Roasted chestnuts in the oven or air fryer
Roasted chestnuts aren't just for Christmas carols! You can also make them part of your holiday traditions with this easy recipe. Simply roast them in the oven or cook in the air fryer. Then break into a warm, delicious treat.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 222kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound chestnuts in shell
- Water for soaking (optional)
Instructions
- If roasting in the oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If air frying, you don't need to preheat.
- Lay the flat side of a chestnut on a cutting board. Then use a sharp knife to score an X into each of the chestnut shells. I find it easiest to cut into chestnuts using a serrated knife. This is to ensure that the chestnuts won’t explode in the oven.
- Optional step*: Chestnuts come out of their shell a little bit easier & are a little more moist if they are soaked first. However, you can easily skip this step, and the chestnuts will be fine.If you’d like to soak them, add the scored chestnuts to a bowl of warm water that's deep enough to cover them. Soak for a few minutes or up to an hour. Then remove them from the bowl and dry them.
- TO ROAST IN OVEN: Put the chestnuts on a baking sheet. Roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. If your chestnuts are especially large, you may need to cook them about five minutes longer.As the chestnuts cook, their peels will spread slightly. This will make them easier to break open. Before eating them, you’ll want to remove both the shells and the papery peel inside.To find out if the chestnuts are done, open one & bite into the chestnut. If the chestnut is still hard or feels waxy, it’s not done yet. Once fully cooked, the texture should be a similar to a walnut or cooked chickpea. If they aren’t done yet, pop the chestnuts back into the oven and continue cooking for about five minutes more.
- TO AIR FRY: Put scored chestnuts into the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.To find out if the chestnuts are done, open one & bite into the chestnut. If the chestnut is still hard or feels waxy, it’s not done yet. Once fully cooked, the texture should be a similar to a walnut or cooked chickpea. If they aren’t done yet, continue air frying until the chestnut meat has softened.
Notes
*Many people recommend soaking scored chestnuts for anywhere from a minute or two to over an hour before cooking.
The peel comes off of chestnuts a little bit easier if they are soaked first, and they’re a little more moist. However, I’ve found the difference to be minimal. So it’s up to you if you want to take the extra time or not.
Store peeled chestnuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for 3 or 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 549mg | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
