The Chronicles of Home

  • Home
  • Shop
  • About
  • The Projects
    • Decorating
    • Home Improvement
    • Furniture Plans
    • Organizing
  • The Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers and Drinks
    • Sides and Salads
    • Main Course
    • Desserts
  • The House
  • Contact
  • Disclosure & Privacy Policy


Pumpkin & Winter Vegetable Soup with Roasted Chestnuts

by Jennifer

We’ve hit a bit of a warm stretch here in Boston – it topped out around 45º today.  Do you think I’m joking?  Because, funnily enough, I’m not.  After the frigid temperatures we’ve been having, 45º found me with my coat unzipped and commenting on what a warm day we were having.  So it goes in these parts…

Even so, a hot bowl of soup is on my dinner table many a night this time of year and this little number has become one of my winter favorites.  It’s quick and easy enough to make if you’re serving a special lunch, satisfying enough on its own or with some fresh bread for dinner, and absolutely perfect as an unconventional cocktail party hors d’oeuvre.  I served it as one of the heavy appetizers at my daughters’ birthday party in December.  In teeny tiny mugs (I used espresso mugs) it looks adorable and somehow makes it seem more special than your everyday soup.

Now let’s talk about what’s on the inside.  There are lots of great vegetables in here that make up that gorgeous orange color: onions, pumpkin, butternut squash, fennel, carrot, and celery.  It’s like a salad in a soup bowl!  If you find you have a hard time getting your daily dose of veggies, this soup may be your saving grace.

The flavors manage to be both simple and complex.  The sweetness from the pumpkin and butternut are balanced perfectly by the mellow onion and fennel.  A sprinkling of sliced roasted chestnuts adds a bit of texture to an otherwise silky smooth soup and adds such a rich, interesting counterpoint to the other flavors in the soup.

This was my first time roasting chestnuts and I followed this simple tutorial.

via Instagram while I was peeling them!

My grandmom had given me a bag of fresh chestnuts from her friend’s tree so I had them to use, but you can often find them in stores already roasted and peeled.  While I loved the sweet, nutty, buttery taste they added, if you have trouble finding them or they just aren’t your thing, a sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds would be a nice garnish as well.

Pumpkin and Winter Squash Soup with Roasted Chestnuts
Serves 6 as an entree

Ingredients
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 small or 1/2 large fennel bulb, chopped
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
1 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into 1″ pieces
3 c. chicken stock
1 c. half and half
1 c. roasted chestnuts, sliced

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and fennel and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add pumpkin, butternut, carrot, celery, and chicken stock.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup (can also puree in batches in a blender or food processor).  Whisk in half and half and taste for seasoning.  Add more salt and pepper if desired.

Ladle into soup bowls and top with sliced chestnuts.

Click here for printable recipe.
Adapted from Ina Garten’s Winter Squash Soup.

Linking to The Winthrop Chronicles, Silver Pennies, The Shabby Nest, Craftberry Bush.


Filed Under: Appetizers and Drinks

« Globe Pendant | Big Girl Room in Process
New Kitchen Curtains…the Non DIY Way! »


Comments

  1. Becky {This Is Happiness} says

    at

    yumminess! and your presentation and pictures are amazing!!

  2. Chloe West says

    at

    Sounds amazing! I absolutely love your photography!I’d love for you to come share this at my link party! http://rainbowsandhoneysuckle.blogspot.com/2013/01/craft-yourself-crazy-link-party-2.htmlChloe

    • Jennifer {The Chronicles of Home} says

      at

      Thanks, Chloe!

  3. Marina D says

    at

    This looks so good and I love your pictures. I’ve been wanting to make something with chestnuts and this looks perfect!

    • Jennifer {The Chronicles of Home} says

      at

      They were so good, I’m so glad I had the chance to try them!

  4. Jen @ The Social Home says

    at

    Oh my looks so yummy! And could totally be vegan-hacked!

  5. Jennifer @ Town and Country Living says

    at

    Beautiful photos and styling. Gonna try this recipe but will swap out the chicken broth since I’m vegetarian. Thanks for the recipe!

  6. Tessa says

    at

    This sounds so good! I love the Ina version! I will def give yours a try too!! xo, Tessa

  7. Danielle says

    at

    Yum! This is making me crave soup right now. I agree, I’m also close to Boston, and this time of year makes me crave soup rather than salads. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you so much for linking up to my Silver Pennies Sunday link party.






Meet Jen

I'm a design and DIY lover, decorator, modern home-maker, foodie, fashion enthusiast, and jill-of-all-trades when it comes to home improvement. I'm slowly but surely adding classic-contemporary style to my early 90's colonial home one inch at a time and I'm taking you along for the ride.

It's often messy - there are usually project remnants and toys strewn about - but the making of a home isn't always tidy work and I love showing you how you can make and style and organize your way to a home and a life you love!

Search the Chronicles of Home







AS SEEN IN







Copyright © 2023 · The Chronicles of Home · Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in