German Spargel

In Germany, asparagus (Spargel) is not just a healthy and nutritious vegetable—it's a cult, a symbol of tradition, and a seasonal culinary highlight.

The asparagus season in Germany is very short. It begins in March or April and traditionally ends on St. John's Day (24th June).

German white asparagus soup is called Spargelsuppe. Cream of asparagus soup, like this recipe, is known as Spargelcremesuppe.

Where to Spargel in the UK and US

Although white asparagus is widely grown in Western Europe, it’s not as popular in the UK or US. However, I’ve found a few online retailers who will deliver it to you:

How to make White Asparagus Soup

Key Ingredients

(check out the printable recipe card below for the exact quantities)

White asparagus – The beauty of this soup is that the asparagus doesn’t need to be perfect. You can use thinner stalks or even broken or crooked stems (sold at German market stalls) which are ideal and more affordable.

Sugar – Balances out the bitterness of the asparagus.

Oil & flour – Used to create a roux. You can substitute oil with butter, but oil helps maintain the soup’s white colour.

Lemon juice – Helps preserve the soup’s bright white appearance.

Egg yolk

Whipping cream / heavy cream

Recipe Steps

Peel the asparagus (don’t discard the peel). Chop off the woody ends, then cut the rest of the stem into 2 cm chunks.

Make the broth: Place the peel in a pot of water along with sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Boil for 20 minutes.

Add asparagus chunks to the broth and boil for another 20 minutes.

Strain the mixture using a colander, reserving the broth in a jar. Separate and discard the peel, but keep the asparagus chunks.

Make a blond roux: Heat oil in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook for at least 2 minutes on low heat. Gradually add the asparagus broth, whisking to avoid clumps. Simmer for 15 minutes to eliminate the floury taste.

Add asparagus pieces to the broth. (You can puree the asparagus at this stage if you prefer a smoother soup.) Bring the soup to a brief boil.

Whisk together the egg yolk and cream, then stir into the soup. Add a splash of lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Variations

Soup from Asparagus Broth Only- You can also make this soup using just the broth made from the peel only, especially if you’ve recently enjoyed white asparagus with ham and hollandaise sauce. While it will be lighter, it pairs beautifully with toasted bread.

Using Jarred or Canned Asparagus. If fresh white asparagus is unavailable, you can use jarred asparagus. Cook the asparagus with its liquid for about 8 minutes. Add chicken or vegetable stock (affiliate link) to make up 4 cups of liquid. Prepare the roux and enrich the soup with cream and egg yolk as described above.

Recipe

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