Creamy Chestnut Mushroom Soup Recipe

We've all heard the song at the holidays about roasting chestnuts over an open fire, have you actually ever had one? If you have always wondered what a chestnut tastes like, now's your chance. This creamy chestnut and mushroom soup is a delicious way use this tender morsel. The buttery mushrooms paired with the soft nutty chestnuts and savory, umami seasonings make this soup one you will add to your list of comfort dishes.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients. They have many powerful health benefits and work well in so many dishes. This silky soup has a deep, earthy flavor and the soft chestnuts add a complementary element."

Read on to learn how to use chestnuts in this delicious soup. You may event want to add this recipe to your holiday recipe list this year.

To make this recipe, the key ingredients are cremini mushrooms and prepared chestnuts. "Prepared chestnuts have been boiled first, so the shell can be removed, then roasted," Hahn explains. You'll also need onion, garlic, and fresh thyme from the produce department.

For the soup broth, you'll need butter, vegetable broth, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and heavy cream. "Dairy-free butter and cream work fine in this soup if you want to make it vegan," Hahn adds.

Our first step is to soften up the vegetables and chestnuts. Pull out a large soup pot or Dutch oven and add the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the garlic, mushrooms, and chestnuts. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. "Using butter here instead of oil will yield a creamy, silk-like texture for the soup," Hahn shares.

The next step in this simple process is to add the thyme sprigs, broth, soy sauce, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. "If you're going for a thicker soup, start by only adding 4 cups of broth to test the consistency," Hahn suggests. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 25 minutes.

"The fresh thyme sprigs infuse a woodsy yet flowery flavor to the soup, and keeping them on the stems makes it easy to remove them," Hahn remarks. Once the soup has been cooking for 25 minutes, remove and discard the thyme.

To add some thickness to the soup, you'll blend half of it. You can do this with an immersion blender, or simply remove half of the soup and put it into a countertop blender. Once blended, add it back to the pot. "At this point, if you want to add more broth to the soup to make it thinner, do that now," Hahn explains.

Add the cream to the soup and stir to combine. Let it sit on the stove on simmer for about 5 minutes.

The soup is ready to ladle into bowls and serve. If you have fresh thyme, top with either full sprigs or just the leaves.

The soup pairs well with a fresh salad and roasted chicken or any protein of your choice. The soup will last for up to 5 days in the fridge if kept in a sealed container.