20 Best Chestnut Recipes (2024)

These deliciously different chestnut recipes will make you fall in love with the nutritious nut.

Rustic and earthy, chestnuts add a sweet nutty flavor to any recipe. They’re also packed with vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.

20 Best Chestnut Recipes (1)

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Snacks, sides, mains, or desserts – chestnuts are a delicious addition to any dish.

These 20 chestnut recipes will give you plenty of culinary inspiration if you’re new to the nut.

Keep it simple and satisfying with roasted chestnuts, or broaden your taste horizons with fun and festive chestnut cheesecake.

If you’re serving a crowd, you might want to whip up some chocolate-covered chestnuts or an impressive chestnut risotto.

There’s a chestnut dish for everyone on this list. These nutty nibbles are too good not to share!

1. Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts are a classic winter warmer.

Served piping hot, straight from the oven, they’re an amazingly cozy treat.

Sprinkle them with sea salt and dive in. You’ll gobble these up by the handful!

2. Chestnut Soup

This nutty soup makes a great fall appetizer.

Made from pureed chestnuts, it’s thick, creamy, and cozy.

Garnish with salty bacon and aromatic chives before serving for a dreamy dish of warming goodness.

3. Chestnut Pasta with Pork and Cabbage

This hearty recipe is a traditional Italian dish from the northern mountain regions.

It’s made with chestnut flour, shaped into thick ribbons, and boiled until beautifully tender. If you love authentic, rustic pasta, this is a must-try.

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4. Marrons Glaces (Candied Chestnuts)

A popular French candy, marrons glaces are festive treats traditionally enjoyed at Christmas.

For those of us who aren’t French chefs, this recipe makes things easy.

The sugar syrup does all the work here.

Simply dunk your chestnuts in the syrup, let them soak for a few days, and then dry them in the oven before eating. Bon appetit!

5. Karyoka (Chocolate Covered Chestnuts)

These Turkish treats are to die for.

They’re soft balls of pureed chestnuts and sugar, coated with a hard chocolate shell and sprinkled with pistachios.

You could make them as a gift for loved ones, or eat them all yourself. No one needs to know.

6. Chocolate Chip Chestnut Cake

This fluffy cake is all about chestnut goodness.

It’s sweetened with a sugary chestnut puree, making it that much more moist and delicious.

And if that’s not enough, there are plenty of dark chocolate chips in the batter.

This is a cake to fall in love with and eat in one sitting.

7. Castagnaccio Pugliese (Chestnut Flour Cake)

An Italian classic, this gluten-free cake is a dense dessert with plenty of rich flavor.

It’s made with chestnut flour, olive oil, dried fruit, and nuts. Chewy, crunchy, soft, and sweet – there’s a little bit of everything in each delicious bite.

8. Boiled Chestnuts

If you’re looking for healthier snacks, look no further.

With a bowl of these boiled chestnuts on hand, you’ll have a nutritious alternative when carb cravings strike.

Fancy something savory? Add sea salt or cajun flavorings for a spicy treat. Do you have a hankering for the sweet stuff?

Sprinkle them with cinnamon or a natural sweetener like stevia.

9. Roasted Pumpkin Chestnut Soup

This nourishing soup has all the flavors of fall.

It’s a dreamy blend of creamy pumpkin, nutty chestnut, and seasonal herbs.

Swirl with a dash of cream before serving for an elegant appetizer or hearty main.

10. Chestnut Cookies

In Italy, these cookies are known as calzoni di castagne. In the U.S, you can just call them insanely delicious.

They’re more like sweet pastry pockets than cookies made from flaky dough wrapped around a chestnut, coffee, and chocolate filling.

You’ll need an air fryer for this decadent dessert, but any kind of deep fryer would work in a pinch.

11. Chestnut Brownies

Show your gluten-intolerant friends and family how much you love them with these grain-free brownies.

They’re soft and gooey (like all good brownies should be) with a melt-in-the-mouth fudgy texture.

They’re also topped with a silky chestnut ganache, just to make things really special.

12. Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts

Brussels sprouts are a true team player, blending nicely with all sorts of other ingredients.

You may have paired them with bacon in the past, but now’s the time for a change.

Pan-fry them with a dash of cream and some soft chestnuts for a truly impressive Thanksgiving side.

13. Chestnut Cheesecake

This lusciously rich cheesecake is one for special occasions.

The creamy chestnut cake is layered over a cookie crumb and then drizzled with a syrupy glaze.

And there’s a lot going on in this glaze. Nutty chestnuts, zesty lime, warming ginger, and cardamom make for an intensely flavorful topping.

This is an unforgettable combo that’ll soon become a holiday favorite.

14. Chestnut Rice

This Japanese rice is the perfect accompaniment to curries, stews, and other aromatic dishes.

It’s a warming bowl of fluffy, sticky short-grain rice, flavored with freshly boiled chestnuts and black sesame seeds.

15. Chestnut Risotto with Butternut Squash

Chestnuts add nutty depth to this creamy risotto.

Sweetened with tender chunks of butternut squash and flavored with fresh herbs, this is a dreamy dish.

It’s also very adaptable and is equally welcome at family suppers or fancy dinners.

16. Chestnut Log

Make the holiday season super special with this heavenly chestnut log.

It’s a rich blend of pureed chestnuts, amaretto, pistachios, and spices, all coated in a thick chocolate shell and drizzled with white icing.

Make this indulgent dessert for a crowd. A small slice goes a long way.

17. Chocolate Chestnut Mousse

Don’t be tied to the stove over the holidays, serve this make-ahead mousse and get on with the celebrations.

This easy but elegant dessert is a rich blend of chocolate, chestnuts, cream, and brandy.

There are no eggs, no cooking, and no hard labor involved. Just chill, serve, and gobble it down!

18. Chestnut and Mushroom Casserole

This hearty plant-based casserole will have both vegetarians and carnivores begging for more.

It’s packed with seasonal ingredients like butternut squash, wild mushrooms, shallots, and thyme, alongside a generous helping of chestnuts.

19. Chestnut Chocolate Truffles

I love giving food as gifts, and these colorful chestnut truffles are the perfect present.

You can dress them up with sprinkles, coconut flakes, or chopped nuts.

This is a great weekend project to do with kids. Just be careful they don’t eat all the results!

20. Chestnut Smoothie

This 4-ingredient smoothie makes a great Christmas co*cktail.

It’s a thick, silky blend of chestnuts, yogurt, almond milk, and bananas.

You might want to drink it for breakfast on Christmas morning or add a splash of rum and sip it over dinner. Either way, this is one blissful beverage!

20 Best Chestnut Recipes (3)

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20 Best Chestnut Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why do you 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 many chestnuts should you eat a day? ›

Just 10 roasted chestnuts include 17% of what you need for the day — a major plus considering most of us don't get nearly enough.

Do chestnuts lower blood pressure? ›

As discussed earlier, chestnuts contain potassium and this is one of the most important minerals when it comes to lowering blood pressure. Potassium acts as a vasodilator, which helps in increasing the general blood flow, therefore decreasing the overall pressure.

What can I do with an abundance of chestnuts? ›

Chestnuts can be pureed into soups, stuffing for your Sunday roasts, delicious desserts, to make chestnut purée, chestnut paté, or even turned into a gluten free flour for cakes or to make pasta (check out our Chestnut Flour Pasta).

What happens if you don't soak chestnuts? ›

Roasting chestnuts can give them a tender texture while bringing out their natural sweetness. You don't necessarily need to soak them before roasting them, but it can go a long way in helping you to remove the shells after they're done cooking.

How long should you soak chestnuts before roasting? ›

Let soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Drain the chestnuts and pat dry. Spread the chestnuts in a roasting pan and roast in a preheated 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the shells are brittle and have curled back somewhat at the X.

When should you not eat chestnuts? ›

Raw chestnuts are safe to eat for most people. However, they do contain tannic acid, which means they could cause stomach irritation, nausea, or liver damage if you have liver disease or experience a lot of kidney problems.

Do chestnuts have any health benefits? ›

Not only are chestnuts a delicious treat, especially around Christmas time, but they are rich in nutrients that have been linked to many health benefits. These include improved heart health, digestive health, blood sugar control, and more.

What country eats the most chestnuts? ›

Asia is the largest producer and consumer of chestnuts in the world. The use of chestnuts as food over 9,000 years ago in Japan is documented in carbonized nuts found in ancient villages. Recent programs have mandated the large-scale establishment of chestnut orchards in many different regions of China.

Are chestnuts full of sugar? ›

Chestnuts have certain nutritional characteristics similar to those of cereals. Even though they do not contain gluten, they do have a high content of sugars, especially starch. Chestnuts are rich in fiber, as well as mineral salts such as potassium, phosphorus, and small quantities of iron.

What are the side effects of chestnuts? ›

American chestnut might cause some side effects such as stomach and intestinal problems, kidney and liver damage. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if American chestnut is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding.

Is chestnut good for you to Lose Weight? ›

May help weight management. High in fibre, chestnuts may help curb your appetite, an extra bonus is that they are lower in fat and calories than other nuts. Animal studies suggest the addition of chestnut to the diet may reduce the accumulation of belly fat.

What do Chinese people do with chestnuts? ›

In cuisine, the chestnut is an important ingredient. Chestnuts can be roasted or made into flour for cakes and bread. Stewed chicken with chestnuts is also a famous dish in many regions of China.

How do you get worms out of chestnuts? ›

Management: Weevil damage can be reduced by gathering nuts daily, and heating them to 120ºF for 20 to 30 minutes to kill larvae in the nuts. A cold treatment, holding nuts at 0ºF for four days may be effective, but it may affect the nuts' flavor.

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.”

Do you need to rinse water chestnuts before cooking? ›

You can buy canned water chestnuts at most grocery stores. When sold this way, the corms are peeled and may be left whole or sliced. Canned water chestnuts pose little food safety risk; however, it is safer to rinse and drain them before use.

Do you drain water chestnuts before cooking? ›

Rinse and drain canned water chestnuts before slicing and cooking. To store: Fresh water chestnuts will keep, unpeeled in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Opened canned water chestnuts should be stored in water and used within 3-4 days.

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