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a bowl of white colored soup with chives.
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Creamy Chestnut Soup

We're all about the holiday feels over here and this silky chestnut soup just puts us over the top with its sweet and savory nutty flavor!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup/Stew
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 311kcal
Author: Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

  • 15 ounces chestnuts without shells
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 1 cup chopped fennel
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1-2 teaspoons salt start with one and adjust to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup brandy
  • ¼ cup apple cider
  • 5 cups chicken stock substitute vegetable stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream substitute coconut cream
  • 8 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled (optional - for topping)
  • 2 tablespoons diced chives optional - for topping
  • creme fraiche optional - for topping

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and fennel and sauté until softened.
  • Add the chestnuts, pepper, salt, bay leaf, thyme and nutmeg and stir to combine.
  • Add the brandy and cook 2-3 minutes, until most liquid has evaporated.
  • Add the apple cider and cook 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let cool slightly before adding it to the blender. Add to the blender and puree until smooth.
  • Add it back to the pot and heat over medium heat. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and serve garnished with crumbled bacon, chopped chives and a drizzle of creme fraiche.

Notes

  1. Let the mixture cool slightly before adding it to the blender otherwise the heat could cause the top to pop off the blender.
  2. Add additional salt to taste after stirring in the cream.
  3. Make these oven roasted chestnuts if you want to have this be totally from scratch.
  4. Use an immersion blender instead of the countertop blender if you have one (saves some cleaning).
  5. If using fresh, unshelled chestnuts, you'll need about 2 pounds.
  6. If it's too thick, thin it with a touch of half and half.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 503mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg