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celery asparagus soup chunky

Easy Celery Asparagus Soup - Make It Creamy and Chunky

Mix chopped onions and celery with cooked (seasoned) barley and pressure cook the mixture for a few minutes. Cook chopped potatoes and pumpkin with a little water in the microwave until tender; add cashews and seasonings, then blend till smooth, like a vegan queso sauce. Trim and slice the asparagus, then saute in butter, with garlic and black pepper. Add the cooked celery mixture, vegan sauce, spices and water. Simmer for a few min and thicken with a cornstarch-milk slurry. Serve hot , with lots of different toppings and fresh bread. Enjoy!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American, European
Servings 4 people
Calories 178 kcal

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker preferred if not available, see Recipe Notes for alternative directions
  • small stainless steel bowl/insert container that fits inside the pressure cooker pot don't need if not using pressure cooker
  • Microwave oven preferred if not available, see Recipe Notes for alternative directions
  • Microwave safe medium glass/ceramic bowl don't need if not using microwave
  • Heavy bottom medium ( 2-3 quart/liter) saucepan Stainless steel, anodized or non-stick

Ingredients
  

To Pressure Cook - 5 min at full pressure

  • 1 cup Celery - diced small about 3 stalks use only stalks, not the leaves- save thses for another use
  • 1/2 cup Onions - diced small white or yellow onions preferred; bottom white parts of leeks OK too; shallots OK too; avoid using dark red/purple onions - they make the soup look grey-ish, that's NOT visually appealing!
  • 1/2 cup Barley - cooked (seasoned while cooking) If starting with raw pearled barley, see Recipe Notes for detailed directions; for gluten recipe, use firm-cooked brown rice instead.
  • 1/4 tsp Crushed Red pepper
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1-2 pieces Bay Leaves if using a large leaf, break it up into 2-3 pieces
  • 1/4 tsp Salt

Other Soup Ingredients

  • 1 cup Asparagus - trimmed and sliced - 1/8 inch (3-4) mm 3/4 cup stems, 1/4 cup tips - keep them separate
  • 1 tsp Butter
  • 1 tsp Garlic - 1-2 cloves, peeled and finely chopped if not available, use 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper - freshly ground preferred
  • 1/2 cup Milk for vegan soup - use non-dairy milk
  • 2 1/2 cups Water
  • 1/2 cup Spicy Vegan Queso Sauce see ingredients below for making this sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dried basil (optional) if not available, use 1/2 tsp of one of the following: Italian seasoning, dried Thyme, dried Sage; if using fresh basil leaves, you will need about 8-10 leaves with the tender stem- roughly chopped leaves, finely chopped stem

To make Spicy Vegan Queso Sauce - makes a little over 1/2 cup

  • 1/2 cup Potatoes - peeled and diced small 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) cubes
  • 2 tbsp Pumpkin - peeled and diced small if not available, use butternut squash or Kabocha squash.
  • 1/2 cup Water - add more as needed see Recipe Directions below for details
  • 2 tbsp Cashews - lightly roasted without salt for nut-free Queso sauce, use soaked melon seeds, hemp seeds or sunflower seeds
  • 1/8 tsp Salt adjust
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne ground red chilli powder (spicy)
  • 2 tsp Nutritional yeast if not available, see Recipe Notes for alternatives; also OK to omit

For Milk - Cornstarch Slurry (to thicken the soup)

  • 1/2 cup Milk (bring to room temperature) for vegan soup - use non-dairy milk - recommend Soy Milk if you can have soy.
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch also called Cornflour; if not available, use equal amount of Tapioca flour or Arrowroot powder
  • 1/8 tsp Salt - add only if needed (may not need) adjust- taste soup before adding slurry

Garnish / Toppings - Serve on the side if you like

  • 1/2 cup Green Onions - thinly sliced green tops or chopped parsley, spinach, chopped watercress, etc.
  • 4 tsp Parmesan cheese - finely shredded (optional) for vegan - use shredded vegan cheese
  • 4 tsp Fresh cream (optional) for vegan - use coconut cream/milk
  • 1/4 cup Croutons - crisp sourdough croutons preferred (optional) for gluten-free: use gluten free croutons - see Recipe Notes
  • 1/8 tsp Crushed red pepper (Chilli flakes) (optional) adjust as per spiciness preferred
  • 1 tbsp Pickled Jalapenos (optional)

Instructions
 

Measure Cooked Seasoned Barley

  • Measure out 1 cup of cooked seasoned barley. Set aside until needed.
    Note: If you don't have cooked barley on hand, you will need to cook it first - before you do anything else.
    Follow the cooking directions given in Recipe Notes. Know that it will take about 25 min total till you can measure out the 1/2 cup cooked barley needed.
    1/4 cup dry uncooked barley yields about 1 cup cooked barley, You need only 1/2 cup in this recipe. Transfer the "extra" cooked barley to a freezer-safe container and freeze for later.

