The savory flavors of mushrooms and bacon make this cream of asparagus soup a warm starter course for a meal.
Preparation Time
15 mins
Cooking Time
40 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Calories
155 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 2
Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
Step 3
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble bacon when cool; set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings.
Step 4
Melt butter with drippings in a saucepan over medium heat.
Step 5
Cook and stir celery and onion in the saucepan until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
Step 6
Whisk flour into the mixture and cook for 1 minute.
Step 7
Whisk in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Step 8
Add potato and chopped asparagus stalks, reserving the asparagus tips for later. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
Step 9
Cook and stir mushrooms and asparagus tips in the same skillet used for bacon until mushrooms give up their liquid, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and ground black pepper, if needed.
Step 10
Stir mushrooms, asparagus tips, and half-and-half cream to pureed soup. Cook until thoroughly heated.
Step 11
Garnish soup with crumbled bacon.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 onion, diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
3 slices bacon
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
1 pound fresh asparagus, tips set aside and stalks chopped
