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4.9 from 30 votes

Chestnut Soup Recipe

This Chestnut Soup, also known as Chestnut Veloute, is a silky, creamy, and nutty dish that's perfect for the holiday or winter season. Enjoy it with crusty bread for a decadent weeknight meal, or serve it as a starter to accompany a spread of your favorite seasonal comfort foods.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 287 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: French-American Fusion

Ingredients

  • 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

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. Add the garlic: Add in the garlic and cook for one minute.
  3. Add additional ingredients: Stir in the chestnuts, thyme, bay leaf, vegetable stock, and salt and pepper.
  4. Cook the soup: Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the vegetables are fork-tender.
  5. Puree the soup: Discard the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup until it is creamy.
  6. 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.
  7. Add the nutmeg: Right before serving, stir in the grated nutmeg.
  8. Serve: Ladle into individual bowls and if preferred, garnish with your choice of toppings.

Notes

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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. 
  • Let it come to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
  • To thaw from frozen, let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Nutrition Information

Calories 287kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Cholesterol 17mg (6%) Sodium 1484mg (62%) Potassium 533mg (15%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 3511IU (70%) Vitamin C 40mg (44%) Calcium 42mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 287

% Daily Value*

Calories 287kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 1484mg 62%
Potassium 533mg 11%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 3511IU 70%
Vitamin C 40mg 44%
Calcium 42mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.