21 Chestnut Recipes That Demand a Spot on Your Holiday Table (2024)

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21 Chestnut Recipes That Demand a Spot on Your Holiday Table (1)

By Taryn Pire

Published Dec 7, 2021

When you think of the holidays, a handful of flavors likely come to mind: peppermint, eggnog, cinnamon, cocoa and the like. But one is consistently forgotten: chestnut. The Nat King Cole classic reminds you of its existence every year, but have you ever actually eaten one? They may be crisp and bitter when raw, but once they’re roasted, they’re sweet, buttery, soft and tender. Not only can chestnuts be eaten whole or tossed in sweet and savory dishes, but they can also be transformed into sweet chestnut flour, a gluten-free substitute that works in a wide range of baked goods. Without further ado, here are 21 chestnut recipes to enjoy throughout the holiday season (or on any old weeknight).

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1. Sweet Rice With Chestnuts And Chinese Sausage

If you haven’t tried Chinese stuffing before, you’re in for a treat. This version is smoky, savory and sweet all at once. You could also substitute tofu gan (that’s dried, seasoned tofu) for a vegetarian spin.

Get the recipe

2. Onion Tarte Tatin With Chestnuts And Cranberries

Eat your heart out, green bean casserole. Your guests will be infinitely more excited to see this caramelized beauty on the table.

3. Butternut Squash And Turkey Lasagna With Chestnut Pasta

Proof that you should always have chestnut flour in your pantry. The béchamel is thickened with sweet rice flour to keep the lasagna gluten-free.

4. Salted Coffee Butter Roasted Chestnuts

Peanuts could never. Douse them in the vanilla-spiked butter and serve them warm with cinnamon lattes or homemade eggnog.

5. Creamy Mushroom-chestnut Bisque

Don’t let its decadent appearance fool you—this soul-warmer is totally dairy-free. Finish each bowl with a mound of crispy fried shiitakes and thyme sprigs.

6. Chestnut Cranberry Blondies

The recipe for these chestnut flour-based handhelds calls for pecans, but we’d up the holiday ante by substituting chopped roasted chestnuts instead.

7. Chocolate Nut Cereal

Mini meringues and chocolate chips are definitely worth getting out of bed for.

8. Cheesy Apple Farro Cakes

Chopped chestnuts offer crunch to these wholesome-yet-snackable patties. Use Golden Delicious apples or another sweet, honey-like type, like Northern Spy, Gravenstein or Honeycrisp apples.

9. Chestnut Gnocchi With Robiola Bosina Cheese Sauce

Robiola Bosina is a buttery, earthy type of cheese made from both cow and sheep milks. If you can’t find any near you, substitute Taleggio, Reblochon or Explorateur.

10. Chestnut Stuffing

Whether you’re serving turkey, chicken or duck, this rustic side is a guaranteed home run. It’s loaded with artisanal bread, thick-cut bacon, baby bella mushrooms and quartered prunes.

11. Chestnut, Mushroom And Butternut Squash Baked Risotto

Our favorite thing about this risotto (besides the butternut squash, obvi)? It comes together in the oven, so you won’t have to stir it at the stove all night long.

12. Galbi Jjim

These Korean braised short ribs are plain divine. Sweet, savory and braised with a mélange of vegetables, they’re traditionally topped with jujubes, ginko nuts, pine nuts and chestnuts.

13. Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

The nuts are the sole crunchy element in this side dish, so feel free to go wild with chestnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or walnuts.

14. Fennel And Fresh Herb Stuffing With Chestnuts And Apricots

Usually, holiday stuffing calls on dried cranberries for a pop of sweetness, but this one uses dried apricots instead. (Oh, and the recipe calls for a whole cup of leftover mashed potatoes.)

15. Hazelnut Chestnut Crepes With Brie And Burnt Honey

Even your picky kids might get down with this breakfast masterpiece. (We’re guessing the torched honey drizzle will be their favorite part.)

16. Ginger Fig Tart With Chestnut-almond Crust

Part dessert, part work of art. The fresh fig slices are assembled atop a layer of silky vanilla-ginger cashew cream (yup—it’s vegan).

17. Baci Di Dama

Aka lady kisses. Not only are these teeny-tiny Italian cookies adorable, but they’re filled with melted dark chocolate to boot.

18. Chestnut Cream Eclairs And Profiteroles

The pâte à choux is light as air. The semisweet chocolate ganache is luscious. But the real star here is the vanilla-chestnut filling spiked with instant coffee.

19. Snickerdoodle, Chocolate Chip And Candied Chestnut Blondies

Don’t look now, but we’re making a second batch of honeyed chestnuts exclusively for snacking…

20. Maple Chestnut Pudding Chômeurs

You’ll be so glad you added this Quebecois treat to your repertoire (especially once you taste the brown butter-coffee maple sauce).

