Chestnut Soup Recipe (Super Creamy!) - Foolproof Living (2024)

Substitutions and Optional Add-Ins

This roasted chestnut soup is incredibly versatile, as you can keep it simple and serve it for a cozy weeknight dinner or dress it up with toppings for a decadent holiday meal. Here I’ve provided some suggestions for toppings and listed some ingredient substitutions that might save you a trip to the store.

• Shallot: You can use a shallot, a small white onion, or a large leek for this recipe. Leeks are typically harder to find but add a wonderful, delicate flavor to any soup. If you use a leek, make sure to wash it well, as soil tends to get stuck in the layers of the vegetable.
• Fresh herbs: I chose fresh thyme sprigs for this roast chestnut soup, but you can also use fresh parsley or sage for a touch of herbal flavor. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
• Stock: Vegetable broth (or my vegetable stock from kitchen scraps) is a great base for this vegetarian chestnut soup, especially if you’re serving it for vegetarian friends. If you’re not worried about making the soup vegan or vegetarian, you can use chicken stock or a bouillon cube instead. If you choose to use a bouillon cube, boil the water first, dissolve the cube, and then add the veggies.
• Crumbled bacon: Topping this soup with crumbled bacon adds a salty, savory element that perfectly complements the dish. Feel free to use your bacon of choice, but I personally love to make turkey bacon in oven or in the air fryer.
• Alcoholic option: For an adult-friendly flourish, finish off each bowl of soup with a tablespoon of brandy or sherry. The alcohol gives the soup a gourmet feel and brings out the nutty flavor profile.
• Creme fraiche: If you happen to have some store-bought creme fraiche (French for “fresh cream”) on hand, why not add a dollop to your soup? Its nutty, tangy flavor is reminiscent of sour cream and adds a beautiful creaminess to the dish.

How to Store, Freeze, and Thaw?

One of the best things about making a big pot of this creamed chestnuts recipe is that you’re almost guaranteed to have some leftovers to enjoy the next day. Whether you plan to meal-prep it for the week or store it away in the freezer, I have you covered with these helpful tips:

• Store: Before storing, let the soup cool down to room temperature. Spoon it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Let the soup come to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: To thaw from frozen, let the soup sit in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheat: Reheat in a saucepan on the stove, making sure to stir often as it heats up. The soup tends to thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a quarter cup of liquid to thin it out.

What to Serve It With?

The beauty of this recipe is that it suits almost any occasion. Serve it alone for a quick, warming weeknight dinner, or pair it with wine and a gourmet entree or side for a special occasion. Here are my suggestions:

• Make it a luxurious dinner: Want to make your next dinner party feel extra special? Serve this soup as the perfect starter (with crusty bread) to accompany a spread of gourmet dishes. My go-to gourmet meal is Roasted Cornish Hens as the main course paired with Rosemary Mashed Potatoes and a Butternut Squash Salad.
• Give it a French twist: Transport your friends, family, and guests to Paris with a French-inspired meal. Add a dollop of creme fraiche to make it a French chestnut soup (the French may call it a “chestnut veloute”), and serve with my delicious Chicken Fricassee, Brioche Bread, and these Easy Green Beans for true culinary experience. And don’t forget to grab a bottle of French wine for a full meal that is guaranteed to impress!

What do chestnuts taste like?

When roasted, chestnuts have a subtly sweet, nutty, and earthy flavor. Some say the flavor reminds them of a sweet potato!

Are chestnut healthy?

Although they’re small in size, chestnuts are packed with a variety of health benefits. They are a good source of copper, manganese, and vitamin B6, as well as several antioxidants. Check the ingredient label if you’re buying pre-cooked or peeled chestnuts, as they may contain added sugars or other ingredients you’ll want to avoid in order to reap their full health benefits.

How to prepare chestnuts for soup?

To prepare chestnuts for soup, you’ll want to cook and peel them first. The main two cooking methods are roasting and boiling, which involve either roasting the nuts in the oven or over a fire or boiling them in water on the stove.

How to make chestnut soup vegan?

To make a vegan chestnut soup, omit the heavy cream and garnish it with your vegan toppings of choice. If you want to make the soup “creamy,” you can add a little almond milk instead of heavy cream. You can even make it a vegan Christmas soup by topping it with a tbsp of brandy or sherry to make it festive.

5 from 5 votes

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 shallot or ½ small onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 medium-sized carrot chopped (~ ⅓ cup)
• ▢ 1 stalk celery chopped (~ ⅓ cup)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• ▢ 2 ½ cups chestnuts cooked and peeled* – (about 15 oz.) plus more for garnish
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 5 cups vegetable broth
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
• ▢ ¼ cup heavy cream – optional
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Optional Toppings:

• ▢ 4 tablespoons creme fraiche
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
• ▢ 4 cooked bacon strips chopped (or turkey bacon) – non vegetarian option

• Cook the vegetables: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large saucepan) over medium heat. Add shallot, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are softened.

• Add the garlic: Add in the garlic and cook for one minute.

• Add additional ingredients: Stir in the chestnuts, thyme, bay leaf, vegetable stock, and salt and pepper.

• Cook the soup: Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the vegetables are fork-tender.

• Puree the soup: Discard the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup until it is creamy.

• Add the heavy cream: If using, stir in the heavy cream. Bring it to a quick rolling boil. Give it a quick taste and add more if necessary.

• Add the nutmeg: Right before serving, stir in the grated nutmeg.

• Serve: Ladle into individual bowls and if preferred, garnish with your choice of toppings.

• This recipe makes 5-6 cups of chestnut soup, making it approximately 1 1/2 cups per serving. The calorie information listed below does not include the optional toppings.
• Cooking Chestnuts: You can use store-bought chestnuts (affiliate link) or boil fresh chestnuts yourself. Alternatively, you can use roasted chestnuts to make this soup recipe.
• To make it vegan: If you are following a plant-based diet, please omit using heavy cream, creme Fraiche, and bacon. This soup is naturally gluten-free with or without the optional ingredients.
• Foam on top:You may end up with some foam on top after pureeing the soup. You can remove it with a spoon. Or do what I do, bring the soup to one last boil while stirring it constantly.
• Bacon: If you want to cook the bacon on the stovetop, you can cook it in the same pot you will use to make the soup. Simply place the strips in a cold pot, arrange them in a single layer, and cook them over low heat until they are crispy. Transfer them to a paper towel, pour out the excess grease in the pot, and then follow the instructions starting with cooking the vegetables. You can also use Baked Turkey Bacon as a topping.
• Store: Let the soup cool down to room temperature before storing. Transfer it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Let it come to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: To thaw from frozen, let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: Reheat in a saucepan on the stove, making sure to stir often as it heats up. The soup tends to thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a quarter cup of liquid to thin it out.