Pressure cook the celery, onions and barley with seasonings

  • Rinse and dice the celery - you can get 1 cup from about 3 medium stalks (without the leaves - save the leaves for another purpose)
    Slit the stalks lengthwise and slice across to dice.
    dicing celery
  • Dice (or chop) the onions - 1/2 cup medium dice
    chopped onions-medium dice
  • Add the celery and onion to a small stainless steel bowl or insert container that fits inside the pressure cooker
    celery onion pressure cook
  • Add the measured 1/2 cup cooked seasoned barley, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper and 1/4 tsp salt.
    celery onion barley
  • Prepare the pressure cooker for pot-in pot cooking:
    Place a rack/trivet inside the main pressure cooker pot and add 2 cups water.
    pressure cooker with rack -trivet
  • Add 1/2 cup water to the celery mixture, stir and place the container on the rack in the pressure cooker; cook for 5 min at full pressure.
    Allow for natural pressure release: this will take about 10 min.

Cook the Ingredients for making spicy vegan pumpkin Queso Sauce: Yields a little over 1/2 cup - enough for this soup recipe (4 servings)

  • Peel and dice a small potato: 1/2 cup . Place in a medium microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl
    On the Stove-top:
    Transfer the diced potatoes to a small saucepan, and add 1 cup water1 qt/L . Start heating the pan on low heat while you prep the pumpkin.
    peel and dice potato
  • Peel and dice a small piece of pumpkin - about 2 tbsp - and add to the potatoes in the bowl. Add 1/4 cup water, cover and microwave on Hi for 1 min; stir, replace cover and microwave again, on Power 4 (40% power) for 4-5 min.
    On the Stove-top:
    Add the diced pumpkin to the saucepan with the potatoes; cover and simmer on low heat till tender - about 10-12 min, maybe a bit longer, stirring every few minutes.
    potatoes and pumpkin
  • Check to see if the vegetables are soft and tender. Test: try to mash a potato piece with the back of a fork - if it mashes easily, it's done.
    If not, splash some water, cover and cook on Power 4 for another 2-3 min.
    On the Stove-top:
    Continue to cook on low heat, if need be, for 5-7 minutes longer.
  • Immediately add 2 tbsp roasted cashews to the hot potato-pumpkin mixture; stir, cover and set aside to cool for 5-10 min.
    Note: To make it nut-free, use water-soaked melon seeds, hemp seeds or sunflower seeds - it's best if you soak these for at least an hour, maybe even longer (overnight soak works well)
    pumpkin queso making

Prep the Asparagus while waiting for the potato mixture to cool down

  • Trim the woody ends of each asparagus spear by letting it snap naturally near the bottom end. collect them in as bunch and slice them about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) , leaving the tip intact to use as garnish.
    Note: This "snapping" method is not always completely reliable and can sometime be rather wasteful. Run a knife through the snapped off bottom ends to see where it really starts to become woody and fibrous. Do use the parts that are not woody, even if they got snapped off.
    Separate the sliced pieces (3/4 cup) from the tips about (1/4 cup) and set aside until needed.
    slicing asparagus

Blend the cooked Queso sauce ingredients

  • Transfer the cooked potatoes, pumpkin and cashew mixture to a blender, along with leftover cooking liquid; add cayenne and salt;
    Blend until very smooth and slightly gooey: add a little water, if needed, but not too much, to aid with blending: the sauce should thick, with a pouring consistency
    vegan pumpkin queso
  • Add 2 tsp Nutritional Yeast and blend again.
    Note: Check Recipe Notes for alternatives for this ingredient.
  • Measure out 1/2 cup of the pumpkin Queso sauce.
    Save any leftover sauce to use in a different way (as a cheesy dip for chips and munchies, to drizzle over vegetables, etc.).
    vegan pumpkin sauce

Make Celery Asparagus Soup!

