Chestnut velouté with porcini mushrooms and crispy guanciale

Name: Chestnut velouté with porcini mushrooms and crispy guanciale
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Chestnuts 2.2 lbs; Vegetable broth 4 ¼ cups; Shallot 3.5 oz; Rosemary 3 sprigs; Extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Porcini mushrooms 8.8 oz; Jowls 0.33 lb; Fine salt 1 pinch; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Garlic 1 clove

it br fr es de

839

Calories per serving

Gluten Free
Lactose Free

Energy Kcal 839
Carbohydrates g 93.2
of which sugars g 20
Protein g 13.4
Fats g 45.8
of which saturated fat g 11.94
Fiber g 21.1
Cholesterol mg 38
Sodium mg 947

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 35 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

You know, there's just something about the fall air in Central Italy that calls for a bowl of chestnut soup with porcini and crispy guanciale. Really, it’s like autumn in a bowl. From Tuscany to Umbria, folks hit the woods for chestnuts and porcini—yeah, they bring back bags of these earthy gems. The creamy chestnut soup is just so smooth and tender, it practically melts in your mouth. And listen, the rich scent of porcini mushrooms fills the kitchen in the best way. But the kicker? It’s that bit of guanciale, fried to crispy and golden perfection—adding this amazing salty crunch to the moist creaminess. Honestly, it's one of those meals you love serving after a day outside. Makes everyone feel all warm and cozy inside.

So here's the thing: not every porcini mushroom soup in Central Italy hits this level of coziness. It’s really about nailing the balance—sweet, earthy chestnuts with the intense mushroom flavors, plus letting the guanciale do its magic. Dip your spoon in and, wow, that combo of tender chestnut cream and crispy pork is something else. People love adding their own touch—maybe a drizzle of local olive oil, or a bit of fresh thyme or rosemary for that extra flavor kick. And, oh, rustic bread on the side? Can’t go wrong with that. This chestnut soup recipe is all about comfort and tradition—tying together fall's best parts in one bowl. Whether you call it Italian chestnut soup or just autumn in a bowl, it's perfect for lazy weekends, family dinners, or whenever you need something simple and really, really tasty. If you're into creamy autumn soup recipes that fill you up, this one's pretty unbeatable.

INGREDIENTS

839

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the velouté: Chestnuts 2.2 lbs (1 kg); Vegetable broth 4 ¼ cups (1 l); Shallot 3.5 oz (100 g); Rosemary 3 sprigs; Extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp (40 g); Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

for the garnish: Porcini mushrooms 8.8 oz (250 g); Jowls 0.33 lb (150 g); Fine salt 1 pinch; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Garlic 1 clove

Preparation

How to prepare Chestnut velouté with porcini mushrooms and crispy guanciale

To prepare the chestnut velouté with porcini mushrooms and crispy guanciale, start by placing a pot of water on the stove to prepare the Vegetable broth. Then proceed to clean the chestnuts: score the chestnuts with a small knife 1 and then boil them in a pressure cooker with plenty of water for 12 minutes 2 (alternatively, you can use a regular pot and cook for about 30 minutes). Take the shallot, remove the skin, and cut it into rings 3.

Finely chop the rosemary 4 and set aside. When the chestnuts are ready 5, put on latex gloves and peel them still warm with a small knife, removing them one at a time from their cooking liquid as you clean them 6.

After this process, sauté the shallot over medium heat in a non-stick pan with the oil, stirring well with a spatula 7. Place the previously cleaned chestnuts over the heat, adding salt and pepper to your liking 8 along with the chopped rosemary 9.

Brown for 2 minutes and then pour the vegetable broth you prepared, covering the chestnuts well 10: keep some aside and add it if the broth dries out. Cook over high heat for 15-20 minutes and, in the meantime, take care of cleaning the How to Clean Porcini Mushrooms: with a sharp, smooth-bladed knife, remove the earthy part on the stem, scraping it gently until all traces of soil are removed 11. If the mushrooms are fairly clean, remove the few soil residues with a brush or a cotton cloth 12, if still very dirty, quickly run them under a stream of cold running water.

After cleaning, cut the whole mushrooms lengthwise 13. Sauté a clove of garlic in its skin in a non-stick pan with the oil 14, then brown the mushrooms for 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper 15.

When the mushrooms are ready, turn off the heat and set aside 16. Cut the guanciale into slices and then into strips 17, then cook it for a few minutes over the heat to remove the fat and make it crispy 18.

Once the guanciale is well browned 19, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so that it releases the fat created during cooking 20. After the necessary time has passed, the chestnuts will have softened well: turn off the heat and blend them with an immersion blender 21

until you get a thick cream 22. At this point, pass the velouté through a fine-mesh sieve until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream 23; transfer it to a serving dish, garnishing it with the mushrooms and crispy guanciale you prepared. Your tasty chestnut velouté with porcini mushrooms and crispy guanciale is ready: enjoy it right away 24!

Storage

You can store the chestnut velouté with porcini and crispy guanciale in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. You can freeze it only if you have used fresh, not previously frozen ingredients, for up to 1 month.