Here is an easy recipe on how to make Boiled Chestnuts. Only 5 steps to enjoy this fall favorite snack food. It’s also great as an ingredient in sweet or savory dishes.
Could you ever imagine that within such a prickly outer covering, there exists a fresh chestnut that is equally delicious in both sweet and savory meals?
The availability of chestnuts, from October to December, makes them the perfect ingredient to include in holiday meals. Consider a tasty chestnut stuffing for Thanksgiving or perhaps a chestnut cookie for Christmas.
But first, we need to remove two layers in order to get to the starchy interior of this nut.
Have you ever wondered how to cook chestnuts?
Roasting chestnuts is by far the most popular method. Especially when enjoying them on their own, as a snack, or at the end of a meal.
If you are planning to use them as an ingredient, either to cook or bake with, peeled chestnuts by boiling them is the preferred method.
What do I need to make boiled chestnuts?
- Fresh chestnuts. Of course! You can boil as many as you like, depending on what you need them for.
- Water. No surprise here.
If you plan to eat the fresh chestnuts as a snack, feel free to add herbs and spices to the pot of boiling water to flavor them. Some examples include a bay leaf or a few slivers of orange peel.
Boiling Chestnuts: Just 5 Easy Steps
1-Fill a large pot with cold water: There needs to be enough water to ensure the chestnuts are totally submerged.
2-Rinse the chestnuts: Place the chestnuts in a colander and give them a good rinse.
3-Cut the chestnuts: Place the chestnut on a damp tea towel with the flat side down. Hold it firmly between your thumb and finger and score through the two layers. That is to say, the outer hard shell and the soft inner membrane. Take extra caution in cutting them.
4-Boil the chestnuts: Place the scored chestnuts in the pot of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to obtain a nice gentle simmer and place a cover, tilted slightly open. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes for a fully cooked chestnut.
The total boiling time will depend on their size and what you plan on making with them.
- Par-boil for about 10-15 minutes if planning to use the chestnuts as an ingredient that will subsequently be cooked (for example, in a stuffing).
- Cook completely if planning to eat them as a snack or as an ingredient in a recipe (for example, in a salad).
5-Peel the chestnuts: Test one chestnut to make sure it has reached your desired texture. Turn off the heat. Leave the chestnuts in the pot with the water to cool down.
When cool enough to handle, work quickly with one chestnut at a time to remove the outer shell as it hardens quickly.
With the tip of a knife, remove the outer shell and then peel off the inner skin. Repeat until there are no more nuts. Discard any nuts that have dark black spots or look spoiled.
If you are having a hard time removing the inner skin, place them back in the pot of hot water. After a couple of minutes, try again. The thin membrane will be easier to peel off.
You can now enjoy your peeled chestnuts as is or use them in your favorite recipes.
Tips
- When placing chestnuts in the water, they should sink to the bottom. Any chestnuts that float are usually a sign that there is mold on the inside.
- Add herbs and spices to the pot of boiling water to flavor them. Some examples include a bay leaf or a few slivers of orange peel.
- Leave the cooked chestnuts in the water to keep the outer shell soft which in turn makes it easier to peel them.
- If you are having a hard time peeling off the inner skin, place them back in the pot of hot water; wait a few minutes and try again.
How long does it take to boil chestnuts?
It really depends on their size and what you are going to do with them.
How to store boiled chestnuts
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe origins
I have no doubt that I inherited my obsession with chestnuts from my mom.
I can still see my mother, patiently peeling castagne lesse (boiled chestnuts) in preparation of one of my favorite Christmas treats, a sweet ravioli stuffed with a mixture of chestnuts and chocolate.
She would remove the outer shell before placing them in a pot of water to be boiled.
I tried both methods of removing the outer shell. I found that there was very little difference in the final product. It was however slightly easier to remove the outer shell after it was softened by the boiling process.
Do you have another method?
I would love to hear about it!
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.
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you try this boiling method for fresh chestnuts, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Boiled Chestnuts
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Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh chestnuts with shell
- water
- bay leaf optional
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water.
- Rinse the chestnuts.
- Place one chestnut on a damp tea towel with the flat side down. Hold it firmly between your thumb and finger and score through the two layers. That is to say, the outer hard shell and the soft inner membrane. Take extra caution in cutting them.
- Place the scored chestnuts in the pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to obtain a nice gentle simmer and place a cover, tilted slightly open. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. The total boiling time will depend on their size and what you plan on making with them.
