If you’re like me, you can’t resist eating these delicious air fryer chestnuts the moment you peel them. However, there are countless other ways to use this delectable recipe—a handy way to make the most of the chestnut season. Air fryer roasted chestnuts make an excellent base for my silky Chestnut Cream Soup, and they fit flawlessly into any Christmas dinner when you prepare my five-star Chestnut Dressing. Or, try whipping up my Chestnut Puree Recipe for an irresistibly creamy dish perfect for pastries, parfaits, and so much more.
Ingredients
When it comes to recipes with simple ingredients, air fried chestnuts are hands-down the easiest for your grocery list. All you need to make this toasty dish is one ingredient: chestnuts!
However, as with all one-ingredient recipes, the key to getting the best results is to begin with high-quality chestnuts. Here are just a few things to keep in mind when selecting your nuts:
- Type of chestnuts: For this recipe, I highly recommend using Italian chestnuts (also known as European chestnuts) or American chestnuts, as they peel easily and are altogether easier to work with. Chinese chestnuts—the most popular variety in Asia—also taste good, but I find that they are harder to peel, so I don’t suggest using them in this recipe.
- Choose equally sized chestnuts: If possible, try to hand-pick chestnuts of an equal size, as they’ll roast the most evenly in the air fryer.
- Ensure your chestnuts are of high quality: When looking for chestnuts, try to find ones that are smooth, plump, and shiny—especially those without blemishes or mold. I also encourage you to handle the chestnuts in your hand to ensure the skin isn’t dry.
- Where to buy: You should be able to find fresh chestnuts in most U.S. grocery stores. However, they also crop up in farmer’s markets during fall and winter, should you prefer a locally grown alternative.
- Avoid chestnut mix-ups: Though similar in name, be careful not to accidentally purchase horse chestnuts (which are toxic) or water chestnuts. These two are not the same as regular chestnuts and will drastically change the taste and texture of your recipe.
How to Prepare Chestnuts for Cooking in the Air Fryer?
Proper preparation is a must when getting ready to air fry chestnuts. These three steps will ensure your nuts are clean, tasty, and easily peelable when they come out of the air fryer.
- Rinse the chestnuts: Add the raw chestnuts to a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain them when thoroughly rinsed.
- Score: Lay the flat side of a chestnut on a cutting board, ensuring the rounded side (AKA the belly side) faces up. Hold the chestnut firmly with one hand and use the other to cut horizontally across the rounded face with a sharp paring knife or chestnut knife. Then, rotate the chestnut 90 degrees and make a second cut, forming an “X” on its top. Repeat the scoring process for the remaining chestnuts, trying not to score their inner skin.
- Soak chestnuts: Transfer the cut chestnuts to a bowl, cover them with cold tap water, and let them rest for 30-60 minutes.
How to Roast Chestnuts in an Air Fryer?
Air frying chestnuts is a great way to enjoy nutty, easy-to-peel treats in no time. With this easy cooking method, your chestnuts will be on the table in less than 20 minutes.
- Prepare your air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Dry the chestnuts: Drain the soaked chestnuts, transfer them to a clean kitchen towel, and dry them as much as possible. Alternatively, you may line a baking sheet with paper towels and pat them dry.
- Fill the air fryer basket: Arrange the scored chestnuts in your air fryer basket so that their cut sides face up. Be careful not to overcrowd the basket, as your nuts should fit comfortably in a single layer. If necessary, you may air fry your chestnuts in two batches to ensure proper air circulation.
- Cook the chestnuts: Roast the chestnuts in the air fryer for 17 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice during their cooking time.
- Steam the cooked chestnuts: Once roasted, transfer the (very hot!) chestnuts onto a clean kitchen towel. Draw the edges of the cloth toward their center, turn the towel into a small pouch, and let the chestnuts steam for about five minutes. For an alternate steaming method, place your air-fried chestnuts in a paper bag and roll down the top so the steam gets trapped inside. Again, let the nuts steam for five minutes or for up to 30 minutes.
- Peel: After the chestnuts steam, grasp the pouch in your hand and gently squeeze it to loosen the chestnut shells. Then, carefully peel off the outer shell of the nuts while they’re still hot by lightly pulling back on their scored “X.” Be sure you’re removing the papery skin to expose the yellow flesh inside. If you can’t remove the fuzzy inner skin by hand, you may use a small sharp knife to assist you, being careful not to pierce the yellow inner nut.
