Mother Gothel’s Hazelnut Soup Recipe from Tangled

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What’s Up, Hungry People

Mother Gothel may have actually known best when it comes to hazelnut soup.

Inspired by the movie Tangled, this hazelnut soup is only mentioned—but never seen—in the film. It’s described as Rapunzel’s favorite, and we catch a glimpse of Mother Gothel arriving with a bundle of parsnips to make it. Other than hazelnuts and parsnips, no other ingredients are confirmed, but let’s be real: if you’re living off-grid in a hidden tower in the woods, your pantry is probably stocked with whatever you can forage. Most of the ingredients would have to be gathered from the surrounding forest and not picked up within the walls of Corona (the name of the kingdom Princess Rapunzel was kidnapped from).

Hazelnut soup is creamy and similar to chowder in texture. Hazelnuts taste similar to a cashew, giving the soup a sweet undertone of nutty flavor that plays perfectly with the tangy notes of parsnip. I can see why this would be a favorite of the daughter you’ve trapped high up in your tower.

This is certainly a unique stew that reminds me of something that you would be able to cook with items gathered from the forest, just like Mother Gothel would have had to do to make the soup for Rapunzel.

I also recommend you use a cast iron pan—like a Dutch oven or deep-bottomed frying pan—to make the soup. Not just because the movie proves that cast iron is multi-use though. Cast iron really does provide a consistent amount of even heat that will cook the soup to perfection.

Roasting Whole Hazelnuts

The key ingredient to this soup is unsurprisingly the soup’s namesake: hazelnuts. I found it difficult in my end of the world to find pre-shelled and roasted hazelnuts, meaning that I had to roast and shell them myself.

First, roast the hazelnuts in their shells for about 20-30 minutes. To tell if the hazelnuts are finished, crack one open. If the nut is pale after removing the shell and skin, keep roasting until the hazelnut is lightly browned and the skin peels off easily.

Once the hazelnuts are roasted and cooled in their shells, use a meat mallet or nutcracker to crack open the nuts. You don’t have to hit them particularly hard, just with enough even pressure to crack open the shells, which should easily fall away.

When all of the shells have been removed, place the hazelnuts into a clean dish towel and lightly rub until the skins come off. If the skins are hard to remove, try roasting the hazelnuts for a few more minutes—be careful not to burn the hazelnuts! And if they are being even more stubborn, you can use a mesh sieve to gently rub off the skins through the screen.

Making the Soup

Grab your cast iron Dutch oven, and let’s get cooking! Start by frying up the chopped bacon over medium-high heat until it’s crispy—around 8-10 minutes. Remove the bacon but keep all that glorious bacon grease in the pot.

Next, add the chopped parsnips, potatoes, and apple to the pan, and sauté them in the bacon grease until the apple is tender and the veggies start to brown—another 8-10 minutes. Stir in the chopped leek, shallot, and half of your hazelnuts for that extra nutty goodness.

Time to deglaze! Splash in the sherry or wine, and toss in your herb bundle. Sprinkle in the nutmeg for a hint of warm spice. Keep sautéing until the leek has softened—about 5 minutes.

Pour in the broth and bring everything to a simmer. Add half of your bacon pieces and let it all simmer for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes and parsnips are fork-tender. Don’t forget to fish out the herb bundle and toss it!

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot, or if you’re using a stand blender, blend in batches (trust me, don’t overfill it unless you want to wear your soup). When mostly blended, the soup will be thick and chunky, so add a cup (or more) of water or broth to thin it out if needed.

Now for the creamy part! Stir in the Parmesan and heavy cream, blending again until you hit that perfect chowder consistency. Keep it on the heat for another 5-10 minutes until the cream has cooked through.

Serve your hazelnut soup topped with the reserved bacon bits, extra chopped hazelnuts, and a sprinkle of chives.