- Test one chestnut to make sure it has reached your desired texture. Turn off the heat. Leave the chestnuts in the pot with the water to cool down. When cool enough to handle, work quickly with one chestnut at a time to remove the outer shell as it hardens quickly.With the tip of a knife, remove the outer shell and then peel off the inner skin. Repeat until there are no more nuts.
Notes
- 1 pound of chestnuts (with the shell) yields approximately 2 cups of pureed chestnuts.
- 1 serving size is calculated as ½ cup.
-
The total boiling time will depend on their size and what you plan on making with them.
- Par-boil for about 10-15 minutes if planning to use the chestnuts as an ingredient that will subsequently be cooked (for example, in a stuffing).
- Cook completely if planning to eat them as a snack or as an ingredient in a recipe (for example, in a salad).
- When placing chestnuts in the water, they should sink to the bottom. Any chestnuts that float are usually a sign that there is mold on the inside.
- Add herbs and spices to the pot of boiling water to flavor them. Some examples include a bay leaf or a few slivers of orange peel.
- Leave the cooked chestnuts in the water to keep the outer shell soft which in turn makes it easier to peel them.
- If you are having a hard time peeling off the inner skin, place them back in the pot of hot water; wait a few minutes and try again.
NICHOLAS BATTAGLIA
MY GRANDMOTHER AND MOTHER HAVE ALWAYS WRAPPED BOILED CHESTNUTS WITH BACON AND THEN PUT THEM INTO THE BROILER UNTIL THE BACON IS COOKED. USE TOOTHPICKS (SOAKAED IN WATER SO THEY DON’T BURN) TO HOLD THE BACON IN PLACE. THIS HAS BEEN A THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS TRADITION FOR OVER 75 YEARS IN OUR FAMILY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO BOIL THEM!
Maria
Sounds delicious Nicholas! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ann Symonds
Brilliant. Thanks for Norfolk UK. Starting to collect chestnuts now to cook and freeze.
Maria
Fresh chestnuts! How wonderful! Enjoy Ann!
Phil G
For stuffing or recipes where you might mash them I find it super easy to just cut them in half when done with the boil, and the scoop out the flesh with a small spoon.
Maria
Great suggestion Phil! Thanks for sharing.
Donna
Thank you si much for the easy method. I tried roasting them first, buf for what I want to make., the boiled method us perfect. Gravlak ( I think that s the right name) a Hungarian chestnut cloud (desert)
Maria
Thanks so much Donna! Enjoy!
Alice M
I was lucky enough to find fresh, local chestnuts yesterday and I didn’t want to ruin yet another batch so I decided to search for a tried and true way to prepare them (I’ve never been successful roasting chestnuts – no matter what I did, I’d end up with hard little, burnt, dry, unpeelable chestnuts). So glad I came across this recipe. I boiled them and I will always prepare them this way from now on. I only wish I had tried this decades ago!! Thank you!
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing Alice!
Mr michael v zerafa
Boiling is the safest way to go especially if they are not very fresh, roasted was a failure and boiling was the saviour !
Rhianna
I bought chestnuts for the first time to use in a recipe, and I just used this method for cooking them. Came out great – thank you!
Maria
How wonderful Rhianna! Thanks for sharing, enjoy!
Trina
Chestnut season in Rome has begun! This recipe is a nice alternative to roasting (in my air fryer). Thanks!
Maria
The most “wonderful time of the year!” Thanks for stopping by Trina!
Jo
I have been eating boiled chestnuts since I was a child in Italy. They are my favorite. We add some bay leaves to the pot of water when boiling the chestnuts. It gives the chestnuts an added delicious flavor.
Maria
Thanks for sharing Jo! I must try adding a bay leaves to my pot of boiling chestnuts.
Karen P
Do you have the recipe for the castagne ravioli you could share? My mother-in-law made them but no one can read her recipe.
Maria
Thank you for your interest Karen. I am still finalizing the recipe as my mom’s measurements were very vague. It’s coming!
Val
I love to make boiled chestnuts and add them to my stuffing. Appreciate this step by step method, thanks Maria.
Maria
My pleasure Val. Thanks for stopping by, appreciate it.
Nadia
Do you have a recipe for those chestnut chocolate stuffed Christmas ravioli cookies, I remember eating them as a child and they were so delicious
Maria
Stay tuned Nadia… it’s coming!