Recipe This | Air Fryer Chestnuts (2024)

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Roasted chestnuts got even easier thanks to our air fryer chestnuts. Such a simple option and no boiling required.

If you love chestnuts at Christmas and you are looking for a simple way to enjoy this holiday favourite, then you will love air fried chestnuts. Make chestnuts this way just once, and there will be no going back.

Recipe This | Air Fryer Chestnuts (1)

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Roasted Chestnuts

When I want to get into the Christmas holiday spirit there are just two foods that I think of more than most.

One is parsnips (see air fryer frozen parsnips) as I find the smell so amazing. Then the second is roasted chestnuts.

There is nothing better than walking down a street in your local town to Christmas lights on, Christmas songs playing and someone selling roasted chestnuts.

Even better if you hear that Christmas song that goes “chestnuts roasting on an open fire”.

But for many roasting chestnuts themselves seems too difficult so we will often buy them instead of taking them home and roasting them ourselves.

Even better, if you truly love roasted chestnuts note that they will last a while in a dry cold pantry, in case you want to still enjoy chestnuts in January.

Today, I wanted to share with you a quick and simple way to air fry chestnuts. With simple step by step instructions it will make you want to head out and buy some chestnuts.

Are You New To The Air Fryer?

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Click hereor on the banner above and you will have access to both in an instant.

Can You Roast Chestnuts In An Air Fryer?

YES, YES, YES, you can roast chestnuts in an air fryer, and you will love them. Plus, like many air fryer recipes it is much quicker and easier in the air fryer and a lot less ingredients are required.

Do You Have To Soak Chestnuts Before Roasting?

Yes, you do have to soak chestnuts before roasting. But this is very easy to do and if you want chestnuts in air fryer at a specific time, that you can start early with the soaking process.

Should I Boil My Chestnuts Before Roasting?

No, you shouldn’t boil chestnuts before roasting. There seems to be this trend at the moment for boiling food before air frying, but the problem is people are cooking food at the wrong temperature in the air fryer thus needing to boil first.

For example, I have seen people boiling roast potatoes first instead of following our air fryer duck fat roast potatoes. Then the same for people making our air fryer chips too. But balance the air fryer temperature better, and it will solve this problem.

How Do You Make Sure Chestnuts Peel Easily?

The best way to make sure chestnuts in air fryer peel well is all about the cross you give them before air frying.

Before roasting chestnuts in an air fryer do a cross in them like this:

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Then they will just fall off the skin when the air fryer has beeped. Its truly amazing.

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Chestnut Air Fryer Ingredients

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Chestnuts – We had two small bags of chestnuts from a veggie box delivery service and used these. But you can do less.

Oil – I highly recommend using some extra virgin olive oil spray. It will stop your chestnuts from going dry and is also easier than using olive oil from the bottle.

Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this roasted chestnuts air fryer recipe it has just been our Cosori Air Fryer. We have this one and its wonderful for many types of air fryer recipes.

Plus, we recommend you head over to our air fryer recipes category as we have more than 500 tried and tested air fryer recipes and have been air frying for 10 years.

How To Roast Chestnuts In An Air Fryer?

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  • Soak. Start the roasting chestnuts process by loading your chestnuts into a bowl with warm water and soaking for 30 minutes.
  • Dry. Next pat dry your chestnuts and then create a cross in each chestnut with a veggie knife.
  • Cook. Load your chestnuts in the air fryer, spray with extra virgin olive oil and air fry for 7 minutes at 190c/380f.

And I am sure you can see now how easy this air fryer roasted chestnuts recipe is and why you should be doing it too!

How Long To Cook Chestnuts In Air Fryer?

You will be pleased to know that you can roast chestnuts in air fryer in JUST 7 minutes. Isn’t that amazing?

You will find that if you have small chestnuts that you are air frying, that they will be done in as little as 5 minutes.

Though do check on your air frying chestnuts because small ones will be done fast whilst larger ones will be slower.

Listen To Air Fryer Chestnuts

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More Christmas Recipes In The Air Fryer

  • Air Fryer Prime Rib
  • Air Fryer Brisket
  • Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts
  • Air Fryer Scallops Wrapped In Bacon
  • Air Fryer Sausage Rolls
  • Air Fryer Mince Pies
  • Air Fryer Christmas Cake
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Your chestnuts air fryer recipe in air fryer recipe is below, note you can print it out with or without photos, adjust servings, or click between metric and imperial depending on where you are in the world.

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Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts got even easier thanks to our air fryer chestnuts. Such a simple option and no boiling required.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time7 minutes mins

Total Time17 minutes mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Air Fryer

Servings: 6

Calories: 196kcal

Author: RecipeThis.com

Ingredients

Kitchen Gadgets

MetricImperial

Instructions

  • Place your chestnuts into a bowl of warm water and allow them to soak for 30 minutes.

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  • After 30 minutes remove from the bowl and pat dry with a tea towel.

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  • Using a veggie knife put a cross in the side of your chestnuts to help them breathe when they cook and air fry quicker. Then load the chestnuts cross side up into the air fryer basket.

