Name: How to cook chestnuts on stove and in oven
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1kg chestnuts; A bit salt to wash chestnuts

Autumn comes in the North Hemisphere and it’s time to pick chestnut! Picking chestnut is always a lovely hobby of mine in autumn, beside taking photos of the autumn leaves. From nearly 2kg of chestnut we picked in the park, I can made plenty of dishes such as Korean Chestnut cookies, Vietnam’s Sapa Chestnut Cake, Braised Pork Belly with Chestnut, Chestnut Rice, and Chestnut Paste for making various cakes. But first, we must cook chestnut and take the nut out of its peel. Let’s discover how to cook chestnuts with two simple methods: boiling on stove, or roasting in the oven or air fryer.

What is Chestnut?

Chestnuts are a type of nut that comes from chestnut trees. Chestnuts have a long history, dating back thousands of years. They were a staple food in many ancient civilizations, including the Greeks and Romans. Native in Europe and Asia, nowadays, chestnut trees appear worldwide and become a precious food source for human and animals, especially in the fall and winter months. I really love to observe ducks and squirrels in the park collecting and eating the whole nut at a time.

Chestnuts are different from other nuts like almonds or peanuts because they are not oily or crunchy. It’s soft, starchy, and naturally sweet. Thanks to that, we can cook them in various dishes turn them into delicious chestnut desserts as well.

Chestnut’s Nutrition Fact

Chestnuts are not just tasty; they are also nutritious. Here’s the nutritional value in 100g of chestnuts:

Calories: Around 213 calories, making them a moderate-calorie nut.

Fat: Chestnuts are low in fat, containing only about 2 grams of fat per 100 grams.

Carbohydrates: They are relatively high in carbohydrates, with approximately 45 grams per 100 grams. However, most of these carbohydrates come from complex carbs, which provide a steady source of energy.

Fiber: Chestnuts are a good source of dietary fiber, offering about 8 grams per 100 grams. Fiber is essential for digestive health.

Protein: Chestnuts contain around 2 grams of protein per 100 grams, making them lower in protein compared to other nuts.

Vitamins: They are particularly rich in vitamin C, providing about 43 milligrams per 100 grams. This vitamin supports the immune system and skin health.

Minerals: Chestnuts are a good source of potassium, offering approximately 592 milligrams per 100 grams. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure.

Folate: They contain about 59 micrograms of folate per 100 grams. Folate is essential for cell division and the formation of DNA.

Chestnuts are often round or oval in shape, and they have a hard outer shell, kind of like a tough jacket. Inside, you’ll find the edible part—the chestnut itself. This skin may make you difficult to open, so we must score it before proceeding to roast or boil chestnuts. Scoring the skin also help to avoid bursting while cooking them.

How to cook chestnuts quickly and easily

Cooking Chestnut is not a challenge, and you can have it done in around 20 minutes. The most common method is roasting. Besides, boiling is also an easy method to cook chestnut on stove in case you don’t have an oven or air fryer ready.

As I mentioned above, we must score chestnuts before proceeding any cooking steps to avoid them to burst, as well as to peel the skin more easily. Before deep diving in roasting or boiling technique, let’s prepare them.

Preparation

To prepare chestnut, first, you should remove damaged chestnuts. To classify, remember that good chestnuts should feel firm and have shiny shells. Avoid the ones with cracks or holes, as these sign shows your nuts might be dirty, old, or bitten by a worm. The first time I cooked my harvested chestnut, I skipped this step, and finally I got numbers of worms baked inside my chestnuts 🙂

Next, wash the nuts with a bit salt. Remove any dirt or stuff on the outside. Also, take the second look at each chestnut to make sure there are no bad ones. If a chestnut looks moldy and damaged, remove it.

Then, score the chestnuts. Use a sharp knife which has a heel and use that heel to score and make a shallow cut crosswise the nuts. You desire, you can make crosscut (x cut) so that the final cooked chestnuts will look cooler. You can also buy a Chestnut Clip to save time cutting them by a knife. Of course, it’s safer as well.

how to score chestnuts — Use a sharp knife or a Chestnut Clip to score them.

Soak the chestnuts in water to hydrate them a bit more before cooking.

Boil Chestnuts

To cook chestnuts on stove, I recommend boiling. Roasting is also possible, but the heat on stove can’t be even like in the oven, so it can lead to uneven roasted nuts. Follow these steps:

Place your prepared chestnuts in a pot. Add enough water to cover them completely. Put the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil.

How to cook chestnuts — Boil chestnuts on stove

Simmer: Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid, and let the chestnuts simmer in 10-15 minutes.

Checking for Doneness: To see if they’re done, take one chestnut out, let it cool for a moment, and then peel it. If the inside is soft and creamy, they are ready to eat. If not, continue simmering and check again in a few minutes.

Boiled chestnuts: soft, brightly yellow.

After boiling chestnut, if they are too soft and hard to peel, you can leave them dry for a while.

Roast Chestnut in Oven

With roasting method, your chestnuts will be firmer with a vibrant yellow color after peeling its brown skins. The roasting process could take 15 minutes at 400F (200C):

Preheating the Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). It’s important to get it nice and hot before you put the chestnuts in for an even roasting.

Roasting on a Baking Sheet: Place the prepared chestnuts on a baking sheet. Make sure they are in a single layer and not piled on top of each other. This helps them cook evenly.

Baking Chestnuts: Put the baking sheet with the chestnuts in the preheated oven. Let them bake for about 15-20 minutes. The smaller size of chestnuts, the shorter time of roasting. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t overcook.

Checking for Doneness: To check if they’re ready, take one chestnut out, let it cool for a moment, and then peel it. If the inside is soft and creamy, they are done. If not, put them back in the oven for a few more minutes.

How to cook chestnuts on stove — Baked chestnuts are quite firm and has vibrant-yellow color.

Roast Chestnut in Air Fryer

An Air Fryer can act like an oven with the hot air circulation in the frying basket. It even helps to roast chestnuts more evenly in shorter time. Let’s learn how to roast them in air fryer:

Preheating the Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).

Roasting Chestnuts: Place the prepared chestnuts in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding them for better air circulation.

Air Frying Chestnuts: Set the air fryer timer for 10-15 minutes.

Checking for Doneness: As always, the best way to determine if they’re ready is to take one chestnut out, let it cool briefly, and then peel it. If the inside is soft and creamy, your chestnuts are done. If not, air fry them for a few more minutes.

It’s all you should know about how to cook chestnuts. The boiled chestnuts would be softer, more hydrated, and lightly yellow, while the roasted ones would be firmer and vibrantly yellow. Peel them carefully, enjoy to the fullest, and save some for other dishes made with chestnuts!

How to cook chestnuts on stove and in oven

Yield: 1 kg

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Let's discover how to cook chestnuts with two simple methods: boiling on stove, or roasting in the oven or air fryer.

Ingredients

1kg chestnuts
A bit salt to wash chestnuts