Extra Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Hazelnut Soup

  • Roasting Hazelnuts Evenly: Make sure to spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on your baking sheet for even roasting. Crowded nuts won’t roast properly and can end up with uneven color and flavor.
  • Cracking Hazelnuts Without the Mess: Use a dish towel when cracking the nuts to contain any flyaway shells. This will make clean-up easier and prevent any shell shrapnel in your soup!
  • Blending Safety: If using a stand blender, cool the soup slightly before blending and never fill the blender more than halfway. Hold the lid down with a kitchen towel to avoid hot soup splatters.
  • Adjusting Consistency: If the soup is too thick for your liking, gradually add more broth or water until it reaches your desired texture. Just remember to adjust seasoning after diluting.
  • Stubborn Hazelnut Skins: If rubbing the skins off isn’t working, toss them back in the oven for a few more minutes. If that still doesn’t work, the mesh sieve trick should do the job!

Common Questions About Hazelnut Soup from Tangled

  • Can I use pre-shelled hazelnuts? Yes, pre-shelled and roasted hazelnuts can save you time, but roasting your own really brings out the flavor!
  • What if I don’t have a cast iron pan? You can use any heavy-bottomed pot, but cast iron will give you the best heat distribution.
  • Can I make this soup vegetarian? Absolutely! Just skip the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken or garlic broth.
  • How do I store leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove to keep that creamy texture.

Watch It on TikTok

@fictionalfeastfelicia Replying to @asthmabooi maybe mother does know best on this one 🤔 #fictionalfeast #reciperequest #hazelnutsoup #tangled #recipe #soup #soupseason #fictionalfeasts #thestarvingchef ♬ Kingdom Dance (from "Tangled") – DaSola

Mother Gothel’s Hazelnut Soup from Tangled

The Starving Chef
This hazelnut soup combines roasted nuts, savory bacon, and root vegetables for a creamy and hearty bowlful – inspired by Mother Gothel's soup in the movie Tangled.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Copycat Recipes, Fictional Feasts
Cuisine Disney, Soup
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups whole hazelnuts
  • 4 strips bacon chopped
  • 3 parsnips peels & chopped
  • 3 red potatoes chopped
  • 1 apple chopped
  • 1 leek chopped to root
  • 1 shallot chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 bundle herbs thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ cup sherry or white wine
  • 4 cups garlic broth or chicken or vegetable
  • 4 tablespoons parmesan flakes
  • ½ pint heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons chives for topping, optional

Instructions
 

ROASTING HAZELNUTS

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the whole hazelnuts onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast the hazelnuts for 20 minutes. Test crack open a nut and remove the meat from the shell. If the skin rubs off easily and the nut is a light brown toasted color, the hazelnuts are ready to be removed from the oven. (If the hazelnut inside is still pale, continue roasting in five-minute intervals until the nuts crack open easily, the skin can be easily rubbed away, and the hazelnut is a toasted brown color.)
  • Cool, then crack open the nuts. Place the whole nut between two towels and lightly but evenly tap the nut with a meat mallet. Or use a nutcracker to open each nut. Rub away the skin from the hazelnut inside. If the skins are being stubborn, troubleshoot with the recommended tips in the post above.
  • Use a food processor to chop the hazelnuts into a chunky but fine consistency. Set aside.

MAKING THE SOUP

  • In a cast iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the crispy bacon from the pan but leave the grease.
  • Add the chopped parsnips to the pan along with the potatoes and apple, and sauté until the apple is tender and the potato and parsnip are just beginning to brown—another 8-10 minutes. Then stir in the chopped leek, shallot, and half of the hazelnuts.
  • Deglaze the bottom of the pan with the sherry, then toss in the butter. Season with nutmeg. Continue to sauté until the leek has softened, another 5 minutes or so.
  • Pour in the broth and bring to a rolling simmer. Stir in half of the bacon pieces and add the herb bundle. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the potatoes and parsnips are fork-tender. Remove and discard the herb bundle.
  • Use an immersion blender to slowly begin blending the soup. Alternatively, use a stand mixer and blend in batches (DO NOT OVERFILL OR THE BLENDER MAY EXPLODE).
  • When the soup is mostly blended, it will be thick and chunky. Pour in a cup (or more) of water to help blend the soup.
  • Next, add the Parmesan and heavy cream. Stir to combine, then use the immersion blender to continue to blend until the soup reaches the consistency of chowder. Heat until the cream has cooked through—another 5-10 minutes.
  • Serve right away, topped with bacon bits, chopped hazelnuts, and chives. Enjoy!
Keyword apples, hazelnut, leek, parsnip, soup, stew
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