Dairy-Free Bacon-Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• 2 lb of asparagus (approx. 1 bundle)
• 4 strips of bacon
• 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tsp of potato starch (optional, to use as thickener for soup)
• 1.5-2 tbsp of olive oil (or more as needed)
• 1/2 tsp each of garlic powder and onion powder, optional
• 1 tsp of salt, or to taste
• pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out the bacon.
2. While the bacon is cooking, wash your asparagus. Cut off the rough ends and discard (or save for later to make broth). Chop the asparagus and set aside.
3. Cook the bacon until it is golden brown and crispy, or to the desired doneness (approx. 15-20 minutes). Lay the cooked bacon strips flat between paper towels on a plate to soak up the grease. Once cooled, chop into little pieces and set aside.
4. Use 1 tbsp of the leftover bacon grease and add to a pot, along with 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp of olive oil. Heat the oil over medium heat and add the asparagus. Stir and add more oil as needed while cooking.
5. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp of onion powder. Sauté asparagus for 10 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 8-10 more minutes, or until the asparagus is tender.
6. Let cool slightly and process in batches in the blender. For a heartier soup, leave half of the asparagus unblended. Once processed to a creamy consistency, add it back to the pot and bring to a boil.
7. Optional: To thicken the soup, mix together 2 tsp of potato starch and 4 tsp of cold water until there are no lumps. Add this to the boiling soup and turn off the heat, stirring constantly for one minute. After a minute remove from heat.
8. Finish with diced bacon and black pepper to taste.