Creamy chestnut soup is the perfect starter for your Christmas dinner (or any cold-weather meal). It’s sweet and nutty, with an earthy flavour, thanks to roasted chestnuts. It’s simple to prepare and can be made ahead for ease of entertaining.

Two bowls of light brown creamy soup with green onion on top.

This recipe was originally published in December 2019. It has been updated for content, photos, and video.

Make this vegan chestnut soup recipe for a unique Christmas starter. Or enjoy it on any chilly evening.

It’s warming and the perfect bowl to cosy up to on a cold day.

Serve it with crusty garlic bread, or top it with crispy chickpeas or croutons.

As an added bonus, this chestnut soup is not only vegan, but it’s gluten-free and nut-free too, making it suitable for most dietary needs.

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Ingredients + Substitutions
Instructions
What to serve it with
Equipment
Storage
Expert Tips
More delicious vegan soup recipes
📖 Recipe

Spoonful of creamy soup being held above bowl of soup.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious vegan chestnut soup.

Ingredients to make chestnut soup in prep bowls on counter. — *See recipe card for quantities.*

Chestnuts: Use chestnuts that are roasted, shelled, and ready to eat. I buy mine in 100-gram bags, so you’ll need five bags for this dish. They also come in a jar, which works just as well. Use anywhere between 450-550 grams.
- OR you may roast and peel your own chestnuts if you’d like. Here’s a great resource to roast your own chestnuts.
Shallots + Leeks: Adds sweetness and mild onion flavour, without overpowering the chestnuts.
Potatoes: I like yellow potatoes for their creamy/buttery texture.
Celery + Carrot: Added veggies and the start to any great soup.
Vegetable Broth: I use our homemade bouillon powder (low-sodium version) for the best flavour.
Spices: Seasoning including ground ginger, and ground cloves amp up the holiday flavour. Plus salt and pepper, to taste.
Tofu: I like soft or silken tofu to make the chestnut soup ultra-creamy. It also boosts the protein content and replaces the need for fat-ridden heavy cream.
- NOTE: Even if you don’t like tofu, you won’t taste it! If you’re avoiding soy for health reasons, you may use your favourite plant-based milk instead.

Instructions

(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Start by gathering all your ingredients and chopping up your veggies.

How to wash leeks

First, quarter the leek lengthwise and then slice it into roughly one-inch pieces. (Doesn’t need to be perfect, since they’ll be pureed later.)
Place the cut pieces in a large colander and rinse well in your kitchen sink to get the dirt out of each groove. (Leeks tend to have a lot of dirt in between their layers, unlike onions.)

For the chestnut soup

Diced onion, celery and carrots in large pot.

Melt the butter (if using) in a large saucepan and sauté the shallot, leek, carrot, and celery. (photo 1)

Sauteed vegetables, potatoes and chestnuts in large pot.

Then add all the remaining ingredients (except tofu) and simmer over medium heat. (photo 2)

NOTE: For oil-free, use 3-4 tablespoons of water or broth to sauté the veggies in step 1, and skip the vegan butter.

Discard the bay leaves and use a hand blender to puree the chestnut soup. (photo 3)

Ladle of creamy soup being held over pot of soup.

Then add the tofu and blend again. Taste, and add salt and pepper, if needed. (photo 4)

NOTE: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you may transfer the soup in batches to a stand blender. Use caution when pureeing hot liquids, and do not overfill the blender.

Ladle your vegan chestnut soup into bowls and garnish with chestnut pieces, chives, fresh thyme, grated nutmeg, cashew cream, and/or vegan bacon bits.

Bowl of creamy brown soup with green onion and chestnut pieces on top.

What to serve it with

Pair this yummy chestnut soup with crusty bread for a more filling dish.

Or serve it alongside our lasagna stuffed portobello mushrooms or as a starter before this chickpea “meatloaf” or our vegan mushroom roast.

Equipment

I use this hand blender (affiliate link) to puree the soup. It’s easy, with no need to transfer anything or work in batches, and makes less mess. It results in a wonderfully creamy consistency.

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container.

Or freeze the chestnut soup in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Make sure to leave a little room for expansion.

Can I make it in advance?

Yes! In fact, this chestnut soup tastes even better the next day once the flavours have been absorbed. So if possible, I recommend making it ahead of time.

Expert Tips

For oil-free, use 3-4 tablespoons of water or broth to sauté the veggies and skip the vegan butter.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you may transfer the soup in batches to a stand blender. Use caution when pureeing hot liquids, and do not overfill the blender.
Make the soup in advance if time allows, as the flavours get even better the next day.

More delicious vegan soup recipes

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Ingredients + Substitutions