I adore chestnuts.
This soup recipe is thick and satisfying, and very simple when made with tinned chestnut puree…
- 1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large or two small onions, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 – 3 cups (500ml – 750ml) stock (I used homemade chicken stock)
- 1 tin chestnut puree
- vegetable oil
- extra water (if required)
- salt and pepper
1. In a large pot, heat a little oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the potato and stir well to coat. Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the potato is soft.
2. Add the chestnut puree and stir to incorporate. Cover the pot again and continue to simmer gently for a few minutes more. Then remove the lid and blitz the soup with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a little water and reheat to combine. You could also add cream at this stage if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
The soup thickens as it cools, so I add a little water when reheating. It’s delicious and very filling!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Hi Celia
Are you having a cold spell? It is too hot here for soup, though yours does look lovely.
Glenda darling, I’m Chinese. I can eat hot soup at any time of the year, having grown up with laksas at Christmas! :)
Aahhh Chinese, never thought of that, durrrrr :):)
Never had chestnut soup – sounds luscious and perfect for a cold evening!
Sally, it’s really easy too with the tinned chestnuts! :)
This looks perfect for a holiday appetizer in small cups.
I’m going to try it on my extended family- because I’m pretty sure Frank won’t eat much of it.
Thanks again for sharing your recipes, Celia!
Heidi, I adore chestnuts, and it was a great way to use up some of the tins I bought at half price! :)
Yumm! I am in love with all things chestnut! I’ve got to try it.
Have you ever tried chestnut ice cream with chocolate sauce in a profiterole?. . . Not to be specific. ;)
Pamela, I have, but I’m actually not a huge fan of sweet chestnut dishes (marron glace being the exception!). I like my chestnuts savoury – my favourite way to prepare them is by adding them to soy sauce chicken and rice! :)
I have never made a chestnut soup. Definately going in the list of recipes to make this season. Sounds wonderful.
Thanks Connie! Really easy too!
Oh I wonder if I can find that here. Looks just delicious.
Greg, I’m pretty sure it would work with fresh chestnuts too, just so long as they were well cooked down first before pureeing.
A perfect festive recipe for our friends in the northern hemisphere!
I hope so Lizzy! Thanks! :)
Thanks for the idea, I have a tin always in the cupboard but have only used for rich desserts e.g. choc and chestnut cakes
Roz, I really like savoury chestnut dishes and breads, never been a huge fan of chocolate and chestnut together, although I know it’s really popular!
I love chestnuts too but I’ve never had a chestnut soup. (And can I just say that your recipe doesn’t mention the chestnuts – how much do you add? Is it two tins?) I’ve bought those tinned chestnuts before and found them to be quite expensive. Are they still costly or have they come down in price? (Because I haven’t bought that brand for a long time!) xx
Thanks for the pick-up, Charlie, I’ve amended the recipe. It’s just one tin. These were on special at half price at Cyril’s deli in Haymarket – there was a big basket outside the door a couple of months ago (they might still have some if you’re passing by).
I’ve never tried chestnut soup, but have to admit that I find chestnuts to be a little bland and floury, so wouldn’t ordinarily rush to try this. I’ll give it a go, but might wait until it’s a little cooler. Not really soup weather here at the moment.
Not a chestnut lover, Amanda? Neither are my boys, so I only really get to make this soup for me. :)
i have fond memories of winter in london – or paris? too long ago! – buying bags of hot roasted chestnuts from street vendors. that was the first and only time i’ve had chestnuts!
E, roasted chestnuts would be perfect in the cold Tassie winter! Over the past few years, they’ve become widely available here in Sydney…
I LOVE chestnut soup! I had it the first time on a JAL flight and I’ve been a devotee ever since.
Maureen, it’s very easy to make, especially with my stash of pureed chestnut tins. :)
I never knew you could get pureed chestnuts in a can. I’m thinking they’d be rather nice in baking?
Claire, I think that’s one thing they’re commonly used for, although I’m not a big fan of chestnuts and chocolate together…
I must looks out for chestnuts/puree on sale… I love soup of any kind, and the chicken & chestnut rice is still on my mind :)
ED, there were heaps at Cyril’s in Haymarket a couple of months ago – not sure if they still have them. I went back for more. And we had chicken and chestnut rice again last night – I absolutely adore it! :)
OMG, is good old Cyril’s still going? Have obviously been residing away from Sydney far too long :) ! When we first landed in Sydney: this was our Saturday am destination to buy ‘proper’ black bread :) ! Oh, love those chestnuts: shall most decidely try the soup!
Hehe..isn’t that great that Cyril’s is still there? It’s really quite the institution!
Lovely! I still have some ‘fresh’ chestnuts in the freezer, do you think they’ll work as well Celia?
I read that comment about laksa at Christmas, I think that would be a big improvement on the tinned salad and bbq chook at my in-laws :)
Becca, I’ve seen recipes similar to this one made with vac packed chestnuts, so I think the fresh ones would work if you cook them long enough? Curry for Christmas – it’s a tradition at our place! :)
Tis chesnut season here. We have been roasting them in the oven, wrap them up in tea towels and then pass them around the table to sit on them to help open them! It is so good to sit on hot chestnuts in winter!
Anna, does sitting on them help to crack them? Must try that next time! ;-)
Yes – the more kilos the better!
I’ve never seen cans of chestnuts. Sounds delicious, though.
Maz.
Maz, I’m really surprised by this – I assumed it was popular in the US for making stuffing and the like!
Dear Celia,
I love chestnuts especially the street roasted ones in Malaysia but I’ve never cooked this soup before let alone know there is such a thing as chestnut puree. Presumably they are available in gourmet delis?
Chopinand, I’ve seen them at quite a few fancy fruit store/deli places, so I’m guessing they’re not hard to get?
A bowl of your chestnut soup is just what I need now and another tomorrow as we are expecting snow, not much just 2 – 3 inches, I don’t know if chestnut puree is available in the US.
Oooh, stay warm Norma! We’re expecting 40C heatwave here this weekend…
A tin of chestnut puree is never safe around me ;)
I’d love to know what you do with it, Lorraine! :)
This sounds a good December soup. As it’s the season for chestnuts here, I think I’ll roast a few and crumble them into the finished soup.
Anne, if you had them widely available, I’m sure you could cook them down for the soup. They’re still not all that common here, and the puree is just the lazy way to go! :)
I can imagine that this would be very filling and tasty.. have a glorious day celia.. I am going to put on my welding gloves and go do stuff.. c
Celi, hope you’re keeping warm! xx
A very festive chestnut soup! You like chestnuts, I do too! :) MMMM!
Sophie, I LOVE chestnuts! It is festive too – I thought maybe I should make some for Christmas! :)
Before last Friday night I had only ever had chestnuts roasted! This looks delicious Celia :)
Thanks Tandy! :)
In my research into chestnuts I discovered that there are old European stock chestnut trees growing in Australia. Must be in a cooler part of the country than Sydney. Last winter I made an Italian chestnut soup, recipe from Carla in Rome, which was almost a stew which had chickpeas and all sorts of other things in it. It was incredibly filling. I must look on the shelves and see if I have enough to make your sumptous looking soup as you have reminded me of how lovely it is ! The chestnut puree is used for making that Mont Blanc pudding as well isn’t it? Maybe it would work in one of your meringue confections?
It is a delicious recipe!!
As you walk the city streets of New York you smell roasting chestnuts…I look forward to this time of the year when they are for sale in abundance…expensive as hell, but well worth it. Lovely soup!