  • Heat 3 cups of water in a small saucepan on low-medium heat.
  • Peel and chop garlic. Heat butter in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan; add chopped garlic and freshly crushed black pepper.
    butter-garlic-pepper
  • Add sliced asparagus and saute for about 1 min - don't add the asparagus tips at this time
    sauteeing asparagus with garlic
  • By this time, the pressure should have been released from the pressure cooker. Open the lid and remove the container with the cooked celery-onion barley mixture.
    Caution: It will be hot! Use sturdy tongs to remove this container, or protect your hands with a towel or oven mitts.
  • Add this hot mixture to the sauteed asparagus, along with 2 1/2 cups hot water (from the pan of hot water); stir and and bring to a boil.
    Note: Since you're adding hot celery mixture and hot water, the soup broth will come to a boil pretty quickly.
    add cooked celery to asparagus
  • Add 1/2 cup vegan pumpkin Queso sauce and 1/2 cup of milk (at room temperature)
    add queso to soup
  • Stir and simmer the soup on low heat (2-3 min) while you prepare the cornstarch-milk slurry.
    celery asparagus soup before slurry
  • Mix the cornstarch into 1/2 cup milk (warmed to room temperature first) to make a smooth, lump-free slurry.
    Note: The cornstarch quickly settles to the bottom, so you have to stir it up again just before adding it to the soup.
    slurry -cornstarch
  • Turn the heat off briefly while you pour the well-stirred slurry into the soup, briskly stirring to prevent lumps.
    Turn the heat on again and simmer on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens and becomes glossy smooth.
    celery asparagus soup-thickened
  • Turn the heat off, add the dried basil and stir.
  • The soup is now ready to serve with the suggested garnish and toppings ingredients.
    Cover and rest on the hot stove (with heat turned off!) while you get all the toppings ready.
    soup ready to serve celery asparagus
  • Just before you're ready to serve the soup, briefly cook the asparagus tips with butter, salt and black pepper.
    In microwave:
    Place asparagus tips in a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and ad a dollop of butter (1/2 tsp). Microwave on Hi for 30 seconds, stir and serve immediately as a topping for the soup
    On stove-top:
    Melt butter in a small skillet/frying pan, add the asparagus tips, sprinkle salt and pepper, and stir gently for 1-2 min. Serve immediately as a topping for the soup.
  • Buttered asparagus tips
  • Prep the garnish ingredients as needed.
    If using green onions: Thinly slice the green onions; separate and collect the dark green tops for using as a garnish / topping.
    Set aside the light green and white parts for another use.
    green onions -sliced
  • Serve the soup steaming hot, with the toppings you like: buttered asparagus tips, sliced green onions, finely shredded Parmesan cheese, croutons, pickled jalapenos, etc.
    All you need with this soup is fresh bread and butter on the side.
    celery asparagus soup chunky
  • Enjoy!

Notes

How to cook barley with seasonings in pressure cooker :
These directions, made with 1/4 cup of pearled barley, will yield 1 cup of cooked barley:
  • You will need only 1/2 cup for this soup recipe.
    • You can freeze the leftover seasoned barley - it's good for about 2 months, possibly longer
  • Prepare the pressure cooker for pot-in-pot cooking
    • Add 2 cups water to the main pressure cooker pot
    • Place a rack/trivet inside
  • Place 1/4 cup barley in a small stainless bowl or pressure cooker insert container and add the following :
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
    • 1 small bay leaf
    • 1 star anise (optional)
    • 4-5 whole black peppercorns
    • 1/2 tsp oil
  • Stir well to mix and place on the rack in the pressure cooker
  • seasoned barley -pressure cook
  • Cook 5 min at full pressure
  • Wait for natural pressure release: may take about 10 min
  • pressure cooked barley
  • Remove the black peppercorns and star anise (if used)
  • Stir gently with a flat spoon and allow to rest for a few minutes before using in the recipe.
    • You will only need 1/2 cup for this recipe  (4 servings)
    • Save the rest for later
      • I recommend storing it in the freezer for preserving its freshness.
 
