Creamy Asparagus, Basil, and Crème Fraîche Velouté Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated February 10, 2025
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Kerry Saretsky

This soup is supremely life-giving: It tastes so stridently of vegetables you can't help but feel healthy and virtuous while eating it. Asparagus and vegetable broth spiked with sweet shallots, basil, and a touch of crème fraîche get blended together as a creamy, thick, verdant, fresh, and ever so slightly tangy soup.

Recipe Details

Creamy Asparagus, Basil, and Crème Fraîche Velouté Recipe

Prep 15 mins
Cook 25 mins
Active 5 mins
Total 40 mins
Serves 2 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter or a mixture of both

  • 1 extra large shallot, chopped

  • 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and diced

  • 2 cups vegetable broth

  • Salt

  • Freshly cracked black pepper

  • 5 large basil leaves, plus extra for serving

  • 2 tablespoons crème fraîche, plus extra for serving

Directions

  1. Heat the butter or olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and sauté until soft and fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often. Add the asparagus and vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until the asparagus is very tender: 10 to 12 minutes.

  2. Transfer the soup to a blender, and add the basil and crème fraîche. Purée until completely smooth. Ladle into bowls, and top with a dollop of crème fraîche and a chiffonade of fresh basil.

Special equipment

blender

This Recipe Appears In

  • French in a Flash: Creamy Asparagus, Basil, and Crème Fraîche Velouté
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
222Calories
14gFat
21gCarbs
10gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories222
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g18%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 18mg6%
Sodium 1031mg45%
Total Carbohydrate 21g7%
Dietary Fiber 8g27%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 29mg146%
Calcium 108mg8%
Iron 4mg21%
Potassium 902mg19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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