
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Sugar: 4g
FAQs
Can I use frozen asparagus for the Mary Berry Asparagus Soup?
Yes, you can use frozen stalks for the base, but they won’t work as well for the fried tips. Frozen asparagus tends to be a bit softer, so it’s best to just blend it all and use some croutons for crunch instead.
Is Mary Berry Asparagus Soup suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, as long as you use a vegetable stock that doesn’t contain any animal products. Mary Berry often recommends a fresh stock from the chilled aisle for the best flavour.
Why is my Asparagus Soup a dull olive colour instead of bright green?
This usually happens if the vegetables were boiled for too long. To keep it bright, only cook the spinach and asparagus stalks for the minimum time needed to soften them before blitzing
Can I add cream to this Asparagus Soup?
You can stir in a couple of tablespoons of double cream at the end if you want a richer soup. However, the blended spinach and butter usually provide enough creaminess on their own without the extra calories.
Can I use the Mary Berry Asparagus Soup as a sauce?
Yes, if you blend it a little thicker with less stock, it makes a fantastic sauce for grilled white fish or pan-seared scallops. It’s essentially a very thin vegetable purée that pairs well with light proteins.
Try More Recipes:
- Curried Parsnip Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Cream of Asparagus Soup
- Potato Soup
- Chicken Soup
- Vegetable Soup
Mary Berry Asparagus Soup
Description
This silky Asparagus Soup is a vibrant, emerald-green celebration of spring. By utilizing fresh spinach to enhance the color and quickly simmering the vegetables, it preserves the delicate, earthy flavor of the asparagus without turning dull or bitter. It is a light, elegant starter finished with buttery, pan-fried asparagus tips for a beautiful textural contrast.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the tips: Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan until the foam subsides. Toss in the reserved asparagus tips and fry them for about 3 minutes until they’re just tender, then scoop them out and set them aside on a plate.
- Soften the base: Add the sliced shallots, chopped asparagus stalks, and crushed garlic to the same pan. Cook them over medium heat for about 8 minutes until the shallots are see-through, making sure they don’t turn brown.
- Simmer the greens: Pile the spinach into the pan and pour over the vegetable stock. Bring the liquid to a boil and let it bubble for only two minutes, which is just enough time for the spinach to wilt and the asparagus stalks to finish softening.
- Blitz the soup: Remove the pan from the heat and use a hand blender to liquidise the mixture until it’s completely smooth. If you find the texture is a bit too thick, stir in a splash of hot water until it reaches the consistency you like.
- Season and serve: Add a generous amount of salt and pepper, then ladle the hot soup into bowls. Scatter the buttered asparagus tips over the top and add a drizzle of olive oil if you’re feeling fancy.
Keeping the heat low at this stage is vital for the final look of the dish. If the shallots or garlic scorch, you’ll end up with brown flecks in your bright green soup which ruins the delicate appearance.
Don’t skip the final seasoning check before you pour. The earthy flavour of the asparagus needs enough salt to really stand out, otherwise the soup can taste a bit too much like plain grass.
Notes
-
Snap the woody ends off: To find where the asparagus becomes tough, hold a spear at both ends and bend it until it snaps naturally. The bottom part is too fibrous to blend smoothly, so discard those ends and only use the tender top sections.
Use fresh spinach for colour: While the asparagus provides the flavour, the spinach is what gives this soup its deep emerald hue. Make sure you only simmer it for a couple of minutes so the heat doesn’t kill that vibrant green.
Don’t over-blend the tips: If you accidentally drop the fried tips back into the pan before blending, you’ll lose that lovely texture. Always keep them in a separate bowl until the very last second when you’re ready to eat.
Choose the right shallots: Look for the small, round shallots rather than the long ones, as they have a sweeter and more subtle taste. This ensures the onion flavour doesn’t overwhelm the delicate taste of the fresh asparagus.
Swap for broccoli in winter: If you can’t find good asparagus, you can use purple sprouting broccoli instead. Just use the same method of frying the florets first and then simmering the stalks with the spinach and stock.
Sieve for a silky finish: If you want a really professional result, pour the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve. This removes any tiny bits of asparagus skin that the blender might have missed, leaving you with a perfectly smooth liquid.
