Original Article Published – 10/12/2021
September Means Pumpkin and Chestnut Season!
A Pumpkin Chestnut Soup is wonderful during these cooler months. October especially reminds me of pumpkins and soup! Add the two together to make a pumpkin soup, and I am one happy lady.
Pumpkin and chestnuts are a delicious pairing. This Pumpkin Chestnut Soup is velvety, sweet, and nutty. This soup is everything you’ll want to curl up with this Fall.
Why I Made This Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Around this time of year, I make a lot of soup recipes. They heat me up from the inside out on a cool fall day.
This recipe is healthy, easy, and delicious. Additionally, it is a great way to use chestnuts if you happen to come across some at the store or your local farmers market!
The Star Ingredients
Pumpkin: Pumpkin and chestnuts are the stars of this soup and everyone knows that pumpkins are an excellent flavor for fall. In a pinch, you can swap for butternut squash.
In this recipe, I used pureed pumpkin for ease and convenience. During this time of year, canned pumpkins can be found in many grocery stores. I got my pumpkin puree from Trader Joe’s.
Chestnuts: Chestnuts are the other main ingredient in this soup. Chestnuts are very starchy, even more starchy than potatoes! The nutty yet starchy chestnut contributes velvety goodness to this soup.
Other Soup Ingredients
Onion: Onions are the third essential flavor in this soup. Sweating the vegetables beforehand brings out all the flavors. Onions are an excellent way to add and accentuate flavors to many soups and sauces.
Herbs and Spices: In this Pumpkin Chestnut Soup recipe, I use sage, a bay leaf, and thyme. Other herbs/spices that would work well in this soup include but are not limited to allspice, cayenne, cilantro, cloves, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, and rosemary. Choose any combination that sings to you.
Taste the soup and adjust the flavors before serving. You might add more salt, pepper, or spices as needed.
Vegetable Stock & Avocado Oil: I use vegetable stock in this recipe to keep it plant-based. You can use chicken stock too! Or better yet, chicken bone broth!
In addition, to keep this recipe 100% plant-based, I used avocado oil for sautéing and roasting the vegetables. Other options include coconut oil, butter, or extra virgin olive oil.
Optional Additions: Add a bit of cream or coconut cream for a more creamy pumpkin soup.
How To Make
- Add oil and onion to the pan.
- Start sweating the onion to release its flavor, then add the pumpkin and chestnuts.
- Stir the three ingredients until warmed, then add chicken broth, herbs, and seasonings.
- Let the soup cook on low for 30 minutes.
- Before adding the soup to a blender, remove the bay leaves. Add the soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth.
- Add soup back to the pot and cook on low for an additional 15 minutes.
Serving This Soup
Serve this Pumpkin Chestnut Soup warm. I love to serve soups like this with croutons, toasted peeled chestnuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, chopped herbs, fresh cracked black pepper, crusty bread, a salad, or a sandwich. The possibilities are endless! You can even use the leftovers as the base for a pasta sauce!
Sharper Nutrition Fix: Chestnuts
Fun fact, Chestnuts are best refrigerated.
Chestnuts are low in both fat and protein and are primarily composed of carbohydrates. They are an excellent source of fiber providing a whopping 8.1g per 100g. Additionally, they are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, Iron, Copper, Manganese, and phosphorus as well as B vitamins.
Chestnuts eaten raw or cooked are delicious. Once cooked, chestnuts have a similar texture to a baked potato and the flavor is delicate, starchy, yet nutty.
When you hear Chestnuts you might think oh “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire!”, is the famous line from “The Christmas Song”, written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Torme, and made famous by Nat King Cole. And yes, roasted chestnuts on an open fire are delicious!
Chestnut Serving Tips
Chestnuts are typically served raw, roasted, or boiled. Below are several other ways to enjoy them!
- Stuffing
- Chestnut Flour – super amazing in desserts
- Candied Chestnuts
- Soups
- Sauces
- Served overtop roasted vegetables
Other Autumn Recipes
More yummy recipes for Autumn.
Pumpkin Chestnut Soup
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1 Onion, diced
- 15 oz Pumpkin puree 1 can
- 2 cups Roasted Chestnuts
- 4 cups Vegetable Stock
- 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 Dried Bay Leaf
- 7 Sage Leaves, julliened
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Crushed black pepper
Instructions
- Add oil and onions to the large pot. Heat on medium heat and sweat onions.
- Once the onions start to sweat and become fragrant, add pumpkin and chestnuts.
- Once the ingredients are warmed, turn the heat on low and add vegetable stock, thyme, bay leaves, sage, salt, and pepper.
- Continue to cook soup ingredents on low for 30min.
- After 30min, remove dried bay leaves.
- Add soup to a blender, or by using and emersion blender, blend ingredients until smooth.
- Continue to cook soup on low for another 15min.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sarah Harper. I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to cook, eat, and talk about food! Here at The Addy Bean, you'll discover an array of flexitarian recipes. My mission is to inspire and encourage others to eat and explore the world of plant-based foods!
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