Description
Enjoy street vendor roasted chestnuts at home in three different ways — roast in the oven, cook over the stove, or in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chestnuts
- water
Instructions
- Place chestnuts on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to make an X-shaped or cross-shaped slit on the top round side of each chestnut.
- Soak the chestnuts in a mixing bowl of water for at least 20 minutes or longer. This allows the inside nut to steam during the cooking process (to prevent them from getting burnt) and loosens the skin between the nut and the shell, making the shells easier to remove when eating.
- Transfer the chestnuts to a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 5 minutes.
- Drain the chestnuts well. Cook them by roasting in the oven, cooking on the stovetop, or in the air fryer.
- To roast in the oven: Preheat oven to 400F. Place the drained chestnuts in a single layer on a quarter sheet baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the shells crack wide open at the scored "X" mark. Chestnuts are done when they smell nutty.
- To cook on the stovetop: Place the drained chestnuts in a single layer on a thick-bottomed shallow saucepan or medium cooking pot. Close the lid and cook the chestnuts over medium heat for 10 minutes until the shells start to crack open. The water absorbed in the chestnuts from soaking helps to steam the chestnuts, which allows the nuts to expand and crack the shells open. Once all the shells crack open, remove the lid. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes (stirring constantly to help cook evenly) and until the chestnuts smell nutty.
- To cook in the air fryer: Add the drained chestnuts into the air fryer basket and cook at 375F for 25-30 minutes until tender and the shells crack open. Shake the basket halfway to cook them evenly.
- Wrap the cooked chestnuts in a kitchen towel and let them sit for 10 minutes. Peel them warm by hand.
Notes
How to store: Roasted chestnuts are best eaten immediately because they don’t store very well. Plus, they are a lot easier to remove from their shells when they are warm. If you absolutely have to store them, allow them to cool, then peel them and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. For the best taste and texture, eat them soon.
How to eat leftover chestnuts: You can eat roasted chestnuts cold, but I think they taste much better warm. Simply heat the leftover chestnuts in a pan with butter over medium heat until warmed through. You can also reheat in the air fryer at 300F for 5-10 minutes until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Soaking/Boiling Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American