Have you ever wondered how to roast chestnuts? Surprisingly, there is no special equipment required. All it takes is 20 minutes and 5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts.
I spotted them last week-end and I felt like a kid in a candy store!
Chestnuts!!!
The holidays would not be the holidays without them. So, if you have ever asked yourself how to roast chestnuts, I would like to show you my 5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts.
I feel like I should include a disclaimer – as the saying goes, perfection is not of this world. Believe me when I tell you that I have tried all kinds of methods in my “how to roast chestnuts”quest. I have come to the conclusion that no one method is 100% perfect.
In other words, what I’m trying to say is that there will always be a few chestnuts that will get stuck to their shell. But despite that, the method I’m about to share with you is the best that I’ve found. So here it is:
How to Roast Chestnuts:
1- Preheat oven to 425°: A very hot oven is key for the chestnut to separate from its woodsy skin. Make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle.
2- Make an incision: Lay the chestnut flat on your cutting board. With a serrated knife, make a lengthwise slit down the entire middle surface, on the long side. Make sure you hold down the chestnut firmly on the cutting board (be careful not to cut yourself as the outer shell is very slippery).
You must also make sure that the incision cuts through the skin of the chestnuts. The incision will allow the steam to escape from the nut as it is being heated. If the chestnuts are not properly scored, they will explode in the oven… that’s a fact I’ve confirmed myself…
3- Boil the chestnuts: Place the chestnuts in a pot of cold water. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon and place on a shallow baking pan. This quick boil will create the perfect environment for steam to be created once they hit the hot oven.
4- Roast the chestnuts: Place the chestnuts with the flat side down, the cut side up in a single layer in your baking pan. Roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. This time can vary based on the size of your chestnuts. I will give the pan a few shakes throughout the roasting time. You will notice that the shell splits open as they roast. The only way to know if they are cooked through is by eating one.
5-Wrap them up: Once you have obtained perfectly oven roasted chestnuts, remove from the oven and wrap them in a clean tea towel. Allow the wrapped chestnuts to sit in the towel for about 10-15 minutes.
Your perfectly roasted chestnuts are now ready to be served.
Chestnuts are easier to remove from their shell when they are warm. If you have leftover chestnuts, you can peel them and refrigerate them for a day or two. Your peeled chestnuts can also be frozen.
When purchasing chestnuts look for chestnuts that:
- have a glossy look;
- are unblemished;
- are firm to the touch and
- feel heavy for their size.
Always try to roast your store bought chestnuts within 2-3 days as the freshness will not last very long, even in the fridge. If you uncover moldy or bad chestnuts, they need to be discarded. Unfortunately, this can only be discovered once they are roasted and removed from the shell.
Origins of the recipe for 5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts:
Looking back, I think my whole family was obsessed with roasting chestnuts.
I remember my Mom trying to grow chestnut trees. She successfully started a few from seed. The trees had a couple of good, chestnut-full years, but unfortunately the chestnuts would fall before they had a chance to completely ripen.
More often than not, the store bought chestnuts were roasted –oven or fire roasted. My parents had all the gadgets and the pots and the pans to make the best roasted chestnuts.
Sometimes, my mom would just boil them and we would have them as after school snacks.
Did you know that they make absolutely wonderful desserts once they are pureed? Have you ever had chocolate and chestnuts together? Italians desserts from the South are notorious for stuffing these gems in pastry dough.
Of course, chestnuts can just as easily be prepared in savory dishes. Did someone say stuffing?
I adapted this method on how to roast chestnuts from Chef John Mitzewich. Chef John uses no fancy gadgets or knives. Just a serrated knife, a pot and a simple roasting pan. Thanks Chef John!
The holidays would not be the holidays without chestnuts. I know they’ll be part of my Thanksgiving meal. Just 5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts and they can also be part of your Thanksgiving.
Thanks for allowing me the possibility to share some of my favorite recipes with all of you.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones ♥
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria 🙂
★★★★★ If you have used this method to roast chestnuts, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts
The holidays would not be the holidays without chestnuts. All it takes is 20 minutes and 5 easy steps for oven roasted chestnuts.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Chestnuts or as many as desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°: Place oven rack in the middle.
- Make an incision by laying the chestnut flat on your cutting board. With a serrated knife, make a lengthwise slit down the entire middle surface, on the long side. Make sure you hold down the chestnut firmly on the cutting board (be careful not to cut yourself as the outer shell is very slippery).
