The Lentil and Chestnut Soup is a recipe that truly welcomes autumn. Very easy to prepare, and also very quick if you use pre-cooked lentils and cook the chestnuts in a pressure cooker. A soup with a truly unique taste, which you can enrich with a pinch of chili or a grind of fresh pepper. Accompany it with simply toasted bread, or bruschetta-style bread, made crispy with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, cooked on both sides. In my opinion, a sprinkle of grated pecorino romano is also a great addition.
If you like both lentils and chestnuts, then don’t miss the following recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 3 cans of pre-cooked lentils
- 7 oz boiled chestnuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 4 leaves bay leaves
- to taste salt
- 4 cups water
- 4 boiled chestnuts for garnish
- 4 slices country-style bread
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
How to Prepare Lentil and Chestnut Soup
Chop the garlic, celery, and carrot into small pieces, and sauté them in a high-sided saucepan with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Add the cooked lentils without water, the chestnuts crumbled coarsely by hand, the bay leaves, and salt.
At this point, pour in at least a liter (4 cups) of water, and as soon as the soup begins to boil, cover with a lid and lower the heat to a minimum.
Stir occasionally, and after 45 minutes, remove the bay leaves and blend the lentils and chestnuts quickly with an immersion blender to make the soup creamy.
At this point in cooking, check if you need to add more water to complete the cooking.
Continue for another 15/20 minutes, and in the meantime, toast the slices of country-style bread, dividing them first in two for better distribution on the plates.
Serve your Lentil and Chestnut Soup, plating it and garnishing with toasted bread and a boiled chestnut prominently displayed.
If you like, finish by sprinkling with grated pecorino romano and another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
The soup keeps perfectly in the refrigerator for at least two days, but in a glass or ceramic container with an airtight seal.
You can also freeze it, but unless you heat it directly from frozen, I recommend thawing it slowly in the refrigerator.
If you want to use dried lentils, you can prepare them the day before, and the same goes for the chestnuts if you don’t have a pressure cooker.
