Chestnut and Celeriac Velouté with Brown Butter Croutons

A creamy and comforting soup made from roasted chestnuts and celeriac, finished with browned butter and crispy croutons. Perfect for a cozy autumn evening.

Prep Time

20 minutes

Total Time

60 minutes

Calories

755 kcal

Difficulty

Medium

Equipment

4 items

Cost

£2.51/serving

Season:

☀️ Summer•❄️ Winter

Meal Type:

Dinner•Snack•Soup

Cuisine:

British

Cooking Style:

Roasting

Mood:

Comfort Food

Ingredients

Servings

500gChestnuts(Pre-cooked and peeled, or fresh (roast yourself beforehand))

£3.50

750gCeleriac(Peeled and diced)

£1.80

1mediumOnion(Chopped)

£0.30

2clovesGarlic(Minced)

£0.15

1.5LVegetable Broth(Low sodium)

£1.20

120mlHeavy Cream(Optional, for extra richness)

£1.00

6tablespoonsButter(Unsalted)

£0.75

4slicesBread(Day-old baguette or sourdough, cubed)

£0.60

2sprigsFresh Thyme(Optional, for flavor infusion)

£0.50

To tasteSalt

To tasteBlack Pepper(Freshly ground)

2tablespoonsOlive Oil

£0.15

PinchNutmeg(Freshly grated)

£0.10

Total Cost

£10.05

£2.51 per serving

Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the cubed bread with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.
2.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns a nutty brown color and smells fragrant (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
3.
Heat remaining olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4.
Add the diced celeriac and thyme sprigs (if using) to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5.
Add the chestnuts and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the celeriac is tender.
6.
Remove the thyme sprigs from the soup. Using an immersion blender or carefully transferring to a regular blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
7.
Stir in the heavy cream (if using) and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle each bowl with browned butter and top with crispy croutons. Serve immediately.

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My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (550g)

755 kcal / 3159 kJ

Carbs

62g

24% of RDA

Fat

55g

79% of RDA

Protein

15g

30% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

15 g

50% of RDA

Sugar

15 g

17% of RDA

Sodium

750 mg

33% of RDA

Saturated Fat

33 g

165% of RDA

Chef's Tips

For a richer flavor, use homemade vegetable broth.

If you don't have pre-cooked chestnuts, you can roast them yourself. Score the chestnuts with an X, then roast in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20-30 minutes, or until the shells open. Let cool slightly before peeling.

To make the soup vegan, omit the heavy cream and use plant-based butter for the croutons and browned butter.

The soup can be made ahead of time and reheated gently. Add the browned butter and croutons just before serving to prevent them from becoming soggy.