- Place the chestnuts in a pot of cold water. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon and place on a shallow baking pan.
- Place the chestnuts with the flat side down, the cut side up in a single layer in your baking pan. Roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.
- Once you have obtained perfectly oven roasted chestnuts, remove from the oven and wrap them in a clean tea towel. Allow the wrapped chestnuts to sit in the towel for about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
You can roast as many chestnuts as you like.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.
*method in recipe inspired from Chef John
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Deb@glutenfreefarina says
Oh my. I love these. But you’re right. I’ve tried so many methods to get them to peel completely and get a 50% success rate. But I dont care. I love these. Can’t believe you have these available already. Can’t wait.
Maria says
I was super excited when I saw them at the market. These ones were actually imported from Italy. Thanks for dropping by Deb 🙂
Little Cooking Tips says
Excellent tips!We do the same, but didn’t try the last step with the towel, does it help loosening the shells?
Kudos for the amazing post!
Maria says
Thanks 🙂 Yes, sometimes I will also give the chestnuts a gentle squeeze at the same time. Thanks so much for dropping by 🙂
Barbarito-Levitt Paula says
A family staple before dessert at holiday dinners. Thank you for this wonderful and seemingly foolproof method to roast chestnuts. Thanksgiving, here we come….
Maria says
There are always a few stubborn ones, but all in all this is the method that works for me. Enjoy! Appreciate your comment Paula 🙂
Katja says
Thank you for this great recipe. I must have found it online within days of your posting it. First time I tried roasting chestnuts and your step-by-step guide was super easy to follow. Delicious chestnuts! One question: how long can I keep roasted chestnuts if I don’t want to eat them all right away? And how do I safely store roasted chestnuts?
Maria says
Thank-you Katja for taking the time to comment. It is easier to shell the chestnuts while they are still warm. They can be stored in an airtight container for a 3-4 days in the fridge. If it is more convenient, they can also be frozen. Thanks again for dropping by 🙂
Frances says
Nice tutorial, I’m going to try it this year because my bf loves chestnuts. We live in a remote northern area, so I hope I can find some soon. I wonder if I can actually roast these in the fireplace? Ever tried? Cliché a little, but it is Christmas time!
PS: kind of sad that you feel the need to put a disclaimer that your method isn’t perfect, but the internet is full of bored nasties who will tear you apart if they don’t get every chestnut done perfectly. Instant gratification generation! 🙂
Cristina says
Here in Portugal, we add salt! The flavor improves. And here we eat them boiled in water, salt, and fennel seeds… it’s so good. ❤️
Maria says
Yes, that sounds wonderful! I must try them that way. Thanks so much for your comment 🙂
Cindy says
I’m so happy you posted this recipe. As a kid we had a couple of chestnut trees. My Dad and I would go out and get some but I don’t remember ever roasting them. I’ve always wanted to try some roasted but didn’t have a recipe. I absolutely love chestnuts. I cannot wait to get some and try your recipe.
Maria says
I also love chestnuts! They have such a unique flavor and texture. Hope you get a chance to try the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment 🙂
Adam says
Are there any good seasonings that I can use? Other than salt . I kinda think they have a potato flavor to them.lol
Maria says
That is funny… well, I have a stuffing recipe that uses chestnuts with sage and rosemary… if you like those herbs, that might work for you. To be honest, I just love them as is, although the next time I eat them I will think of your comment 🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
Sally says
I boil them in Black Sea salt which gives them a buttery taste. Then, when they’re baking I put brush on a thin layer of Morton salt and nutmeg and some olive oil. Will try putting fennel seeds next time as well.
Amy says
Thanks for your recipe. Do you have to put the chestnuts in the oven straight after boiling while they are still hot? Or can I do the boiling ahead of time and roast them later?
Maria says
I would recommend doing it immediately in order to create the proper environment for the steam to be created inside the chestnut. Great question. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Ginny says
The best method I’ve discovered over the years is by slicing their tops, put them on a sheet pan and under the broiler. They pop open and the skin comes off easily. I discovered this by accident one time.
Maria says
It is fantastic when we discover something that works. Thanks for taking the time to share 🙂
Mimi Coba says
Just tried it, they Came out awesome! Thank you! I only had a handful, 10 mins in the oven and 10 mins wrapped. Can’t wait to buy more next time!
Maria says
So glad to hear Mimi! Enjoy 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to comment, appreciate it!
