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oven roasted chestnuts in a bowl
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How to Roast Chestnuts in Oven - Oven Roasted Chestnuts Recipe

Learn how to roast chestnuts in the oven and get my tips on peeling chestnuts. Once you learn my quick and easy method, roasting chesnuts in the oven will be a breeze.
Course Healthy Snacks
Cuisine American
Diet Vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 222kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lbs Chestnuts preferably Italian (or European) or chestnuts from Michigan
  • Water

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. The rounded side, (aka the belly side) should be 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. 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 an hour.
  • Preheat it to 425 degrees. Drain chestnuts (no need to dry) and place them on a baking sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes*1 keeping a close eye on it and turning a few times if necessary. They should be fully roasted when the skins have pulled back/opened and the flesh inside has softened.
  • Remove from the oven and place the now-roasted chestnuts in a kitchen cloth. Collect the edges of the cloth in the middle and turn it into a small pouch. Let them steam in the “pouch” for 10-15 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a paper bag. Simply place the hot roasted chestnuts in it, roll the bag trapping the steam inside and let it steam for 10-15 minutes.
  • Being careful not to burn yourself, gently squeeze chestnuts using the kitchen cloth or the paper bag as a shield to help remove the skins. You should hear the crackling sound of the roasted skins as you do so.
  • To peel, transfer the roasted chestnuts onto a platter and 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.*2 Discard the bad chestnuts that are spoiled inside.
  • Enjoy roasted chestnuts on their own or use it with your favorite herbs or seasoning.

Notes

  • Roasting time *1: While I listed the roasting time as 25-30 minutes, I recommend that you keep an eye on the chestnuts after the 20-minute mark. In my experiments, some chestnuts were fully opened while the others were not, even after the full 30 minutes of roasting. So, it is a good idea to remove the ones that are fully opened and let the rest bake for a little longer, if necessary.
  • A word on peeling *2: During the course of three weeks, in preparation for this post, I have tried several of the “easy” peeling methods I found in various websites and books. I learned one thing and it is that the ease of peeling depends on the type of chestnut you use. Yes, the method of cooking is important and you want to make sure they are fully cooked, but be aware that not every chestnut is created equal.
    During my recipe testing, I found that Chinese chestnuts were very hard to peel, especially when it came to the inner skin (the fuzzy part), whereas Italian chestnuts were easier. However, even with the Italian chestnuts, there were some that broke as I was peeling.
    It is also important to mention that the size and age of the chestnut play an important role when it comes to peeling. Based on all this, I think the rule of thumb when it comes to peeling is to be patient and keep a paring knife nearby if it gets hard to peel by hand.
  • Store: Place roasted chestnuts in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze: Place peeled chestnuts in a freezer bag, get the air out as much as you can, tightly seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw: Remove from the freezer and defrost in the fridge overnight.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 549mg | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg