It's so easy to make rich Roasted Chestnuts using just your air fryer! Not only do you end up with that lovely toasty, slightly sweet roasted chestnut flavour, but it's quicker and easier than making them in the oven or over a fire. Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts will become your new favorite seasonal treat!
There is something so wonderful about the thought of roasted chestnuts, but let's face it, roasting them over an open fire, like they do in the old Christmas song, isn't always practical. Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts are a much easier way to capture that nostalgic feeling. Whether you have foraged your own, or have picked them up from a local market, fresh roasted chestnuts are a lovely seasonal treat that brings back memories.
If you've picked more than you want to eat in one go, you can also boil and freeze them for later, which is especially handy for having on hand to make Sausage Stuffing Balls. I also like to pre-roast some and make a wonderful Chestnut & Mushroom Bourguignon.
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🌰Foraging for Chestnuts:
When foraging for chestnuts, first be sure to choose Sweet Chestnuts not Horse Chestnuts (also known as conkers).
Sweet chestnuts - Castanea sativa - have super spiky casings (like in the photo above). Horse chestnuts Aesculus hippocastanum however have more of a bumpy, slightly spiky green casing and are not edible at all. In fact a horse chestnut will give you nasty tummy ache, so be sure you are foraging the correct chestnuts.
As always with foraging, only take as much as you need. Leaving plenty behind for wildlife and others is not only kind, but could be essential for a little creature surviving winter.
🌰Choosing Chestnuts at the market or store:
Whether foraging or choosing chestnuts at the store, be sure to go for heavy, smooth and glossy specimens. If they have little holes or feel light in comparison to other chestnuts you are picking up, they probably have a little friend or some rot inside, so discard them (or leave on the forest floor for nature).
👩🍳Instructions
Follow along with these step by step instructions for the perfect Air Fryer roasted Chestnuts.
Some people say to soak the chestnuts for 15 minutes or longer before roasting. I don't think it's necessary, however it is a good idea to submerse them in water and discard any that float, as these are likely to be rotted, munched on by a critter or off. Give them a good rub to ensure they are clean too!
1. Using a very sharp knife, score a cross in the chestnuts. Make sure to score into the second layer. If you don't cut enough or deep enough they will explode, which is funny, but messy.
3. Roast for 5-8 minutes until they pop open a bit and are slightly charred on the edges (this gives that lovely roasted flavor)
4. Place in a covered bowl (use a tea towel) and peel and eat straight away! Or go fancy and pop them in a cute paper bag.
Hint: Covering up the chestnuts keeps them warm and traps the steam a little. This helps them to peel easily. Once cooled they are trickier to peel. You can pop them back in the air fryer for a minute to warm up again.
🔥Variations
Be sure to score the chestnuts well, no matter how you choose to cook them! This prevents them from turning into little explosions when the hot steam starts to build up under their shell.
- OVEN : You can also roast chestnuts in the oven. Roast at 200C for 15 - 20minutes.
- OPEN FIRE : Use a chestnut basket or pan to roast the chestnuts. Be careful of any exploding!
- Add spices or salt: Sprinkle a little salt or cinnamon on to the chestnuts after roasting.
🔪Equipment
Roasting chestnuts has been done for thousands of years, from over open fires through to roasted in the oven. However making them in the air fryer gets all that yummy flavor, without having to set up a fire or warm up the oven. (of course, if you HAVE a fire going, then use that!) I love my Ninja Foodie Grill and Air fryer, so can personally recommend it to use.
🥫Storage
Keep fresh chestnuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Discard any squishy or rotten ones before using. To freeze chestnuts, first cook and peel them. They can then be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer.
❗Top tip
Make sure to nick the under skin of the chestnuts outer when scoring them before cooking, or you will end up with chestnuts popping all over your air fryer.
FAQ
I don't find it necessary to pre-soak chestnuts before roasting, although some people say you need to. Instead I submerge them all in a bowl of water and discard any that float.
Once cooked, chestnuts are soft and buttery, almost with a floury texture. If they are undercooked they are hard.
Whether roasting in an oven, on the fire or in an air fryer, chestnuts are cooked when the outer skin starts to peel away from the cut you made in them and the nut inside is soft.
More Festive Food Ideas
Try these other fun and festive snacks and treats.
More Chestnut Recipes
Love chestnuts? Try these other recipes with them in!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts
Equipment
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 400 g (2 ⅘ cups) chestnuts (about 10 chestnuts per person)
- 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Immerse the chestnuts in a bowl of water. Any that rise to the top are probably hollow or not good, so discard these.
- Use a very sharp knife, place the chestnut flat side down, and make a cross in the chestnut shell. Make sure to cut through both layers of the nut outer.
- Heat your air fryer to 200℃ or
- Put the chestnuts into the air fryer and cook for 5-8 minutes. They are cooked when they pop open and are slightly charred on the edges of the outer skin.
- Pop into a bowl with a tea towel over it, or into a paper bag and shell and eat immediately!
- Chestnuts are much easier to shell when they are warm, so if you like, you can do them in batches so that you don't end up with cold, unpeeled chestnuts.
- To mix it up, you can also serve with a sprinkle of salt or cinnamon. Alternatively peel and use in a cozy recipe.
Notes
- OVEN : You can also roast chestnuts in the oven. Roast at 200C for 15 - 20minutes.
- OPEN FIRE : Use a chestnut basket or pan to roast the chestnuts. Be careful of any exploding!
- Add spices or salt: Sprinkle a little salt or cinnamon on to the chestnuts after roasting.
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