You know it’s spring when you can find fresh asparagus at your local fresh markets. These green spears are delicious when roasted, which is usually how I prepare them. Until I found this soup recipe at tasteofhome.com. Creamy Asparagus Chowder is a great spring soup made of onion, celery, potato and asparagus. Top each bowl with a bit of cheddar cheese and some chopped tomatoes and you have a perfect lunch or dinner for a breezy spring day.
The process for making Creamy Asparagus Chowder begins with cleaning and preparing your fresh asparagus. When buying asparagus, look for crisp stalks that snap when you bend them. This indicates that they are fresh and will taste the best.
How to clean and cut asparagus?
Once you get your asparagus home, make sure to rinse each stalk in cold water. Carefully trim off the bottom portion, about two inches. Using a potato peeler, peel the bottom of each stalk to remove nubs and any tough skin. For this recipe, cut each stalk into 2-inch pieces. The video below provides an easy guide for cleaning and cutting your asparagus.
I’ll make this award-winning chowder again, my husband ate two bowls. Such a yummy, healthy soup. I cut the original recipe in half, since it was just for the two of us. Making a couple of additions to the original recipe better suited our tastes. Creamy Asparagus Chowder was submitted to tasteofhome.com by Shirley Beachum from Shelby, Michigan.
Creamy Asparagus Chowder
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 2 cups asparagus, cleaned and cut into 2-inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- shredded cheddar cheese and chopped fresh tomato for garnish
How to make Creamy Asparagus Chowder?
- In a Dutch oven, saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Add garlic and cubed ham; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the flour. Then, add the potato, milk, broth and seasonings; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the potato is tender and soup is thickened, about 20-30 minutes.
- Put the asparagus, salt and pepper in the soup; cook for another 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and diced tomato.
Serve this tasty bowl of chowder with a leafy green salad topped with creamy goat cheese. Buttery crackers or crusty bread are also a good accompaniment, making it easy to soak up every last drop.
If you like this soup recipe, be sure to try Easy French Onion, Garden Zucchini Chowder, or Slow-Cooker Black Bean and Ham Soup. You’re bound to find a rich, comforting bowl of soup that you’ll want to add to your weekly dinner menu.
Creamy Asparagus Chowder
Equipment
- 1 large soup pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup ham cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large potato peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 2 cups asparagus cleaned and cut into 2-inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- shredded cheddar cheese and chopped fresh tomato for garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Add garlic and cubed ham; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in flour. Add the potato, milk, broth and seasonings; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potato is tender and soup is thickened, about 20-30 minutes.
- Add the asparagus, salt and pepper; cook for another 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and diced tomato.
