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.
What do I need to make Roasted Chestnuts?
- Chestnuts! No surprise here. You can use as many chestnuts as you like. Make sure they are firm to the touch.
- Water. That’s right, our chestnuts are going to get boiled before getting baked.
As far as accessories are concerned, you need a cutting board, a sharp serrated knife, a large pot and a baking pan.
How to Roast Chestnuts:
1- Preheat oven to 425°F: 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 inner 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- Roasting chestnuts in oven: 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 of the roasted chestnuts.
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.
Tips, Tricks and Recipe Notes:
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 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.
Recipe origins
Looking back, I think my whole family was obsessed with how to roast Italian 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!
Recipe
5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Chestnuts or as many as desired
- water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Place the 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 them on a shallow baking pan.
- Place the chestnuts with the flat side down, and 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 them 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Toni
We will try tomorrow 😘
Maria
Great Toni! Enjoy!
jk
Perfect recipe and so were the results!!
Maria
Amazing JK! Thanks so much for sharing, appreciate it!
Mike Licursi
Congratulations on your web site Maria. Tried your method of making chestnuts, and got great results. You’re the best.
Maria
Mike!!! Thanks so much! I hope you are all doing well! Happy New Year, my friend!
Sarah
Perfect! The first time I’ve actually managed to cook and peel some whole chestnuts successfully. Only a couple didn’t work.
Maria
Fantastic Sarah! Thanks for sharing!
Martha Muncrief
Does anyone know how to make brandied chestnuts? I ate them in Chile many years ago but haven’t seen them since. Thanks
Maria
I have not come across one. I will keep an eye out for a recipe.
John Kuhtik
Seems like the Italian Chestnuts peel easier and cleaner than Chinese Variety. has anyone else noticed this difference. Your descriptions match how my Mod and Dad made them!
Maria
Thanks, John. Interesting observation… I have not noticed this. I did notice that Costco is now selling chestnuts, imported from Italy. They were great! Thanks for stopping by, appreciate it.
Miriam
Hello i can remember my granny on very cold days or christmas peeling chestnuts then she get a pot to boil them when soft to eat she use to make drinking chocolate and put the soft chestnuts in my granny was maltese and she made this every year very nice and warming
Maria
Thank you so much for sharing Miriam. What a wonderful memory!
Daniela Abdilla
I am Maltese and we call that Imbuljuta tal qastan it is yummy , a traditional christmas treat 🙂
Maria
Roasted chestnuts are truly a wonderful treat! Thanks for sharing by Daniela.
Dana Goodwin
We made your recipe last night for our Thanksgiving meal. It worked perfectly on the first go. Great recipe! Thank you!!! We had chestnut flour gnocchi with a sage butter sauce and used some of the roasted chestnuts, chopped, in the sauce. Will be making this a tradition… So yummy! Ciao!
Maria
Oh my goodness Dana! That sounds amazing. I am putting that on my to-do list, thank you. Thrilled to hear you had success with the roasted chestnuts. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Alan
Hi Maria,
I used your recipe for cooking chestnuts, and while I followed the instructions, and the chestnuts were cooked, I could not get them out of their shells. They all split in half, along the line of the cut, and the shell did not open up as in your pictures. I had to scoop the nut meat out with a teaspoon on every single one. Clearly I have made a mistake somewhere, but what? Thank you.
Alan, BC, Canada
Maria
Hi Alan, sorry to hear you had a hard time with the chestnuts. Did you cut through the inner membrane?
There are 2 other things that come to mind. The oven temperature and the freshness of the chestnuts. It seems silly but most ovens need to be calibrated every once in a while. This can easily be checked with an oven thermometer. There should be just enough water so that when they hit a hot oven, they start to expand.
As far as the chestnuts are concerned, did you keep them in the fridge for an extended period of time before cooking them? Did they look fresh? Perhaps you got a batch of not so fresh chestnuts. Once again, sorry the method did not work out for you. Thanks for stopping by.
Dinah
I have always either boiled or roasted chestnuts that were hit or miss. Your method with the combo boil/roast works best! Thanks for this thanksgiving gift! Will use for Christmas too!
Maria
How wonderful Dinah! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!
Linda Zaffiri
I will have to cut bigger slits.
Maria
It will probably make the removal of the nut easier. Appreciate the comment Linda. Thanks for stopping by.