About the Recipe
Spring is here, and so is asparagus season — the perfect time to whip up one of our family's all-time favorite 'Yummers' recipes: Asparagus Soup! Fresh, vibrant, and unbelievably delicious, this soup is a must-make when those beautiful green stalks are at their peak.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. butter
8 ounces boneless ham steak, cut into 1/4" cubes
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
Step 1
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add ham and brown until golden. Remove ham, transfer to a plate.
Step 2
Add the shallot and garlic, cook until tender, about two minutes. Pour in the chicken broth then add the potatoes. Bring to a simmer; add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the asparagus and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop out about a half cup asparagus pieces and set aside.
Step 4
Using an immersion blender (or a blender working in batches), puree soup. You can leave it a bit chunkier if you like that or puree until completely smooth. Return all soup to the pot if working with a blender. Whisk in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5
Return the ham and asparagus pieces back into the soup. Swirl with yogurt on top. Best served with warm, crusty bread.
Notes
Make it more textured - If you want to add more body to the soup, add a handful of the ham in before you blend it. Blending it only partially will result in a more rustic result.
Use an onion or leek - If you don't have a shallot, you can use a half a yellow onion, but be sure to cook it down. The original recipe I used called for using a leek. I find using leeks to be difficult and I like the taste of shallots better, but if you choose to use a leek, only use the white and light green parts and be sure to clean it really well.
