Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with a parchment paper. Cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle with a garlic powder, Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp salt.

Step 2

Toss to combine. Bake the croutons for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the croutons to a bowl. Don't discard the parchment paper.

Step 3

Slice 1 inch off the bottom tough part of the asparagus and cut the stalks into 1 inch pieces.

Step 4

Slice a quarter inch of the top part of the garlic head, leaving the cloves exposed.

Step 5

Drizzle the garlic and asparagus spears with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let garlic and asparagus cool for a few minutes. Squeeze the garlic pulp out of its skin and set aside.

Step 6

Cut the roasted asparagus in 2-3 pieces. (You can reserve a few asparagus tops for serving later). Add the roasted asparagus and garlic to a high speed blender along with the vegetable broth. Blend until the soup is creamy and smooth.

Step 7

Pour the asparagus soup into a medium pot and place on a stove on a medium heat. Add plant-based milk, the remaining 1/4 tsp of salt and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. Make sure the soup is seasoned well.

Step 8

Remove creamy roasted asparagus soup from the heat, ladle into the soup bowls and top with the crunchy croutons and a few asparagus tops.