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  • Spray the top of the chestnuts with extra virgin olive oil spray.

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  • Air fry chestnuts for 7 minutes at 190c/380f and then allow to cool before removing from the skin and serving.

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Notes

Little and Large. I find that the chestnuts are never all the same size. When cooking chestnuts in the air fryer remove the small ones at around 5 minutes and the bigger ones at 7-8 minutes depending on how powerful your air fryer is.

Thanks for reading our chestnuts in the air fryer recipe on Recipe This. We have many more air fryer recipes for you to check out next. Though if you would like to try more delicious Christmas recipe, then do check out our air fryer gingerbread men next

Nutrition

Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 484mg | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition InfoPlease Note: Nutrition values are our best estimate based on the software we use at Recipe This and are meant as a guide. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

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FAQs

Do I need to soak chestnuts before roasting? ›

The soaking period allows the shells to fill up with water. The water in turn produces a steaming effect when the chestnuts roast, forcing the shells to burst away from the nut. Many recipes and tips I've encountered throughout my cooking life call for a brief soak, 30 minutes or so.

How to roast chestnuts like a street vendor? ›

Roasting in oven:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spread “scored” chestnuts evenly onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice during the cooking.
  3. Remove from heat and dump into a bowl and cover with a towel for 15 minutes.
  4. Carefully peel the flesh from the shell and enjoy hot.
Dec 17, 2014

What happens if you don't soak chestnuts? ›

You don't have to soak your chestnuts before roasting, but it does help a lot with peeling them and cutting them. Soak them in water for about an hour before you cut them and put in the oven, they will be easier to peel and moist inside.

What is the best temperature to roast chestnuts? ›

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 F. Using a sharp paring knife or chef's knife, make an X-shaped cut on the round side of 1/2 pound fresh unpeeled chestnuts. This critical step keeps them from exploding from internal pressure when heated and makes peeling easier after roasting.

How to tell when chestnuts are ripe? ›

The burrs should be slightly ajar and the colour of the burrs a light to dark brown. If the burrs are very green, then they are not ready and the chestnuts will be hard to prize out.

Should chestnuts be refrigerated before roasting? ›

Chestnuts are fresh produce and should be refrigerated in a paper bag in the crisper for 2 to 3 days or in an airtight container for up to 10 days, prior to use.

Why are my chestnuts still hard after roasting? ›

When cooked, the shells will burst open, and the chestnut will be golden brown. Roast until the shells begin to peel back where you cut into them. “Keep a careful watch to ensure they are not overcooked or undercooked,” Patton says. “Either will result in hard chestnuts and the inner skin will be difficult to remove.”

Are chestnuts good for you? ›

Chestnuts remain a good source of antioxidants, even after cooking. They're rich in gallic acid and ellagic acid—two antioxidants that increase in concentration when cooked. Antioxidants and minerals like magnesium and potassium help reduce your risk of cardiovascular issues, such as heart disease or stroke.

How do you know when chestnuts are done roasting? ›

The short answer to this is 15-20 minutes at 400°F! The beauty of chestnuts is you don't need to prepare them or toss them in anything before baking. Just look for the shells to pop open and expand, that means the chestnuts are soft and ready for eating!

Can you put water in an air fryer? ›

Keep water away from the electronic parts of your air fryer at all times and never submerge an air fryer in water. However, adding small amounts of water at the bottom of your air fryer can be a good idea to help catch any food drippings or food particles, such as hot oil, and prevent the formation of smoke.

Can you eat raw chestnuts? ›

Chestnuts are commonly associated with the holiday season, but are a delicious treat to enjoy all year round. It's possible to eat them raw, though they are more common roasted. Regardless of how you prepare them, chestnuts are sure to be a welcome addition to your family's table.

Can you roast chestnuts in a microwave? ›

To cook chestnuts in the microwave, follow these general guidelines: Slash crosswise through the skin on the flat end of the chestnut shell. In a glass pie plate, arrange 20-24 chestnuts in an even layer. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring every minute until the chestnuts are soft when squeezed.

Why do people soak chestnuts? ›

Soaking will rid the nuts of any dirt or worms (which are unlikely to still be present but just to be sure). Dry the chestnuts thoroughly before you attempt to cut their shells. Scoring an “x” in the shell on the domed side (the flat side will face the fire), will keep the nuts from exploding while being roasted.

Do you soak chestnuts before or after scoring? ›

I score the chestnut peels first and soak the chestnuts in water before roasting. The residual water left in the drained chestnuts creates steam in the hot pan, keeping the chestnuts from drying out and making them easier to peel. I like to serve the hot chestnuts as a warming snack on a winter's day.

How do you prepare raw chestnuts? ›

How to prepare chestnuts. To peel fresh chestnuts, rinse, then make a nick in the skin on the flat side of each and simmer in a pan of water for 15 minutes or roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Then peel, taking care to remove both the outer shell (quite easy) as well as the inner brown membrane (trickier).

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