Roasting chestnuts in air fryer is easier than you think. Celebrate the holiday season with easy recipe! Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free
Christmas Chestnuts
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” is from a classic Christmas song everyone knows. But, what are chestnuts and what do they taste like? I’m just going to say “Great!”
Ok, I’ll elaborate… They taste different than most nuts because they’re much bigger, have a softer center after their roasted and taste a bit sweet. Therefore, they’re much different than most nuts!
I have fond memories of my Italian-immigrant mother roasting them in our oven when I was a little girl. She has since passed, leaving with me this sweet Christmas memory that I’ll cherish forever. R.I.P.
Every year, when I see them at Christmastime in the produce aisle, I think of her. I’d watch her cut and soak and then roast them.
I’d anxiously await for them to come out of the oven, steam rolling off the top and soon watch her peel them for me to eat. YUMMY!
Her roasted chestnuts were a great prelude to the Italian Anise Cookies and Chocolate-dipped Amaretto Biscotti! She LOVED anise and put Anisette (anise-flavored liqueur) in her espresso and anyone else that visited us.
See more Christmas recipes!
Air Fryer Chestnuts
Are chestnuts good for you?
Chestnuts are a good source of antioxidants. They’re rich in gallic acid and ellagic acid, which are two antioxidants that increase in concentration when cooked. Antioxidants and minerals, like magnesium and potassium, help reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues.
However, chestnuts contain a high content of sugars, especially starch. They’re rich in fibr, potassium, phosphorous and small amounts of iron.
How to Choose Good Chestnuts
You’ll find chestnuts in the produce section of the grocery store and usually around the Thanksgiving/Christmas seasons.
Select chestnuts that are heavy for their size with tight, shiny skin. Chestnuts that rattle in their shell or have mold on the surface are old.
Store them in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. Remove from the refrigerator a day before roasting. Keeping them on your counter will not make them go bad in the short term but, it’s best to keep them in the refrigerator.
How to Roast Chestnuts in an Air Fryer
Roasting chestnuts in air fryer is SIMPLE!
Ingredients
- 1 lb chestnuts (see above for how to choose good ones)
- 2 cups of water
Instructions
- First, using a sharp serrated knife, cut the chestnuts while breaking into the skin. The cut should be about a half inch long. One cut is fine. They don’t have to be cut into the shape of an X.
- Next, place them into a bowl of water for up to five minutes. Set a timer.
- Then, drain the water and place the chestnuts into the air fryer in a single layer.
- Next, set the timer to 15 minutes and roast at 375F.
- Then, carefully remove the chestnuts and let them rest a couple of minutes until they’re cool enough to handle but still very warm.
- Last, peel them, one at a time to keep them warm, before eating them. There is a layer of skin between the shell and the nut which should be removed before the chestnut is eaten but, if you can’t remove all of it, it’s o.k. to eat and doesn’t taste horrible.
One or two rotting or bad chestnuts are common in a batch. Par or all of it will be black/brown and look much darker than the rest of the chestnut. It tastes horrible so, if you the black spots when you’re peeling it, toss it.
This is what a bad roasted chestnut looks like:
You may also like Authentic Italian Taralli with Fennel Recipe.
See more Christmas recipes!
Roasted chestnuts would be great served with Tiramisu Eggnog Cocktail or Vanilla Cranberry Coke Mocktail.
It took this recipe to Weekend Potluck.
Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb chestnuts
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- First, using a sharp serrated knife, cut the chestnuts while breaking into the skin. The cut should be about a half inch long. One cut is fine. They don't have to be cut into the shape of an X.
- Next, place them into a bowl of water for up to five minutes. Set a timer.
- Then, drain the water and place the chestnuts into the air fryer in a single layer.
- Next, set the timer to 15 minutes and roast at 375F.
- Then, carefully remove the chestnuts and let them rest a couple of minutes until they're cool enough to handle but still very warm.
- Last, peel them, one at a time to keep them warm, before eating them. There is a layer of skin between the shell and the nut which should be removed before the chestnut is eaten but, if you can't remove all of it, it's o.k. to eat and doesn't taste horrible.