- Serve: Enjoy your air fryer roasted chestnuts while they’re still warm.
How to Store Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts?
After roasting chestnuts in an air fryer, the last thing you want to do is let a single one go to waste. With these easy tips, you can store this delectable recipe to snack on throughout the week or for long-lasting meal prep.
- Store: When ready for storage, let your air roasted chestnuts reach room temperature and then transfer them to an airtight container. You can then store them in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Freeze: To freeze your peeled air fryer chestnuts, transfer them to a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Then, tightly seal the bag and freeze your chestnuts for up to three months.
- Thaw: When ready to thaw, remove your chestnuts from the freezer and defrost them in the fridge overnight.
Expert Tips
The best way to cook chestnuts in an air fryer is by preheating it to 350°F (175°C), scoring each chestnut, and roasting them for 17 minutes or until the shells open and the insides are tender. However, I learned a few lessons during my recipe testing and would like to share them with you:
- Scoring: Because chestnuts can be slippery, it’s important to be safe when scoring them, which is essential for easy peeling later on. Therefore, I recommend placing your chestnuts on a cutting board with their flat sides facing down and rounded sides facing up. Then, firmly secure the chestnut with one hand and use a sharp, serrated, or chestnut knife to score the rounded edge in the shape of an “X.”
- Soaking: Though popular belief holds that you must soak your chestnuts in hot water (or warm water) for hours on end, I’ve found that a quick soak in cold tap water (30-60 minutes) is more than sufficient.
- Air fryer temperature: When making this recipe, you may consider speeding up the roasting process by increasing your air fryer temperature. However, we found that cooking chestnuts in the air fryer at higher temperatures (like 400 degrees F. and 375 degrees F.) led to a fully cooked exterior and uncooked interior. Therefore, we recommend keeping your cooking temperature low—ideally 350 degrees F. for 17 minutes—to ensure the whole chestnut roasts at an even rate.
- Don’t overcrowd: As with all air fryer recipes, you mustn’t crowd your air fryer basket while cooking, as proper air circulation is essential for thoroughly roasting your chestnuts. We were able to fit a pound of chestnuts into our basket, though this amount may change depending on the size of your air fryer and individual chestnuts. No matter how many chestnuts you can fit into your basket, just be sure to arrange them so that their scored “X” faces up.
- Look for visual cues: If you’re not sure whether you’ve fully roasted your chestnuts by the end of their cooking time, I recommend looking for the following visual cues: When ready to steam and peel, your chestnuts’ scored edges should begin opening up, and their exteriors should lightly brown. However, because every air fryer behaves differently, I suggest testing a chestnut at the 15-minute mark to see whether it’s ready to serve or needs more roasting time.
- Peel while still warm: If you want a chestnut with a smooth, nutty taste, you must remove its fuzzy skin before serving. Therefore, I suggest using either of my five-minute steaming methods (either by a wrapped towel or paper bag) to loosen the nuts’ outer and inner skins before peeling, making the process much easier.
- Buy more than you need: It’s inevitable when buying chestnuts that some of them will be “bad,” whether they’re moldy, blemished, or otherwise spoiled—with special consideration to their time of harvesting. Therefore, I highly advise purchasing more chestnuts than you need to eliminate these undesirable picks and still end up with a whole serving.
- A word on easy peeling: My step-by-step instructions are a foolproof way to ensure easy peeling and excellent taste for high-quality chestnuts. However—no matter how closely you follow the steps—it won’t be possible to get good results if you’re using chestnuts of poor quality. Plus, keep in mind that the age and size of the chestnuts matter, so I recommend getting the most
How to Season?
Making roasted chestnuts in the air fryer gives you the freedom to play around with all your favorite flavorings. With these mouthwatering seasoning ideas, you can transform your chestnuts into everything from a decadent dessert to a savory snack.
- Honey and vanilla: If you want your air fryer chestnuts to have an irresistibly dessert-like finish, mix two tablespoons of honey with a teaspoon of vanilla. Once thoroughly combined, drizzle the honey mixture over your cooked chestnuts for a great holiday season treat.
