Vegan Creamy Roasted Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• 2 lb fresh asparagus
• 1 head garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 c vegetable broth
• 1 c non-dairy milk (I use a mix of coconut milk+soy milk)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 tbsp fresh parsley (optional, for serving)
• 3 oz white bread (French baguette is a good choice)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Make garlicky croutons. ---

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with a parchment paper. Cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle with a garlic powder, Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp salt.

3. 3

   Toss to combine. Bake the croutons for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the croutons to a bowl. Don't discard the parchment paper.

4. 4

   --- Cut the asparagus and garlic. ---

5. 5

   Slice 1 inch off the bottom tough part of the asparagus and cut the stalks into 1 inch pieces.

6. 6

   Slice a quarter inch of the top part of the garlic head, leaving the cloves exposed.

7. 7

   --- Prepare the vegetables for roasting. ---

8. 8

   Drizzle the garlic and asparagus spears with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let garlic and asparagus cool for a few minutes. Squeeze the garlic pulp out of its skin and set aside.

9. 9

   --- Blend the vegetables. ---

10. 10

    Cut the roasted asparagus in 2-3 pieces. (You can reserve a few asparagus tops for serving later). Add the roasted asparagus and garlic to a high speed blender along with the vegetable broth. Blend until the soup is creamy and smooth.

11. 11

    --- Heat the vegan asparagus soup. ---

12. 12

    Pour the asparagus soup into a medium pot and place on a stove on a medium heat. Add plant-based milk, the remaining 1/4 tsp of salt and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. Make sure the soup is seasoned well.

13. 13

    --- Serve. ---

14. 14

    Remove creamy roasted asparagus soup from the heat, ladle into the soup bowls and top with the crunchy croutons and a few asparagus tops.