Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium low heat and add oil, vegan butter or a splash of water to coat. Add in the shallot and garlic and sauté until tender and fragrant. Add in the asparagus and sauté for about 3 minutes until they're bright green and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove a few of the tops and set aside to use as garnish if desired.

Pour in the water, beans, and cashews and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, spinach, and maple syrup and simmer just until the spinach is slightly wilted.

Transfer to a high speed blender and add the parsley. Pureè on high speed until silky smooth and creamy. Pour into bowls and top with a swirl of vegan yogurt, sauteéd asparagus, and finely chopped parsley. Other optional toppings would be crispy chickpeas, croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped pistachios, or avocado.

This soup can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.