French Chestnut Soup, or velouté de châtaigne, is a beautifully silky and smooth soup made with chestnuts and cream. Traditionally served on Christmas, this soup is as luxurious as they come!
Vegetarian and naturally gluten-free.
- Ingredients notes
- Vegan variation
- How to make chestnut soup
- Serving suggestion
- Storage
- Other soup recipes
My aunt has a huge chestnut tree in her garden, so every year, the whole family is treated to a bounty of fresh chestnuts.
My go-to is Chestnut Hummus that’s loaded with roasted vegetables but I’ve been looking for new ways to prepare them.
I thought I’d try out a chestnut soup because soups are just so comforting and warming.
This cream of chestnut soup is a velvety soup that allows the sweetness and nuttiness of the chestnuts to shine. It doesn’t have many ingredients except for vegetable stock, a dash of cream and seasoning making it easy to prepare.
So good for the holiday season and you’ll feel as if you’re fine dining in a fancy 5* restaurant.
Ingredients notes
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
Chestnuts – You need cooked chestnuts before using in this recipe, I use my Air Fryer Chestnuts or Instant Pot method. If it is easier, you can use store-bought cooked chestnuts as well. You can reserve a few chestnuts to chop and top your soup with.
Onion – I prefer white onions for this recipe as they do not have their own colour. You can also use shallots. Roughly chopped is fine as everything will be blended.
Vegetable stock – I’ve dissolved a stock cube in warm water.
Olive oil – alternatively use unsalted or salted butter.
Nutmeg – either use nutmeg powder or grate your own. It’s optional but adds a depth of flavour
Cream – single or double cream works. Some goes into the soup and you can drizzle over individual servings as well.
Salt and pepper
Herbs to garnish – I went with fresh thyme but you can use coriander, parsely or chives too.
Vegan variation
To make a Vegan Chestnut Soup , stick to olive oil or use a plant based butter. Use a dairy free cream alternative or simply skip – the chestnuts have plenty of creaminess themselves.
How to make chestnut soup
To start with you want to sweat off the onions in a bit of oil and when they are translucent, add in the chestnuts and veggie stock. I then season and let the chestnuts cook until soft. Blend using an immersion blender or jug blender until smooth and pop back into the pan. Add the nutmeg and cream and serve!
Serving suggestion
Garnish with herbs of choice and drizzle over a little extra cream. You may also want to use crème fraiche. Croutons add a little crunch if added just before serving.
French Chestnut Soup in particular is served as a starter on Christmas.
If you want to enjoy it for lunch, it is best served with warm crusty bread such as Air Fryer Bread or Tiger Bread Rolls .
Storage
Store leftover chestnut soup in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove, you may need a splash of water if it has thickened.
Chestnut soup freezes well for up to 3 months.
Other soup recipes
Spicy Carrot Soup
Instant Pot Vegetable Bean Soup
Vegan African Peanut Soup
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French Chestnut Soup
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups chestnuts
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 1.5 litre vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon cream
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- herbs for garnishing
Instructions
- In a pan, heat olive oil and tip in the chopped onions. Sauté until they are translucent but have not changed in colour.
- Then add in the cooked chestnuts and top with the vegetable stock.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil then gently simmer for around 10 – 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
- Once the chestnuts have softened, blend the mixture to achieve a velvety soup.
- Add back into the pan to heat and add water to loosen if needed.
- Add in the cream and grate over the nutmeg/use ground nutmeg.
- Serve and finish with more cream and herbs. I have used thyme. Optionally grate over more nutmeg.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
French Chestnut Soup
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups chestnuts
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 1.5 litre vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon cream
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- herbs for garnishing
Instructions
- In a pan, heat olive oil and tip in the chopped onions. Sauté until they are translucent but have not changed in colour.
- Then add in the cooked chestnuts and top with the vegetable stock.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil then gently simmer for around 10 - 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
- Once the chestnuts have softened, blend the mixture to achieve a velvety soup.
- Add back into the pan to heat and add water to loosen if needed.
- Add in the cream and grate over the nutmeg/use ground nutmeg.
- Serve and finish with more cream and herbs. I have used thyme. Optionally grate over more nutmeg.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
The ultimate Gujarati breakfast or snack is undoubtedly Bateta Poha. It’s a delicious dish made with flattened rice, potatoes, green chillies and ginger but without onion .
- Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Serving suggestion
- Storage
- Other Indian Breakfast Recipes
My recipe goes back generations and I can say with absolute certainty that it’s remained a firm favourite breakfast amongst all of us! The incredible smell of tempered curry leaves and fresh ginger – green chilli paste is hard to beat!
