Description
A light, flavorful soup featuring sweet roasted garlic blended with fresh spring vegetables like asparagus and peas.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 head garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for roasting
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced
- 2 medium new potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, wrap tightly in foil, and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until the cloves are soft and golden brown. Let cool slightly.
- While the garlic roasts, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not brown them.
- Add the diced potatoes and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into the simmering soup. Stir to combine.
- Add the asparagus pieces and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the peas and cook for 2 more minutes until they are bright green.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh spinach and chopped mint until the spinach wilts.
- Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer the soup in batches to a standard blender to blend until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier soup, only blend half the mixture.
- Return the soup to the pot if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to your preference. Heat gently before serving.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, you can roast the garlic a day ahead of time.
- If you want a creamier texture without adding dairy, blend in half of the potatoes and a small amount of the broth first to create a base before adding the remaining liquid.
- Serve this soup hot or slightly warm.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 7
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 0