Vegan And Gluten-Free Asparagus SoupInstant Pot And Stove Top Recipes

This creamy soup is dairy free and only 200 calories a bowl.

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It's Asparagus Time!
Asparagus is starting to show up in local markets and I couldn't be happier. Most of the time I just roast them in the oven and serve them over a green salad or as a side dish, but today I was in the mood for soup. 

Here's a simple recipe that you can make in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or in a Dutch Oven or medium-size soup pot on the stove. 

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Asparagus Soup
Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
[makes 4 servings]

Requirements
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (optional)
Hand Immersion blender

Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus (1 1/4 pounds)
1/2 pound leeks
1 tablespoon Earth Balance (vegan) or organic Ghee*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
4 cups veggie broth**
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

* Ghee is not vegan but is free of lactose and casein
** Or 1 Rapunzel vegetarian bouillon cube and 4 cups of water

Asparagus, leeks and Yukon gold potatoes are the
main ingredients in this easy-to-make soup.

Directions
1. Prepare the asparagus. Trim off the bottoms of the asparagus with a knife or bend the bottoms until they snap off. Discard. 
Cut off the tips and set aside. Slice the lower portion of the spears into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

2. Prepare the leeks. Cut off the dark green tops of the leeks. Either discard or save for making veggie stock.
Slice the remaining part of the leeks vertically and run under cold water. Wash well to remove any dirt or sand. Shake off the water and thinly slice.

Only use the white and light green parts of the leeks.

3. Cook the leeks. Heat the Earth Balance or ghee and cook the leeks.

If you are using your Instant pot, do this with the sauté function.
If you are using a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the Earth Balance or ghee on medium-low heat. 

Cook the leeks and garlic for a few minutes until the leeks soften. 
If you are using an Instant pot, hit the off button.

Cook leeks until they soften.

4. Cook the soup. Add the potatoes, the lower parts of the asparagus (NOT the tips), salt, pepper, and the broth to the pot.

.

If you are using an Instant Pot, close the lid securely, hit MANUAL and set for 4 minutes. When complete, hit off and let the pressure come down naturally. Carefully open the lid.

If you are cooking on the stovetop, bring broth to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes and asparagus are very tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Blend the soup. Add the nutritional yeast to the soup and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. You can also do this in your Vitamix or blender. 

Blend until smooth with an immersion blender.

6. Cook the asparagus tips. Add the asparagus tips to the soup and cook until they soften but remain a little crisp.

If you are using an Instant Pot, you can do this by using the sauté feature to heat the soup to cook the tips. 

If you are cooking on the stovetop, bring the soup to a simmer and cook the asparagus tips until they soften.

7. Season the soup. Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (made with Earth Balance): 203 calories, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 81 mg omega-3 and 133 mg omega-6 essential fatty acids*, 9 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 7 g dietary fiber, and 331 mg sodium.
* This does not include the essential fatty acids from the Earth Balance or Nutritional Yeast since the manufacturer does not provide that information.