Roasting and peeling chestnuts is easier than you might think and the process is fun and festive. You can roast chestnuts in the oven, and they make for a hearty and delicious snack, or you can use them in all sorts of tasty recipes.

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping on your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.”

While roasting them on an open fire would be lovely, it’s easy and fun to learn how to roast chestnuts in the oven.

What are chestnuts?

Chestnuts are a group of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs. Oak trees are in the same family, which is why the nuts look similar to acorns.
The trees are native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere.
Chestnuts are considered to be an ancient nut, and are said to be one of the first foods consumed by mankind.
Uncooked, chestnuts are covered in a hard shell and are about the size of a walnut in its shell. They are referred to as “true nuts” which means they must be cooked before using.
In stores — mostly during the holiday season — you can find chestnuts steamed and jarred, or puréed and canned, and shelled and roasted in the refrigerated, produce section of most markets.
You can also buy chestnut flour which does not rise, but is delicious in various baked goods, like these Chestnut Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Chestnuts are one of the lowest fat nuts, with less than 2% fat!

What do chestnuts taste like?

Chestnuts are different from most nuts in that they are unexpectedly soft and slightly chewy. Some people think the texture is similar to a baked potato.

When chestnuts are cooked, they’re flavor is rich, buttery, subtly sweet and earthy. (Do not eat them raw!)

Their texture and flavor makes them delicious in both sweet and savory recipes.

How to Use Roasted Chestnuts

In addition to being fabulous to munch on as they are, roasted chestnuts can be used in all sorts of both sweet and savory recipes. You make soups, stews, stuffings, cakes, cookies, and then some.

How long can you store them?

To eat them on their own, roasted chestnuts are at their best right after they’re roasted. If you’re planning to use them in recipes, they can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Recipes with chestnuts:

Tips for Roasting Chestnuts

I’ve had my Italian chestnut knife for over ten years, and though it doesn’t get used but a few times a year, I love having it in my knife drawer. Ideally, you will use one for your chestnuts, but if you don’t have one, a sharp paring knife works too.
Chestnuts have an outer shell and inner skin. When you’re scoring them with the knife, they idea is to only cut through both of these, but if you cut into the actual nut a bit, that’s okay!
Many people find they’re even easier to peel if they’re soaked in hot water for a minute or so, and patted dry, before they’re roasted.
They must still be warm when you peel them. The cooler they become, the harder they’ll be to peel.

Once you know how to roast and peel chestnuts, they’re the perfect winter afternoon, weekend cooking project.

And it will lead you to many wonderful chestnut-filled dishes!

How To Roast And Peel Chestnuts

Name: How To Roast And Peel Chestnuts
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 pound whole, raw chestnuts

Valentina K. Wein

Roasting and peeling chestnuts is easier than you might think and the process is fun, festive and will make your whole house smell like the holidays! Once roasted, they make for a hearty and delicious snack, or you can use them in all sorts of tasty recipes.

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Snack, Ingredient

Cuisine Italian

Servings servings

Calories 148 kcal

Equipment

chestnut knife

Ingredients

1 pound whole, raw chestnuts

Instructions

Set oven and prepare nuts. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Use a chestnut knife (or sharp paring knife) to make a large X through the shell and inner skin on the round side of the chestnuts. Place them, flat side down, on a baking sheet as you go.
Roast. Roast them in the preheated 425°F oven until all of the skins have peeled back, away from the chestnut, about 25 minutes. (There will always be a few that don’t cooperate.)
Remove them from the oven and cover them with a kitchen towel for about 5 minutes before peeling. (They must still be warm to peel them.)
Peel. Use your hands to peel the shell and skin off each nut, away from the X. (If the inner skin doesn’t come off with the shell, use the tip of your knife to help work it off the nut.) If some of the nuts become too cool before you’re able to peel them, simply pop them back in oven for a couple of minutes to loosen the skins again.

Notes

Calorie count is only an estimate.

Keywords healthy winter snacks, roasting nuts

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