Creamy Asparagus Soup with Soft-Boiled Egg & Mint
Spring asparagus and pea soup with a soft egg, bright mint and lemon finish, silky smooth, fresh, comforting, and light homemade bowl of comfort.
🍽️ Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 75 g green peas
- 150 g asparagus
- 50 g shallots
- 5 g garlic
- 75 g potatoes
- 300 g vegetable stock
- 4 g mint leaves
- 5 g lemon juice
- 10 g neutral oil
- 3 g salt
- 1 eggs
Instructions
- Remove the ends from the asparagus, keep 3 tips, then cut the remaining stems into small pieces.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus tips and 25 g of peas, cook for about 1 minute, then transfer to ice water to keep the color bright. Drain and set aside.
- Slice the shallots thinly and cook them gently in neutral oil over low heat for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Do not let them brown.
- Add finely chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add diced potatoes and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to coat them in the oil.
- Pour in vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are fully soft.
- Add asparagus stems and the remaining peas, then cook for about 3 minutes just until tender and still vibrant.
- Add mint leaves, then blend immediately until completely smooth. Add a little more vegetable stock if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Pass the soup through a fine sieve, pressing gently to achieve a very smooth texture.
- Season with salt and gradually add lemon juice, tasting until the soup feels fresh but not sour.
- Gently reheat the soup without boiling, keeping the color bright and fresh.
- Bring water to a boil for the egg. Carefully pierce a small hole in the wider end of the shell, then cook for about 6.5 minutes. Transfer to ice water and peel carefully.
- Pour the hot soup into a bowl, place the egg in the center, add the blanched peas and asparagus tips, then finish with small mint leaves.
Tips & More Info
Why is quick chilling after blanching so important?
Cooling the asparagus tips and peas immediately locks in their vibrant color and fresh taste. Without this step, residual heat continues cooking them and pushes them toward a duller flavor and softer texture. The contrast between bright garnish and silky soup depends on this control.
How to get a more refined, restaurant level texture?
Passing the soup through a fine sieve removes any fibrous bits from asparagus and creates a polished, silky finish. It is a small step that completely changes the mouthfeel, making the soup feel lighter and more elegant on the palate.
How can you make it higher in protein?
You can blend in a small amount of cooked white beans or silken tofu to increase protein while keeping the texture smooth.
Why pierce the egg and chill it in ice water?
Piercing the wider end lets built up air and steam escape during cooking, which reduces internal pressure and helps prevent small shell cracks. This keeps the egg more stable so the white sets neatly instead of leaking into the water. After cooking, transferring it to ice water immediately stops the heat from carrying over, locking in the exact soft texture you are aiming for. The rapid cooling also helps the membrane separate slightly from the shell, which makes peeling noticeably easier and keeps the surface of the egg smooth and clean.