Good thing I have this Asparagus, Spinach, and Potato soup to keep me warm!
This soup is delicious and super creamy, yet vegan! With the addition of potatoes, blending the soup together creates an awesome creamy consistency without the addition of milk or cream. It’s filled with bright green spinach and asparagus and perked up and tangy with fresh dill and lemon juice. It’s super healthy and nutrient-packed, and is simply delicious with its bright spring flavors. And because it’s made in a slow cooker, it is SOUPer easy to make! Hah. See what I did there? Moving on from my bad jokes… Soup is one of my favorite ways to eat a TON of good-for-you greens without having to have a salad. This recipe couldn’t be easier, or healthier. If you’re looking for a tasty way to eat more veggies, this is it! Here’s what to do. First, roughly chop up your asparagus and potatoes (leave the skin on- it’s good for you!), along with an onion and a few cloves of garlic. Add to your slow cooker and cover with 4 cups of vegetable (or chicken) stock (I make my own- entirely for FREE from kitchen scraps! Here’s how.). Season liberally with salt and pepper, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. The liquid will not entirely cover the vegetables- this is OK. When the soup cooks, the liquid from the vegetables will add to the stock and the vegetables will soften considerably. If you add too much liquid, the soup will be too watery and not maintain the thick, creamy texture that makes this soup so so good. You can always add more stock later if it’s too thick, but not the other way around!
I let my slow cooker do the cooking while I was at work. There is nothing, NOTHING like coming home from a long day at work to the smell of dinner already cooked. You walk in the door and are greeted by delicious scents, not to mention a reminder that you don’t need to cook tonight! It’s already done! Hip hip, hooray! There is, however, just about five minutes of work that needs to be done at this point. First, add the spinach to the slow cooker and allow the leaves to wilt with the heat from the soup, stirring until all leaves are wilted. Then, add some fresh dill (about 2 tablespoons chopped- but no need to chop at this point, since you are about to blend up the whole thing anyway!). Which brings me to my next point. Now, you need to blend the soup to a thick, smooth consistency. I used an immersion blender for this, but you can also do this in batches in a regular blender. HOWEVER. If you do not own an immersion blender, I highly, HIGHLY recommend you get one. It’s one of my favorite kitchen tools. It’s this awesome magic wand thing that you plug in, stick in the soup, and turn on. It blends the soup to the desired thickness right in the pot, so you don’t have to get your blender or food processor dirty! It truly is a magical sight to witness. Once your soup is all blended together, stir in the juice of one lemon and taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
You can eat your soup as is at this point. It’s soooo delicious. But to take it up a notch, I recommend adding some croutons and a poached egg (or two) to the soup. The croutons give it a nice salty crunch, and the egg gives it a bit more protein to make the soup into a much heartier meal, not to mention delicious creaminess if you leave the yolk runny. For the croutons, I just cubed up some bread and sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper until they were crispy. You can also bake them in your oven. Don’t know how to poach an egg? Here’s a great tutorial! So, do not despair that spring is yet again bringing chilly rainy weather. Instead, cozy up with this delicious spring soup and enjoy!
