“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.”
Okay, so I roasted these in the oven, not on an open fire. Regardless, they’re amazing!
Inspiration for How to Roast and Peel Chestnuts
One of my absolute favorite memories of living in Madrid, Spain in the heart of winter is the wonderful aroma of roasting chestnuts on almost every city street corner. For somewhere around cien pesetas, I could get a big, newspaper-wrapped bundle of roasted chestnuts.
Not only did they smell amazing, but their heat would penetrate through the newspaper and warm my hands. Truly lovely! And delicious!
Since then I’d wondered exactly how to roast and peel chestnuts.
So . . . I learned how and now I’m sharing that with you.
First, 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 potato — slightly crunchy and bitter when raw, and buttery and subtly sweet when cooked.
- Their texture and flavor makes them delicious in both sweet and savory recipes.
A few recipes using roasted, peeled chestnuts:
- Chestnut Butter
- Chocolate Chip Chestnut Cookies
- Braised Chestnuts and Pearl Onions
- Cream of Chestnut Potato Soup
Notes
- I’ve had my Italian chestnut knife for over ten years, and though it doesn’t get used but once or twice 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 will do.
- The longer you roast the nuts, the more caramelized they’ll become on the inside — if you just want to shell them to use in other dishes, you only need to roast them for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Once you know how to roast and peel chestnuts, it’s the perfect winter afternoon, weekend cooking project. And it will lead you to many wonderful chestnut-filled dishes!
Since it’s the Christmas season, we’d better get roasting! Off we go!
How To Roast and Peel Chestnuts
Learning how to roast chestnuts, and how to peel chestnuts is easier than you might think and the process is fun, festive and will make your whole house smell like the holidays!
Materials
- chestnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Use the knife to make a large “X” all the way through the skin on the flat side of each chestnut. Place them, round side down, on a baking sheet as you go.
- Roast them in the preheated oven until all of the skins have peeled back, away from the chestnut, about 30 minutes. (There will always be a few that don’t cooperate. No biggie, just don’t use those.)
- Let the chestnuts cool just enough so you can handle them. If you let them get too cool, you’ll have a much harder time peeling them. Use your hands to peel the skin off each nut. There is a fine, soft inner skin, too. If this doesn’t come off with the thicker skin, you can 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.
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Jennifer says
After seeing your easy directions, I’m ready to give these a try (I’ve been eyeing them at the grocery store for weeks!). But I’ve never eaten roasted chestnuts, are they similar in taste to almonds or cashews? Are they sweet? I’m wondering how many I should buy per person and whether or not you think kids would like them too.
Thanks for the great directions, I’m going to buy and roast some whether or not the kiddos like them, I’m sure I’ll like them : )!
valentina says
Hi, Jennifer! Oh, I’m so happy you’re going to give these a go! It’ll be fun! They are different from most nuts in that they are unexpectedly soft and slightly chewy. They are mildly sweet and have an earthy, nutty flavor. My kids think they are good, but “weird,” (says my 5 yr old). I love them. Friday I’m sharing a Chestnut Potato Soup! Let me know how it goes, and happy holiday season!
Christina's Cucina says
My mother LOVES roasted chestnuts, but they’re not the top of my list. However, I did discover that I like them as is! When I was in England in October, I tasted them fresh and really liked them! What can I say? I have strange taste buds! haha!
valentina says
That’s awesome, Christina. Ha! As long as there’s no cilantro. 😉 xo ~Valentina
Marissa says
I’m so excited to try your method, Valentina! We love chestnuts, but have had mixed results peeling them ourselves and typically buy them in jars already peeled **ahem**. I’d much rather do it your way!
valentina says
Thanks, Marissa. I hope this method works for you. Happy Holidays! 🙂 ~Valentina
angiesrecipes says
They are my favourite fall treat!
valentina says
Yay! 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia says
What great information on roasting chestnuts! I’ve known about them since forever but we’ve never tried it. A fun project for the family!
valentina says
I hope you love doing this, Kelly. It’s fun, smells delicious and they’re so tasty! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen says
This kind of tutorial is always so useful! I, now wondering where I will be able to find chestnuts in Arizona!
valentina says
What about Whole Foods? Is there one in Tucson? Here’s hoping. Thanks for checking out my tutorial. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron says
You know just today we were at a Christmas market and the first thing I went for was the roasted chestnuts. And yes, they still serve them here in a paper cone and they make Christmas, Christmas for me. Well, that and smell and taste of burnt almonds…
Have a great Holiday Season.
valentina says
Yes!! I love it. Especially in the newspaper “cones!” Thanks for sharing, Ron. Enjoy the season. 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced says
We roasted chestnuts several years ago in the fireplace, and it was a fun activity. I agree that chestnuts taste like a baked potato. I didn’t realize that before we embarked on that activity, so I was quite surprised at the flavor/texture. Either way, it was a fun holiday project! Great guide here, Valentina!
valentina says
Thanks, David. Love that you roasted them in your fireplace. So awesome! 🙂 ~Valentina