If you’re looking for a wholesome, quick, and utterly satisfying breakfast or snack, Gujarati Bateta Poha is a recipe you’ll want to try.
This humble dish combines flattened rice (poha) with potatoes (bateta), tempered with fragrant spices, peanuts and topped with a squeeze of tangy lemon and a sprinkle of fresh coriander.
In typical Gujarati fashion, batata poha reflects the balance of sweet, tangy, and savoury flavours that define Gujarati cuisine. Unlike its Maharashtrian cousin, the Gujarati version often carries a hint of sweetness, thanks to a pinch of sugar. You will also find varieties with onion, known as kanda poha.
It’s a meal that’s light on the stomach making it perfect for mornings or as an afternoon pick-me-up.
In India, bataka pauwa is often served with crunchy sev, pomegranate or other fruit.
Ingredients notes and substitutions
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
Poha – also known as flattened rice or beaten rice flakes. For bateta pava we will require either thick or medium thick variety. I do not recommend using thin poha as they will become mushy when rinsed in water.
Bateta – I am using white regular potatoes.
Oil – use flavourless oil such as sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil.
Seeds and nuts – black mustard seeds also known as rai. In the traditional recipe, peanuts are added, but if you want cashews are also a great option too.
Spice powders – asafoetida or yellow powder and turmeric.
Green chillies and ginger – usually bateta pava is spiced up using fresh green chillies and not red chilli powder, however if green chillies are not available you can add chilli powder.
Curry leaves – are an essential ingredient in the Bateta Poha recipe because they add a distinct aroma. Fresh are best, but dried or frozen works fine too.
Sugar – adding sugar to poha is optional and depends on regional preferences and personal taste. Sugar provides a mild sweetness that balances the savoury and tangy elements in poha, especially if lemon juice is used. This sweet-salty-sour combination enhances the overall flavour profile of the dish.
Lemon juice – fresh or bottled. Lemon juice introduces a tangy, fresh flavour that balances the richness of the potatoes and the mildness of the poha. This brightens the overall taste of the dish, making it more refreshing.
Garnish
Fresh Coriander/cilantro
Pomegranate arils (optional)
Sev (optional)
Coconut (optional)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Servingsuggestion
Bateta Poha is typically served hot for breakfast and no Indian breakfast is complete without a cup of piping hot masala chai . Karak chai or cardamom chai works wonders too.
If serving as an afternoon snack, it’s delicious with lassi or gujarati chaas .
Top the bateta poha with crispy sev and/or pomegranate arils with lots of fresh chopped coriander.
My personal favourite is with chopped pineapples or tomatoes but my Mum tells me it’s even served with chikoo in India.
Storage
Refrigeration
Let the cooked poha cool completely before storing. Transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days .
To reheat, warm it in a pan or microwave with a sprinkle of water to restore its texture.
Freezing
Personally I would not recommend freezing batata poha due to loss of texture.
Other Indian Breakfast Recipes
Methi Thepla
Muthiya
Handvo
Bread Pakora
Seviyan Upma
Moong Dal Pudla
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Gujarati Bateta Poha Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Kadai
Ingredients
- 2 cup poha medium or thick
- 1 cup potatoes peeled and chopped
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon hing
- ¼ cup raw peanuts
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon green chillies roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon sugar optional
- 1 tablspoon lemon juice or lime
- 1 tablespoon coriander
Garnish – optional
- 2 tablespoon coriander finely chopped
- 5 tablespoon pomegranate arils
- 4 tablespoon sev
- 2 tablespoon tomatoes chopped
Instructions
- Place the poha or flattened rice in a colander and rinse it under running water. just give it a good rinse and remove from the water.
- Make sure they are just damp and not soggy. Add some salt and turmeric powder and leave it a side, after 8-10 minutes poha will be fluffy when you touch.
- Gently mix poha with your fingers or fork, so salt and turmeric mixes well with poha.
- Meanwhile heat oil in the kadai or pan, add mustard seeds and hing, when they splutter, add peanuts and fry them on low heat for a few minutes.
- If you wish, at this stage you can remove the fried peanuts to keep it crunchy.
- Then add curry leaves, green chillies and chopped potato cubes, mix and add just enough salt and turmeric for the potatoes.
- Let the potato cook, turn the heat down at this stage. Add few tablespoons of water and bring it boil on high heat. Water will create steam to cook poha.
- Add fluffy poha, sugar, lemon juice and mix well on medium flame.
- Cover the pan with a lid and let the poha cook for just a 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and once again mix well.
- Garnish with coriander and other toppings and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First published in January 2010.