- Melted butter and maple syrup: Richly sweet and easy to customize, try drizzling your chestnuts with a mixture of melted butter and maple syrup. You can even sprinkle ground cinnamon over your nuts if desired for a warmer, woody flavor.
- Balsamic glaze with a sprinkle of sea salt: Coating your air-roasted chestnuts with a rich balsamic reduction is an easy way to give your recipe complexly sweet notes—a flavor profile that tastes straight out of Europe. Finish this tasty variation with a sprinkle of sea salt, and every bite will explode with flavor.
- Asian style: To give your air fried chestnuts a zingy, Asian-inspired flavor, coat them with a blend of soy sauce, a hint of sesame oil, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. This umami-packed recipe transforms sweet chestnuts into a savory treat perfect for all-day snacking.
FAQs
Want to know more about how to roast chestnuts in an air fryer? This beginner-friendly guide will answer any remaining questions, from ideal cooking times to expert peeling suggestions.
To ensure your chestnuts develop warm, tender insides without burning their exterior, I recommend cooking them at 350 degrees F. for 17 minutes and shaking the basket 1-2 times during the process.
Yes, chestnuts’ brown skin is technically edible. However, it has a fuzzy texture and bitter taste that may interfere with the overall flavor of your roasted chestnuts. Therefore, I recommend removing them before eating.
When checking your chestnuts for doneness, look for a few easy visual cues: The outside of your nuts should turn lightly brown, their scored edges should begin opening up, and their insides should be warm and soft by the time they’re ready to remove from the air fryer.
If you try this Air Fryer Chestnuts recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Air Fryer Chestnuts Recipe
Equipment
Instructions
- Place chestnuts in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain.
- Place the flat side of the chestnut down on a cutting board, making sure that the rounded side (aka the belly side) is facing up. Hold the chestnut firmly and cut horizontally across the rounded side using a sharp paring knife (or a chestnut knife, if you have one.) Then, turn the chestnut 90 degrees and make a second cut, forming an X. As you are cutting, do your best not to score the inner skin. Continue with the rest of the chestnuts.
- Transfer the now-cut chestnuts into a bowl. Cover it with cold tap water and let them sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 °F.
- Drain chestnuts and transfer them onto a clean kitchen towel. Dry them off as much as you can.
- Place them in the air fryer basket, making sure that the cut side is facing up. Do not overcrowd the basket. If needed, you can bake it in two batches.
- Air fry them for 17 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through the air-roasting process.
- Once the air frying is completed, transfer the now-very hot chestnuts onto a clean kitchen towel. Collect the edges of the cloth in the middle and turn it into a small pouch. Let them steam in the “pouch” for 5 minutes or so. Alternatively, you can use a paper bag to do this. Simply place the hot roasted chestnuts in it, roll the bag to trap the steam inside, and let it steam for 5 minutes.
- Holding the pouch in your hand, give it a gentle squeeze to loosen the shells. Then, carefully remove the outer shell of the chestnuts when they are still hot by gently pulling back on the scored “X,” peeling away the papery skin and exposing the yellow flesh inside. If you are unable to remove the fuzzy inner skin by hand, use a small sharp knife to peel it, being careful not to pierce the yellow nut inside.
- Enjoy while still warm.
Video
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes a little less than a pound of chestnuts. If you are serving it as a snack, you would likely end up with 7-8 chestnuts (depending on their size) per person if you are serving it to 4 people. The calorie information below is per serving.
- Air frying temperature: Don’t be tempted to increase the temperature of the air fryer to roast them faster. I have tried air frying chestnuts in higher temps to shorten the cooking time, but ended up with chestnuts that were burned on the outside and raw on the inside.
- Soaking: Though popular belief holds that you must soak your chestnuts in hot water (or warm water) for a long time (8 hours or so), I’ve found that a quick soak in cold tap water (30-60 minutes) is more than sufficient.
- Chestnuts: There is a direct correlation between the age, size, and origin of the chestnuts and the quality of the end result. Over the years of cooking chestnuts, I learned that chestnuts from Europe and the US tend to peel easier than chestnuts from China. Needless to say, it is best to buy the freshest chestnuts you can get your hands on for the best results.
- Store: Bring cooked chestnuts to room temperature and then transfer them to an airtight container. You can then store them in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
