Asparagus Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

Giada made this soup on her show and I was intrigued to try the recipe at home. I cook asparagus often and I like the idea of using it in a soup. This recipe is easy to make and only requires a couple ingredients. The rich creaminess of the herbed goat cheese blended perfectly with the asparagus soup. Yum! Serve with a mixed green salad and you have a light balanced elegant dinner that everyone can enjoy!

 

Goat Cheese Recipe:

½ cup (4 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Using a fork, in a small bowl, combine the goat cheese and basil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a round tablespoon measure sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray, scoop the goat cheese into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Asparagus Soup Recipe:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large leek (white and light green part only), thinly sliced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the broth, asparagus and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

4. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the herbed goat cheese.

A couple notes:

The soup can also be pureed by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth. The flavor is great!

Enjoy!