This Dutch Mustard Soup with Smoked Salmon is creamy, lightly sharp, and finished with green asparagus and sour cream. It is quick enough for lunch, but also works as a starter for a spring dinner.
Here in the Netherlands, mustard soup is a classic kind of starter and I make it quite often. I hope you'll enjoy it too.
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Why You'll Want to Make This
The base of this soup is simple, but the flavor has real character. Mustard gives the soup its gentle kick, while sour cream softens the edges and makes it feel creamy without becoming heavy. Smoked salmon adds a rich, salty finish, and green asparagus keeps the bowl fresh and spring-like.
It is also a good recipe when you want a first course that looks polished without spending a long time in the kitchen. Once the soup is ladled into bowls, the salmon and sour cream make it look finished right away.
What You Need
- Vegetable stock: This is the base of the soup and keeps the flavor light. Homemade vegetable stock is real good for this soup. Use cooled stock when whisking it into the roux, because it helps prevent lumps.
- Butter: Butter gives the roux a soft, rich base. Use unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning.
- All-purpose flour: Flour thickens the soup. Cook it gently in the butter for a few minutes so the soup does not taste floury.
- Coarse mustard: This gives the soup its main flavor and a little texture. Add it after the soup base is ready and do not let the soup boil hard afterward.
- Green asparagus: Asparagus adds color, bite, and a fresh spring flavor. Cut it into short pieces so it cooks quickly in the soup.
- Smoked salmon: Smoked salmon gives the soup a salty, rich finish. Add it to the bowls instead of boiling it in the soup, so it stays silky.
- Sour cream: A spoonful of sour cream makes the soup rounder and softer. It also looks nice when added just before serving.
- Salt and black pepper: Season after adding the mustard, because mustard and smoked salmon already bring plenty of flavor.
How to Make It
- Step 1: Melt the butter and stir in the flour until it forms a smooth paste. Cook it gently for a few minutes so the soup does not taste floury.
- Step 2: Whisk in the cooled stock and simmer the soup until smooth and lightly thickened.
- Step 3: Lower the heat, stir in the mustard, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Step 4: Add the asparagus and let it simmer gently until just tender. Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with smoked salmon and a spoonful of sour cream. Serve right away.
Top Tips
- Do not let the soup boil after the mustard goes in. The flavor can turn harsh and slightly sour.
- Cook the flour in the butter for a few minutes before adding the stock. That small step makes a big difference in the finished taste.
- Use cooled stock when you whisk it into the roux. It helps the soup become smooth without lumps.
- I have made enough mustard soups to know that balance matters more than using extra mustard. Start with the amount in the recipe, then taste before adding more.
- Add the salmon to the bowls, not to the pot. That keeps the texture soft and the flavor fresher.
What to Serve with Dutch Mustard Soup
- Serve this Dutch Mustard Soup with crusty bread, a small sandwich, or as a starter before a light spring dinner.
- For a spring menu with salmon and asparagus, follow the soup with Oven-Baked Salmon with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes. If you prefer chicken as a main dish, Chicken with vanilla sauce also works well after this creamy starter
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Dutch Mustard Soup with Smoked Salmon is a simple and elegant soup with mustard flavor, crispy green asparagus, and smoked salmon.
Recipe Help
Two easy tools to make cooking even easier. Cooking mode keeps the screen on. The easy-step recipe displays the recipe step by step, including the ingredients needed. And you can adjust servings easily
Ingredients
- 3½ oz smoked salmon
- 2 tablespoons butter , unsalted
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4¼ cup vegetable stock, cooled to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons coarse mustard
- salt and pepper, at taste
- 3½ oz green asparagus tips
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Cut the smoked salmon into thin strips and keep it chilled until needed.3½ oz smoked salmon
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until it forms a smooth paste, then cook on low heat for 3 minutes.2 tablespoons butter , ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in the cooled stock until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.4¼ cup vegetable stock
- Lower the heat and stir in the mustard. Season with salt and black pepper.3 tablespoons coarse mustard, salt and pepper
- Add the asparagus and simmer gently for 4 minutes, until just tender.3½ oz green asparagus tips
- Ladle the soup into bowls and divide the smoked salmon over the top. Finish each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream and serve at once.4 tablespoons sour cream
Notes
1. Can I use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock? Yes. Chicken stock gives the soup a slightly deeper flavor, but both work well.
2. Why does the stock need to be cool? Cool stock is easier to whisk into the roux smoothly and helps prevent lumps.
3. How do I stop the soup from tasting like raw flour? Cook the roux for about 3 minutes on low heat before adding the stock.
4. Can I add the salmon to the whole pot? It is better added to each bowl. That keeps the salmon silky and stops it from overcooking.
5. Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the plain soup without salmon, asparagus, or sour cream in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Reheat gently and do not let it boil once the mustard is in. Add the garnish only when serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 157kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 1383mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1010IUVitamin C: 2mgIron: 1mg
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