EN DE FR ES PT IT
Butternut Squash and Chestnut Soup
Recipe

Butternut Squash and Chestnut Soup

Starter • France

A classic French-style potage: sweet roasted butternut blended with cooked chestnuts, leeks and vegetable stock for a naturally creamy, wholesome starter.

Why smarter

Roasting the squash concentrates flavour without relying on lots of cream, while chestnuts add satisfying body and fibre. Using leeks, herbs and a modest amount of olive oil keeps it balanced and everyday-friendly.

Chef tip

Blend until very smooth, then pass through a fine sieve for a restaurant-style texture. If it tastes a little flat, brighten it with a few drops of lemon juice at the end rather than extra salt.

Soft line

Serve with a slice of wholegrain baguette or a simple green salad if you want to make it a little more substantial.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2 cm cubes 900.000 g butternut squash
2 Cooked chestnuts (vacuum-packed), roughly chopped 200.000 g cooked chestnuts
3 Leek, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced and well rinsed 1.000 large leek
4 Carrot, diced 1.000 medium carrot
5 Garlic cloves, minced 2.000 cloves garlic
6 Extra-virgin olive oil 2.000 tbsp olive oil
7 Fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme) 2.000 tsp thyme
8 Vegetable stock (or light chicken stock) 1000.000 ml stock
9 Bay leaf 1.000 bay leaf
10 Fine sea salt 0.750 tsp salt Adjust to taste and depending on saltiness of stock
11 Black pepper, freshly ground 0.250 tsp black pepper
12 Crème fraîche, to finish (optional) 2.000 tbsp crème fraîche Optional; use a small swirl per bowl

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Toss the butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, half the thyme, and a small pinch of salt. Spread on a tray and roast for 25–30 minutes until tender and lightly caramelised.
  2. Meanwhile, warm the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and carrot with a pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned.
  3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chestnuts, remaining thyme, bay leaf and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
  4. Add the roasted squash (including any tray juices) to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes so the flavours meld, then remove the bay leaf.
  5. Blend the soup until very smooth (stick blender or countertop blender). If needed, thin with a little hot water/stock to reach a velvety pouring consistency.
  6. Season with black pepper and adjust salt to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and, if using, finish each serving with a small swirl of crème fraîche.