Chestnut Mushroom Soup

This soup is deeply flavorful, a bit different, and easy to prepare. The umami flavor of mushrooms and a delightful nuttiness of chestnuts is a perfect match!

Our discussions on “new soups” started a few months ago when we were planning the content for the Sukkos season. 

One of our colleagues had mentioned that she had made a chestnut soup on a whim one Yom Tov when she wanted something that was a little different. Then, Tzila, our production assistant, told us that her sister-in-law Sarala Gestetner also makes a great chestnut soup that’s not fully blended. 

Both of them sent us the basic instructions of what they do with the caveat of, “I don’t measure.” That wasn’t a problem, we could measure and figure it out.

But, since it wasn’t yet cold out, none of us were quite yet in the mood to try new soup recipes. More recently, when it definitely was soup season, we tested both versions to see if we had a winner.

The truth is, they were both really good. The first soup was a thick, creamy blended soup. But we liked Sarala’s version. We liked the texture, the umami nature that the mushrooms bring, and the depth of flavor. We also liked that it could either be enjoyed as a broth-like consistency, or simply let it cook longer and it gets deliciously creamy.

And it’s really simple to prepare.

First, sauté the onions in olive oil. Add the mushrooms and garlic.

This is the part will you will need the most patience for. You want to let the mushrooms cook until they are really browned and develop lots of flavor.

It will take at least 20 minutes.

Add the sliced chestnuts and white wine and let cook for 2 minutes. 

Stir in onion soup mix…

Simmer for 20 minutes. Then, using an immersion blender, just give it a little whirl. You want to blend it a bit but not completely. At this point, the soup will have a delicious broth-like consistency.

Let it continue to cook and it’ll get thick and creamy.

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Chestnut Mushroom Soup

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 4-6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 16 oz white mushrooms, sliced
• 10.5 oz cooked chestnuts (in a bag), sliced
• 4 tbsp white wine
• 2 tbsp onion soup mix
• 6 cups chicken stock or almond milk/almond milk water combo

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are completely soft and browned, at least 20 minutes.
• Add chestnuts and wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in onion soup mix. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Using an immersion blend, blend the soup a bit but not too much. The soup will be a more broth-like consistency at this point. Let it continue to cook if you prefer it thick and creamy.

Notes

The chestnuts may get mealy if frozen without blending.

 Enjoy!

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