Dairy-Free Bacon-Asparagus Soup

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albertsons. All opinions are 100% my own.

Asparagus never tasted so good in this creamy Dairy-Free Bacon Asparagus Soup. This recipe can be enjoyed as a side dish or a light dinner— it also makes a tasty meal addition if you have acid reflux and are looking for meals that are easy to swallow. For how minimal the ingredients are in this recipe, this soup offers a ton of flavor and nutrients.

Ingredients used for this recipe:

• asparagus - 2 lbs (approx. 2 bundles of medium-sized asparagus)
• bacon -  I used Open Nature® AppleWood Smoked Bacon in this recipe
• broth - chicken or vegetable broth can be used to add more flavor to the soup ( I used O Organics® Chicken Broth)
• potato starch - this is used to make a slurry to thicken the soup
• olive oil - avocado oil also works in place of this
• salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

How to Make Dairy-Free Bacon Asparagus Soup

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. To simplify clean-up, I lined my baking sheet with Signature SELECT™ nonstick parchment paper before laying out the bacon.  I like using this when I cook because it’s moisture + grease-resistant, and eliminates the need for hard scrubbing.

While the bacon is cooking, wash your asparagus. Then cut off the rough ends and discard (or save for later to make broth). Chop the asparagus and set aside. Cook the bacon until it is golden brown and crispy, or to the desired doneness (this took me approx. 15-20 minutes). Lay the cooked bacon strips flat between paper towels on a plate to soak up the grease. Once the bacon is cooled off, chop into little pieces and set aside.

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.

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.

Let cool slightly and process in batches in the blender. I like to not blend half of the asparagus for a heartier soup, but it’s tasty 100% pureed as well! Once the liquid is processed to a creamy consistency, add it back to the pot and bring to a boil. To thicken the soup, I like to 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. This step isn’t necessary if you are pleased with the consistency after blending. 

I love to finish it off with some diced bacon and Signature SELECT black pepper because it compliments the savory flavors of the bacon and asparagus. Signature Select makes a lot of other quality products, plus has a vast selection of spices/dried herbs! 

If you struggle with symptoms of acid reflux, reading that this recipe has bacon may raise red a flag for you. After having amazing results from following the Fast Tract Diet, I gear my recipes towards limiting hard-to-digest carbs, as opposed to limiting fats (so, you will see me include fat-rich ingredients from time to time). If you aren’t able to tolerate bacon, even in moderation, you can just omit it and replace the bacon fat used in the recipe with olive oil. I can tolerate bacon in moderation, so Open Nature Applewood Smoked Bacon was my choice for this recipe. The flavor and quality are like none other I’ve had, and I love that it’s not too salty.

I buy Open Nature and Signature SELECT products at my local Albertsons store in Boise and you can find them exclusively at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw’s, Star Market, and United Supermarkets. Albertsons has been my one-stop shop for recipe testing and meals for the week. There is a lot to choose from when it comes to their gluten-free and dairy-free options, so shopping here saves me from having to run to multiple stores to find what I need. Also, to avoid crowds this season, don’t forget to utilize their Grocery Delivery and DriveUp&Go™  option for convenient ways to shop!

To find a store near you and for more recipe ideas, visit www.albertsons.com.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: N/A

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