Betsy Giuffrida says
I didn’t actually make these, but I do mine similarly. The only difference is a vertical slit on the flat side vs. a horizontal on the round side. I’m going to try it this way and see how the peel goes… might work better! I also use a basket in the oven, rather than a sheet or pan… keeps the heat even. And I coat them with coconut oil. This is a new thing for me (traditional Italian family), but I like the taste of the oil with the nut, and it makes them easier to peel and for the salt to stick. 😉
Maria says
I have a bottle of coconut oil… I might just try it! Sounds very interesting. Thanks Betsy! Appreciate your comment, thanks for stopping by 🙂
Ur Pal Val says
Love this, as it reminds me of the holidays.
Maria says
I agree… these are one of my favorites ♥ Appreciate your comment. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Tony Godkin says
Maria-
You are the best for reposting this from Chef John. Unlike most of his recipes, this was exclusively on About.com, and has since disappeared. In searching the vast interwebs I came across your recipe which is just like his (except I think he salts his cold water)
As I figured others would be searching for that recipe I put a link to your recipe from his comments to your recipe.
Let me know if that is a problem and I will delete it, but I consider it a public service.
Thanks Again!
Tony
Maria says
I wasn’t aware his post is gone. No problem Tony! His method works great. As a lover of all things chestnuts, I wanted to share his method with my readers as I know how frustrating it is when you can’t remove the chestnut from its skin. We chestnut lovers have to stick together 😉
Tony,thanks so much for dropping by. Wishing you all the best during this holiday period.
Beth says
This worked great! Finally I know how to do this thanks to your post! I was disappointed that many of them were moldy. I thought it was something I had done wrong. What makes them mold on the inside? Is there a way of preventing that from happening?
Maria says
Great to hear that it worked for you Beth! Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing how fresh the chestnuts are until you open them up. There are a few things you can do… make sure to roast the chestnuts within 2-3 days of purchase; also, try to purchase chestnuts which are firm to the touch and feel heavy for their size. Thanks for taking the time to comment, appreciate it! Happy Holidays to you and yours ♥
Lori says
Thsnks for sharing. Roasting them as I write this. We had chestnut trees in our yard when I was a child and mom always boiled them. I did want to make one comment that my grandfather told us for anybody wanting to grow chestnut trees. In order to grow chestnuts to maturity, you must have both a male and female tree. Otherwise they will just fall off before the nuts mature. (The males do not produce fruit.) Happy Roasting!
Maria says
Interesting Lori… I did not know that! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Have a wonderful day 🙂
Catherine says
I think this recipe is absolutely perfect! Followed it to the t and my chestnuts are soft and so easy to peel. Thank you
Maria says
My pleasure Catherine! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year 🙂
Tami says
This is an awesome recipe! Thank you very much for sharing it! My chestnuts we’re cooked perfectly as a result 😀
Maria says
My pleasure Tami… thrilled to hear it worked out for you! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Tara Poole says
Mine came out dry and tasteless and they are fresh picked up yesterday. So disappointed. I’ve never had them before so I wonder if I did something wrong.
Maria says
Hi Tara, It is always disappointing when you get a bad batch of chestnuts. Unfortunately just because you picked them up yesterday, does not mean that they were properly stored at ideal temperatures during the whole process before you purchased them.
I recently also purchased some chestnuts and almost half of them were “black” on the inside.
As far as the “dryness” is concerned, oven temperatures can sometimes vary… perhaps they stayed in the oven a bit too long… Sorry to hear you did not have a great experience with chestnuts. Appreciate your comment 🙂
Amy says
I’ve had a chestnut tree in my yard for years and always wanted to try roasting them. I used this method and it worked perfect but unfortunately I am not a fan of the taste. They are very dry and bitter is this the way they always taste?
Maria says
Sorry to hear you did not like the taste Amy. Chestnuts should not be bitter in taste… nor should they be dry. If I were to describe the texture, I would say they are starchy. Did you plant the chestnut tree yourself or was it already there? This may seem like a silly question but just want to make sure it isn’t a horse chestnut tree as those are extremely bitter and inedible. Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Me says
Never had chestnuts before. Work friend gave me about a dozen and said to try them and if I liked them (and the work involved) many more would come my way. She has a coup,e of trees.
I followed your simple instructions and recipe and they turned out fantastic. Tasted delicious too. Thanks for the easy to follow instructions!
Maria says
Wow! How lucky to have fresh chestnuts! I am sure they tasted wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing and taking the time to comment, appreciate it 🙂