This gorgeous green asparagus soup is a nice introduction to festive spring meals.

Serves: 6

• 2 pounds asparagus
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large potato, finely diced
• 32-ounce container vegetable broth, preferably low sodium
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 to 1 cup plain rice milk
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut about 1 inch off the bottoms of the asparagus stalks and discard. Scrape any tough skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the stalks into approximately 1-inch pieces, setting aside the tips.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and sauté until it is golden. Add the asparagus pieces, garlic, potato, broth, dill, basil, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the asparagus and potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Insert an immersion blender into the soup pot and process until smoothly pureed. Or, with a slotted spoon, transfer the solid ingredients to the container of a food processor or blender. Process in batches until smoothly pureed, then stir back into the liquid in the soup pot. Add enough rice milk to achieve a slightly thick  consistency.

Season salt and pepper and return to low heat. Steam the reserved asparagus tips until tender-crisp. Stir them into the soup and simmer over very low heat for another 5 minutes. You can serve this at once, or let it stand for an hour or so to flavor, then heat through as needed.

Click here for more asparagus recipes. ^[1]