How to cook barley with seasonings without pressure cooker :
These directions, made with 1/4 cup of pearled barley, will yield 1 cup of cooked barley:
  • You will need only 1/2 cup for this soup recipe.
    • You can freeze the leftover seasoned barley - it's good for about 2 months, possibly longer
  • Add 1 1/2 cups water to a medium 2-3 quart heavy-bottom saucepan. Start heating the water on low-medium heat and add the following:
    •  1/4 cup pearled barley
    • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
    • 1 small bay leaf
    • 1 star anise (optional)
    • 4-5 whole black peppercorns
    • 1/2 tsp oil
  •  Stir and increase the heat for about 2 minutes, until the water comes to a boil.
  • Lower the heat and simmer, stirring every few min to settle any froth/foam that might form
    •  Keep the pan partially covered to prevent heat loss while cooking - completely covering the pan ca cause messy frothing
    • If the starts bubbling over (and out!) because of the froth, simply remove the cover briefly, then continue to cook.
  • Cook for about 20-25 minutes, until almost all the liquid is absorbed.
  • Turn heat off, cover and set aside 5-8 min, to allow steam to get absorbed by the rice.
  • Remove cover, fluff a little with a fork - if the soft-cooked grains look like they might get smashed and mashed if stirred, add 3-4 ice cubes to quickly cool it down. Measure out 1/2 cup to use in the soup.
    • Save the rest for later
      • I recommend storing it in the freezer for preserving its freshness.
 
How to cook the celery-onion-barley-broth without a pressure cooker?
No worries... You can cook the celery, onion, barley broth on the stove-top, in a heavy-bottom medium (2-3 qt/L) saucepan: it will take about 15-20 min.
  • Bring 1 cup water to a boil, then add celery and onions
  • Add spices as listed : bay leaf, crushed red pepper and salt
  • Stir, bring back to a boil on high heat
  • Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered for 10-12 min, stirring every 2-3 min
    • Add 1/4 cup water, if needed to prevent drying out and burning on the bottom
  • Add cooked seasoned barley and boil gently for 5-7 min
    • do a bite-test at the end to see if the celery has softened -
      • it should not feel crunchy when you bite into it)
      • Set aside until ready to add to soup
 
Need Nutritional Yeast alternatives?
If nutritional yeast is not available, try one of the following instead:
  • 2 tbsp shredded plant-based (vegan) cheese  - preferably cheddar-style
  • 2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese 
    • Note that the queso will not be vegan if you add dairy-based cheese
 
Want to make a Large batch for a party?
Want to serve this soup to a larger group?
Here are some things you can "do ahead", about 1-2 days in advance, to simplify what you have to do on "Party Day"
  • Cook the barley with seasonings up to 2 days in advance, and refrigerate
    • you can cook it even earlier, but then you should freeze it in a shallow , lidded containers
      • thaw on counter for about 30 min to melt the ice crystals, before cooking with celery and onions
  • Make the creamy vegan queso sauce up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate
    • you can cook it even earlier, but then you should freeze it in a shallow , lidded containers
      • thaw on counter for about 30 min to melt the ice crystals, before using as directed in the recipe.
  • Trim and slice the celery and onion up to one day in advance - and refrigerate
  • Trim and slice the asparagus one day in advance - and refrigerate
If you have all this ready, then you can probably finish making your large batch of soup in just 15-20 min. Here are some tips for making this final process go fast:
  • About 30-40 min before you want to start making the soup:
    • Pressure cook the celery, onions and cooked barley with seasonings
    • Since this is entirely hands-off time, you can continue to  prepare other things for your party while the pressure cooker does its thing. 
  • Before you start sauteing  the asparagus.
    • Set a pot of water to boil
      • Measure out the amount of water you will need for the soup and add an extra cup or two.
    • Warm the cold vegan queso sauce, covered, in the microwave till lukewarm
    • Warm the milk you will need for the cornstarch slurry - only make it lukewarm
  • By the time you start sauteing the asparagus,
    • The pressure cooker will have released its pressure and the contents will be hot. 
    • The water in your pot will be near boiling
    • The vegan queso sauce will be lukewarm
  • Add these hot/warm ingredients to your pot of soup and it will all come to a boil very fast.
  • Quickly make the slurry, turn the heat off and briskly stir the slurry into your soup.. Turn the heat on again and stir,
    • wait for the soup to thicken.
 
Storing Leftovers:
Store leftover soup in a well-lidded glass/ceramic container.
In refrigerator:
  • Consume within 2-3 days
    • Reheat before serving
    • Add fresh garnish / toppings
In Freezer:
  • Good for 2-3 weeks, possibly longer
    • Thaw and reheat before serving
    • Add fresh garnish / toppings
 
 
 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 393mgPotassium: 509mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1439IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 165mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Asparagus, butternut squash, Cashews, celery, Corn starch, cornflour, Creamy sauce, Creamy Soup, hearty soup, Potatoes, pumpkin, Queso, Vegan Queso, vegan sauce, Whole milk
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