Low-calorie soup recipe for 4 people, takes only 20 mins; recipe has butter, vegetable oil, asparagus spear, shallot, garlic clove, spinach, vegetable stock, olive oil and bread.

Asparagus soup
Course: Low calorie soup
Servings
4
servings
Prep time
10 mins
Ingredients
- Butter: 25g butter
- Vegetable Oil: a little vegetable oil
- Asparagus Spear: 350g asparagus spear, stalks chopped, woody ends discarded, tips reserved
- Shallot: 3 shallots, finely sliced
- Garlic Clove: 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Spinach: 2 large handfuls spinach
- Vegetable Stock: 700ml vegetable stock (fresh if possible)
- Olive Oil: olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
- Bread: rustic bread (preferably sourdough), to serve (optional)
Directions
- Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan until foaming. Fry the asparagus tips for a few mins to soften. Remove and set aside.
- Add the shallots, asparagus stalks and garlic, and cook for 5-10 mins until softened but still bright. Stir through the spinach, pour over the stock, bring to the boil, then blitz with a hand blender.
- Season generously and add hot water to loosen if needed. Ladle into bowls and scatter the asparagus tips over each. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with sourdough bread, if you like.