Celeriac and Chestnut Soup

A simple and delicious Celeriac and Chestnut Soup.

celeriac chestnut soup in bowl
Christmas is often a time for indulgence, whether it be treating yourself or loved ones to a special gift (or three), or enjoying the festivities with an abundance of good food and maybe too much champagne. After feasting on Duck Confit Parmentier and multiple serves of our favourite Chestnut Cream Pavlova for Christmas lunch, my husband asked for a simple vegetable soup for dinner later that night.

celeriac chestnut soup with blue napkin

As I had some leftover chestnuts from lunch (which I had used to sauté with Brussels sprouts and bacon), I thought they would marry beautifully with some celeriac and parsnips. I had intended to roast the parnsips in maple syrup for a side dish at lunch, but as mashed potatoes featured in our main dish, I decided at the last minute to not overload everyone with carbohydrates.

celeriac chestnut soup with gold spoon

So here is a simple and heart-warming soup for when you need a light meal. But, if you are like me, some baguette slices toasted with Gruyère cheese, with maybe even some fried bacon, will make this soup extra special.

Our children are not always the best at eating their vegetables but, miraculously, they love slurping on puréed vegetable soups. And this soup got a big thumbs up from my son 🙂

celeriac chestnut soup with chopped chives

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Celeriac and Chestnut Soup

celeriac chestnut soup

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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: eatlittlebird.com
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 4

A simple and delicious Celeriac and Chestnut Soup.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small brown onion, roughly chopped
  • 500 g (1 lb) celeriac, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 500 g (1 lb) parsnips (about 23 parsnips), peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
  • 250 g (9 oz) cooked chestnuts (see Cook’s Notes below)
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • double cream or crème frâiche for serving
  • chives, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Place the butter in a large saucepan and sauté the onions until they have softened.
  2. Add the celeriac and parsnips and give everything a good stir.
  3. Add the stock and simmer over low-medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.
  4. Add the chestnuts and cook for a further 10 minutes.
  5. Purée the soup, either in a blender or using a hand-help soup blender.
  6. Return the soup to the saucepan and taste for seasoning. Add some sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add some more stock or boiling water.
  7. Serve with a dollop of crème frâiche and garnish with chives.

Kitchen Notes

I tend to use chestnuts which have been pre-cooked and vacuum-sealed as they are readily available at my nearest supermarket. However, pre-cooked chestnuts which have been frozen or are sold in jars also work well in this recipe.

CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Serves 4
  • Calories: 454
  • Sugar: 17.1g
  • Sodium: 1639.3mg
  • Fat: 8.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 71g
  • Fiber: 11.9g
  • Protein: 10.6g
  • Cholesterol: 20.2mg

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19 comments

  1. Stephanie@ApplesforCJ 20 January 2017

    I’ve never had chestnut soup but this looks and sounds so good. Perfect for a cool Evening!

    Reply
    • Eat, Little Bird 20 January 2017

      Thanks, Stephanie! I love using chestnuts when they are in season, and they make a nice change to adding potatoes to thicken soup 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lisa | Garlic & Zest 20 January 2017

    This is a beautiful soup — I love the soft colors and it looks so creamy… I’m reaching into the screen with a spoon!

    Reply
    • Eat, Little Bird 20 January 2017

      Thanks, Lisa! It’s one of our favourite soups, and it helps that the children like it too 🙂

      Reply
  3. I am absolutely enamoured with the beautiful, simple colour and presentation of this soup. Celeriac and chestnut are a wonderful combination, now I need a special occasion to whip this up!

    Reply
    • Eat, Little Bird 20 January 2017

      No need for a special occasion! We make soups like these during the week, although chestnuts can be a special ingredient, depending on where you live.

      Reply
  4. Sandhya Ramakrishnan 20 January 2017

    What a beautiful color and texture of the soup. Love chestnuts and adding them to soup is something I have never tried before. I am going to give it a try.

    Reply
    • Eat, Little Bird 20 January 2017

      I hope you will enjoy it! Using chestnuts is a bit like adding potatoes to thicken the soup, but you will also get that lovely nutty flavour.

      Reply
  5. Elaine @ Dishes Delish 20 January 2017

    This soup looks so creamy and delicious! I could eat soup every day for lunch! I look forward trying your recipe!

    Reply
    • Eat, Little Bird 20 January 2017

      I also love soups at lunch. I usually always make a double batch of soup so there are plenty of leftovers, especially for lunch the following day 🙂

      Reply
  6. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes 30 January 2017

    It’s snowing here right now, and this soup sounds AMAZING even though it’s still 10am! I wish I had chestnuts in my cabinet, because I’m stuck at home until my road gets cleared! I’ll look for them next time I’m at the supermarket!

    Reply
    • Eat, Little Bird 30 January 2017

      Chestnuts make a great substitute to potatoes in soup as they also act as a thickener. I highly recommend using them in soups!

      Reply
  7. Rose 14 March 2018

    Such a simple and comforting soup!






    Reply
  8. Julia 16 April 2018

    This looks amazing! I cannot wait to give it a try!






    Reply
  9. Nicky B 10 December 2018

    Thank you for this recipe. Delicious and very easy, perfect for a winter lunch with fresh sourdough. I don’t eat dairy, so substituted avacado oil for the butter, and halved the vegetable stock and replaced it with soya milk. Also added some fresh thyme because I love fresh thyme:)

    Reply
    • Eat, Little Bird 18 December 2018

      That’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad you were able to find some dairy substitutes – it sounds delicious!

      Reply
  10. Alison 14 September 2019

    Can I make it ahead and then warm it in the crockpot?

    Reply