Instant Pot Asparagus Soup (Using Woody Ends of Asparagus!)

This instant pot asparagus soup is creamy, delicious, and full of fresh spring flavor. Plus, it’s the ultimate no-waste meal, using up the woody ends of the asparagus that otherwise get tossed in the trash or compost bin. You’ll be adding this asparagus end soup to your rotation each and every spring! 

Why This Recipe Works

Asparagus is the ultimate spring vegetable, turning up in abundance for only a few months every year. Roasting asparagus brings out a delicious flavor and texture, but it isn’t the only way to enjoy asparagus this time of year. 

• It's low waste: Using the woody stems to create an asparagus stock helps pack maximum flavor and nutrients into this dish. It’s the perfect soup to serve alongside a salad or sandwich at lunch or for a light dinner. Using asparagus ends is one great way to work towards a zero-waste kitchen!
• Easy: With the instant pot, this is an easy asparagus soup recipe to make with little hands-on time.
• A healthy soup: Asparagus is a good source of vitamins A, C, E, and K. One cup also has over 10 percent of the recommended daily value for fiber! There's so much nutrition packed into a tiny cup of this creamy asparagus soup.

Try roasted carrots and asparagus with balsamic glaze for another delicious and easy way to enjoy asparagus this time of year! 

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• 🛒 Ingredients
• 🥣 Step by Step Instructions
• 🛍Substitutions and Variations
• 🍽 Equipment
• 📦 How to Store It
• 🗯 Stovetop directions
• ♻️ Make it Sustainable

🛒 Ingredients

• Asparagus - Fresh asparagus. 
• Onions - I prefer yellow onions for soups, but white onions will work too. Avoid red or sweet onions. 
• Red potatoes - Red potatoes have less starch and will blend well in this soup for a creamy consistency. You can also use yukon gold or fingerling potatoes. 
• Garlic - Fresh cloves, but you can also use pre-minced jarred garlic if that’s what you have. Use 1 teaspoon of minced garlic per clove. 
• Butter - Use regular butter or vegan butter, depending on your needs. You can also substitute avocado oil instead. 
• White wine - Wine works so well at deglazing to get the tasty browned bits off the bottom of the pan, and adds a lot of flavor without adding alcohol as you’ll cook it off. 
• Coconut milk - Get the full-fat canned coconut milk if you want to add some serious creaminess. When you open the can the cream will have settled to one end and the other end will have the water. Just dump it all into a bowl and stir to mix. 
• Lemon - You’ll use a whole lemon for this recipe. Half to squeeze into the soup and a slice to serve with each bowl to add just before eating. 

See the recipe card for quantities.

🥣 Step by Step Instructions

Make Asparagus Stock

Add the asparagus ends, water, salt, and black pepper to the instant pot pressure cooker. Lock the lid into place and assure the vent is sealed. Set the instant pot to HIGH with a cook time of 20 minutes.

When done, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then carefully press the button to quick release the remaining pressure.

Once cooled to lukewarm and no longer steaming, add the asparagus ends and water to a blender. If there is any steam, either open the spout or take the cover back off every 30 seconds or so to prevent pressure build-up.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or a nut milk bag into a jar or bowl. Make sure to squeeze or press out the pulp to get as much asparagus flavor as you can. Compost the asparagus pulp.

To Make Asparagus Soup in the Instant Pot

Turn the instant pot setting to saute and add butter. Let the butter heat for 1 minute. Add the asparagus tips reserved for garnish and saute for 2 minutes then remove and set aside.

Add the diced onion and saute for 3-5 minutes or until beginning to soften and become translucent. Add the minced cloves of garlic and saute for another 30-60 seconds.

Carefully pour in the white wine. Gently scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon and cook for another minute. Add the asparagus stock, diced potatoes, and diced asparagus spears. Season with another pinch of salt and pepper.

Secure the lid and make sure the steam release is closed. Turn the instant pot setting to HIGH pressure and set the timer for 6 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then press the button to quick release.

Stir in the coconut milk and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or blend in batches using a high-speed blender. Add a big squeeze of lemon juice and top with asparagus tips before serving. You can also add more coconut milk, parsley, and croutons, or serve with a crusty baguette.

Hint: If you use a blender to puree the soup, make sure to be extra careful of the steam! To avoid pressure build-up, blend in batches or stop every 30 seconds to remove the lid and let steam out. 

🛍Substitutions and Variations

• Wine - Instead of using white wine, you can use the same amount of apple cider vinegar or just use some of the asparagus stock. 
• Butter - you can easily turn this recipe into a vegan asparagus soup or just dairy-free by replacing the butter with vegan butter or avocado oil. 
• Coconut milk - Don’t use light coconut milk or the kind in the carton that’s used for drinking. Other plant-based milks like almond milk will be too thin for this recipe. If you don’t have full-fat coconut milk you can use heavy cream instead. 
• Lower sodium- This recipe does use quite a bit of salt for flavor. If you want to lower the sodium, try adjusting the salt to taste or using a salt substitute.  
• Asparagus stock - You can make this recipe without making asparagus stock, which is great if you don't have the time. Instead, use vegetable broth or chicken broth.

🍽 Equipment

Pressure cooker - I made this recipe with my Instant Pot Duo, but the same directions apply to any electric pressure cooker. You can also find stovetop directions below if you don’t have a pressure cooker. 

Strainer - To get all of the asparagus stock separated from the pulp, you’ll need a fine-mesh strainer, a nut milk bag, or cheesecloth.  

📦 How to Store It

To store the soup, let cool completely then cover and keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The color may change as it’s stored, but it should stay fresh for 2-3 days. 

If you’re making the asparagus stock ahead of time, you can either freeze it for 6 months or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before using it. 

🗯 Stovetop directions

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can still make this soup on the stove with a few simple tweaks. Follow the directions as stated, but with these changes. 

Instead of a pressure cooker, use a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid or a dutch oven. 

To make the asparagus stock: bring the water, asparagus ends, salt, and pepper to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25-35 minutes or until the ends are soft and mashable. Proceed with the rest of the directions. 

To make the asparagus soup on the stove: follow the directions as stated using your dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. When it comes time to set the pressure cooker, you’ll bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 20 minutes. Proceed with the rest of the directions. 

♻️ Make it Sustainable

This recipe is already the perfect no waste meal since you’re putting the otherwise inedible woody ends to good use, but here are a few ways to make this asparagus end soup a little more sustainable. 

• Save the peels and scraps from the potatoes, onion, and garlic in the freezer to make homemade vegetable stock. 
• Freeze the leftover coconut milk to use in future recipes. It will last for up to a month in the freezer. Once defrosted, just blend to re-emulsify and use in your favorite recipes!

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