Creamy Mediterranean Celery & Asparagus Soup Recipe (7 Ingredients, 30 Minutes) by Elisa Schmitz

Attention healthy soup lovers: I have a delicious recipe for you. This creamy Mediterranean asparagus and celery soup recipe takes the flavor and nutrition of the Mediterranean Diet and combines them in a refreshingly soothing soup. I've been grilling asparagus all summer but, now that we're heading into soup season, an easy asparagus soup recipe needed to happen.

This savory soup recipe is velvety smooth and so easy to make. Here are the seven simple ingredients you need to gather for this flavorful gluten-free soup recipe: extra-virgin olive oil, asparagus, celery, onions, garlic, chicken (or vegetable) broth and plain Greek yogurt. Check out the health benefits of asparagus, the health benefits of celery and the health benefits of Greek yogurt. The lemon juice and the fresh chives for garnish are optional.

This nutritious soup recipe starts out as most soups do – in a soup pot. But the secret to the smooth texture is sending the cooked soup for a spin through your blender along with some creamy, protein-packed Greek yogurt. The result is a tangy, refreshing soup that's perfect for dinner and then for a quick lunch the next day. Be sure to serve some crusty bread to dip into this tasty vegetable soup!

Cuisine: Mediterranean / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 32 ounces chicken broth (or vegetable stock)
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
• fresh chives, for serving (optional)

Recipe Notes

• To make this soup vegetarian, use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.

• The lemon juice is optional but nice if you like more tangy flavor. I prefer to squeeze my own fresh lemon juice, but in a pinch, you can use bottled lemon juice.

• Before blending, allow soup to cool until it's at a temperature that's safe for your blender. My Breville Super Q blender advises: "Never blend boiling hot liquids. Allow temperature to drop before putting into the jug for blending." Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.

• Garnish with fresh chopped chives (or other fresh herb such as parsley or dill), if desired.

• Garnish with a few cooked asparagus pieces, if desired.

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.

Here's how to make it:

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions, asparagus, celery and garlic to the pot. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste, if desired. Sauté vegetables for a few minutes until crisp-tender.
   
2. Add the chicken broth to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
   
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice, if using, and stir to combine.
   
4. Once the soup can be safely placed into the blender (see Recipe Notes), pour as much as is safe for your blender into the jug (you may need to do this in batches). Blend until smooth. You also can use an immersion blender.
   
5. Add the Greek yogurt and blend until incorporated and smooth.
   
6. Pour soup into the original soup pot and heat it up, if desired. Or, serve it directly from the blender.
   
7. Garnish with fresh chopped chives, if desired. You also can place a few cooked asparagus pieces on top.
   
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by HappyForks. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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