Asparagus Potato Soup with Leeks, Peas, and Mint
This Asparagus Potato Soup with Leeks, Peas, and Mint is the ultimate way to celebrate asparagus season with a bowl of something light, creamy, and full of fresh, bright flavor! Made with less than 10 ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes, this soup delivers a creamy consistency without any cream. It’s the perfect formula for a simple, comforting meal you’ll want to make on repeat!
💌 Save This Recipe
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
I'll also send you other recipes I know you'll love. Unsubscribe at any time.
As someone who loves to cook with the seasons, I get pretty excited when a change is coming. And the first one for me is always asparagus season!
I haven’t had a lot of luck growing it, despite my efforts, but I do have a handful of spears that come back in random places throughout my garden every year that I look forward to.
They don’t even make it into the house. I eat them right there, standing between my garden beds, in that moment, all to myself. Crispy, tender, and sweet. Nothing like grocery store asparagus. Absolutely delish!
Lucky for me, we have a great farmer’s market filled with asparagus each spring.
When it first comes in, I like to use it raw in salads like this shaved asparagus salad or this easy cold orzo salad with asparagus. And then as the stalks come in thicker and more plentiful, I love to make this veggie-packed soup.
Let’s get into it!
Why I love this recipe:
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this creamy asparagus potato soup:
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
The ingredients to make this asparagus soup recipe are easy to find and readily available at grocery stores. If you’re able, I would highly recommend grabbing anything you can at your local farmer’s market for the best flavor.
Here are a few ingredient notes:
Let’s Make It Together: STEP BY STEP
Be sure to check out the full recipe details and ingredient list in the recipe card below.
Begin by removing the stem end and the top 1/3 of the leeks. Slice the remaining 2/3 lengthwise, and then wash them well in between all of the layers. Then, thinly slice them crosswise. For the asparagus, remove the ends and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Peel the potatoes, cut them into a small dice, and store them in a bowl of cool water until ready to use. In the meantime, heat a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and leeks and cook until softened. Then, drain and add the potatoes.
Add the chicken stock, cook until the potatoes are tender, and then add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender.
Just before the asparagus is done, add the peas and cook for one minute. Then, turn off the heat, add the spinach and stir it around so that it will wilt.
Blend the soup and return it to low heat. Add the lemon zest and taste to see if it needs more salt, pepper, or possibly a squeeze of lemon juice, if you like.
Note: If you want to learn more about the technique involved in making soups like this, check out my formula for basic stovetop soup making. Once you understand the basic technique, you can be flexible with ingredients and creative with flavors.
Natalie’s Expert Tips
- It is common to think that soups have to cook for a long time, but this light soup featuring delicate spring produce does not! Fight the urge to overcook the vegetables or the result will not be a bright green, clean-flavored soup!
- Be sure to dice the potatoes small. This will shorten their cooking time, resulting in a quick cooking time for the whole soup. The smaller you cut things, the quicker they cook!
- Use an immersion stick blender for ease, or use a regular blender for the smoothest creamy texture. I use my favorite old Vitamix blender, which I’ve had forever, whenever I make pureed soups.
- Always season in layers. What does this actually mean? It means to season the sautéing vegetables with salt and pepper, and then taste the broth periodically as you’re cooking, and add salt accordingly. Remember, we don’t add salt for the soup to taste salty. Rather, we add the salt to bring out the best flavor of everything else.
Serving Suggestions
- This soup would be such a nice first course before serving my sheet pan chicken with asparagus and peas.
- Consider adding it to a brunch buffet with my slow roasted salmon and my asparagus and leek tart with phyllo dough.
- As a fun strolling appetizer, you could serve this soup in a shot glass or espresso mugs.
- Serve it with some crusty bread for a light lunch or dinner.
Storage & Reheating
STORAGE: Keep this soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. After 5 days, transfer it to the freezer if you aren’t going to use it.
REHEATING: To reheat from the refrigerator, pour the soup into a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot. If you are reheating from the freezer, remove the soup and transfer it to the refrigerator a day or two before you plan to serve it to give it time to defrost. Then, proceed with the reheating instructions above.
FREEZING: Cool the soup to room temperature and then place in airtight jars or containers and freeze for up to 6 months. To defrost, transfer it to the refrigerator a day or two before you plan to serve it.
More Creamy Soups I know You’ll Love!
Easy Carrot and Pumpkin Soup with Ginger and Star Anise
The Best Creamy Potato and Wild Mushroom Soup
Easy Curried Parsnip Soup with Brown Butter Drizzle
I hope you love this ASPARAGUS POTATO SOUP!
If you make it, be sure to leave a STAR RATING below so I know how you liked it!
The Recipe
Asparagus Potato Soup with Leeks, Peas, and Mint
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 leeks
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided, or to your taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided, or to your taste)
- 2 bunches asparagus
- 6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 cup peas (frozen or fresh)
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/4 cup chopped mint (garnish)
- 1 lemon (garnish)
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables. Begin with removing the top 1/3 of the leeks and setting aside (keep in the freezer for stock-making). Cut the leeks in half, lengthwise, and rinse them thoroughly, making sure to remove all dirt and sand in between the layers. Then, slice them crosswise and set aside.
- Next, using a vegetable peeler, peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves and put them with the leeks. Then, peel the potatoes, cut them into small dice, and place them into a small bowl of water until ready to use.
- Finally, prep the asparagus by trimming the woody ends and discarding. Cut the remaining asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces.
- Time to cook. Heat a large saucepan, heavy soup pot, or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the leeks and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Drain and add the potatoes, season with one teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the stock and bring it to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, reduce it to a gentle simmer and cook for a few minutes before testing the potatoes. Season with another teaspoon of kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper. When the potatoes are not fully cooked, but you can start the pierce them with the tip of a knife, then it's time to proceed to the next step.
- Add the asparagus pieces and cook for about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
- One minute before the asparagus will be done, add the peas and cook for 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat, add the spinach, and stir it around so that it wilts.
- Blend the soup. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup until silky smooth.
- Taste and adjust. When the soup is pureed, return it to low heat and taste it. Add the zest of a lemon and adjust salt and pepper to taste. At this stage, you can also adjust the consistency to your liking – if the soup is too thick, add a little more stock until you reach your desired consistency.
- Serve. Ladle into soup bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and freshly chopped mint. ENJOY!
💌 Save This Recipe
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
I'll also send you other recipes I know you'll love. Unsubscribe at any time.
Notes
- Be sure to dice the potatoes small. This will shorten their cooking time, resulting in a quick cooking time for the whole soup. The smaller you cut things, the quicker they cook!
- Use an immersion stick blender for ease, or use a regular blender for the smoothest creamy texture. I use my favorite old Vitamix blender, which I’ve had forever, whenever I make pureed soups.
- Always season in layers. What does this actually mean? It means to season the sautéing vegetables with salt and pepper, and then taste the broth periodically as you’re cooking, and add salt accordingly. Remember, we don’t add salt for the soup to taste salty. Rather, we add the salt to bring out the best flavor of everything else.
Nutrition
Nice to meet you!
I’m Natalie and I love to create seasonal and interesting elevated food for busy everyday real life! Dinner doesn’t have to be boring and I’m here to help. This is where busy meets delicious!
