Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Soup

Spring flavors are combined in this light but flavorful soup. Hearty enough to fill you up for dinner but light enough for warmer weather.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract 
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  • 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
  • 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 7 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In medium saucepan, bring water and barley to a boil. Cover and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until barley is tender. Set aside (see note).

In a large stock pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is translucent and garlic is aromatic. Add chopped cauliflower, 1 teaspoon Lemon Extract and herbes de Provence. Sauté for a minute or two.

Add in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. In the last 7-10 minutes of simmering, add the chopped asparagus. Use a steaming basket to drop into the soup and keep the asparagus separate. Once the asparagus is cooked through, pull it out and set it aside.

Add barley (saving some for topping/garnish, if you’d like), remaining 1 teaspoon of Lemon Extract, salt and pepper to cauliflower broth. Using either an immersion blender or in batches with a high-speed blender, blend until creamy and smooth. Once it’s as smooth as you’d like, stir in asparagus and serve.

Notes:

You can make barley up to three days in advance for this recipe. It can also be cooked quickly in a pressure cooker.

Recipe by Happy Food Healthy Life

  • 160 g pearl barley
  • 710 ml water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract 
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  • 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
  • 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 1660 ml vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In medium saucepan, bring water and barley to a boil. Cover and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until barley is tender. Set aside (see note).

In a large stock pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is translucent and garlic is aromatic. Add chopped cauliflower, 1 teaspoon Lemon Extract and herbes de Provence. Sauté for a minute or two.

Add in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. In the last 7-10 minutes of simmering, add the chopped asparagus. Use a steaming basket to drop into the soup and keep the asparagus separate. Once the asparagus is cooked through, pull it out and set it aside.

Add barley (saving some for topping/garnish, if you’d like), remaining 1 teaspoon of Lemon Extract, salt and pepper to cauliflower broth. Using either an immersion blender or in batches with a high-speed blender, blend until creamy and smooth. Once it’s as smooth as you’d like, stir in asparagus and serve.

Notes:

You can make barley up to three days in advance for this recipe. It can also be cooked quickly in a pressure cooker.

Recipe by Happy Food Healthy Life

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    10 minprep

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    45 mincook

  • Nielsen-Massey yield icon

    6servings

This Recipe Uses

Pure Lemon Extract 4oz

Pure Lemon Extract