21. Chocolate Chestnut co*cktail

Bourbon + coffee liqueur + chestnut syrup = the makings of a *killer* Christmas nightcap. Might we suggest reserving some syrup for your next hot chocolate?

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21 Chestnut Recipes That Demand a Spot on Your Holiday Table (23)

Taryn Pire

Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...

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21 Chestnut Recipes That Demand a Spot on Your Holiday Table (2024)

FAQs

21 Chestnut Recipes That Demand a Spot on Your Holiday Table? ›

The American chestnut is all but extinct. It is estimated that more than 4 billion of them were killed after 1904 by an imported Chinese blight. Probably fewer than 5000 specimens escaped the blight, mostly trees that were isolated or began growing out of the normal range.

Why don t we eat chestnuts at Christmas in North America anymore? ›

The American chestnut is all but extinct. It is estimated that more than 4 billion of them were killed after 1904 by an imported Chinese blight. Probably fewer than 5000 specimens escaped the blight, mostly trees that were isolated or began growing out of the normal range.

Why aren t chestnuts more popular? ›

But in modern American life, chestnuts are almost entirely absent. In the first half of the 20th century, a fungal disease called blight, inadvertently imported from Asia on trade ships, wiped out nearly all of the trees.

Why are chestnuts associated with Christmas? ›

Way back when people used their legs to get around. They would go Caroling and or walk around and converse with friends in the winter. Hot Roasted Chestnuts were a welcome treat to warm up while walking in the cold. Carols are religious songs, chestnuts roasting by an open fire is a 'popular' Christmas song.

Why do you have to soak chestnuts? ›

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.

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.

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.

Is it OK to eat a lot of chestnuts? ›

However, chestnuts are still considered a higher carb nut. While eating a small to moderate quantity of chestnuts may offer these benefits, consuming too many chestnuts frequently may counter these health benefits. Chestnuts are a good source of fiber, which may help balance your blood sugar levels and prevent spikes.

Are too many chestnuts bad for you? ›

Raw chestnuts are safe for most people to eat, but because they contain tannins, they may cause digestive disturbance and nausea in some individuals.

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.”

Can you eat raw chestnuts? ›

How to cook chestnuts. Fresh chestnuts must always be cooked before use and are never eaten raw, owing to their tannic acid content. You need to remove the chestnuts from their skins by either boiling or roasting them.

What are the health benefits of eating chestnuts? ›

Health Benefits of Chestnuts
  • Prevents diabetes. ...
  • Boosts the immune system. ...
  • Increases the bone mineral density. ...
  • Relieves digestive problems. ...
  • Improves cognitive function. ...
  • Prevents chronic illnesses. ...
  • Controls blood pressure. ...
  • Improves cardiovascular health.

Why aren t chestnuts sold in stores? ›

Why are chestnut so hard to find in the grocery stores in the fall? The American chestnut provided food and resources for Native Americans in eastern USA, but the tree was greatly reduced in coverage over the last 100 years by chestnut blight.

Why do deer like chestnuts? ›

Deer Are Programmed to Eat Chestnuts

This highly nutrient-rich food source provides critical energy during the rut in the fall. Chestnuts also have no bitter-tasting tannic acid (tannin). Deer have thousands more taste buds than humans and are sensitive to bitter tasting tannins.

What do chestnuts symbolize? ›

The Sweet Chestnut has woven itself into the fabric of stories and visual arts, capturing imaginations for centuries. In folklore, it's a symbol of providence and sustenance, often depicted as a generous giver in tales of survival and abundance.

What happened to chestnuts in the US? ›

Mature American chestnuts have been virtually extinct for decades. The tree's demise started with something called ink disease in the early 1800s, which steadily killed chestnut in the southern portion of its range.

Why are there no chestnuts in America? ›

A Deadly Disease

In some forests, they made up more than half of the biomass. In 1904 however, the non-native chestnut blight fungus (Chryphonectria parasitica) was introduced and quickly spread through forests of the eastern U.S. By 1950, almost all American chestnuts in their native range were dead.

Are chestnuts a Christmas thing? ›

Chestnuts were synonymous with Christmas in the United States even before the popular carol hit airwaves. In fact, they were one of the most popular ingredients in American dishes throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and for good reason: the Eastern seaboard was covered in chestnut trees.

Do people eat chestnuts on Christmas? ›

Today, chestnuts might not be the first treat you think of around Christmastime, but the tradition is far from dead. Street vendors still sell warm chestnuts on Fifth Avenue before Thanksgiving even rolls around.

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