Soft chestnuts in air fryer or oven. A convenient, easy, and fast recipe that allows us to enjoy one of the most loved autumn fruits whenever we want!
Made in the air fryer, they are the real game changer! This easy and quick recipe lets us enjoy perfect homemade roasted chestnuts, even without a fireplace or BBQ. The big advantage is the time-saving: compared to the traditional oven, air fryer cooking is super fast and takes just a quarter of an hour!
The initial soaking of the chestnuts is a crucial phase, depending on their freshness. It is highly recommended when the chestnuts are not freshly harvested or tend to dry out. In these cases, it’s good to soak them in cold water for about a couple of hours.
Moreover, soaking not only hydrates but also helps ensure that, once cooked, the chestnuts can be peeled quickly, facilitating the removal of the annoying inner skin (episperm).
Cooking chestnuts with the air fryer is very simple, but there is one golden rule to follow: never overfill the basket. If the chestnuts overlap, the hot air cannot circulate properly, resulting in uneven and less optimal cooking.
For perfect results, always arrange the chestnuts in a single layer.
Here’s how to proceed to achieve crispy and perfectly cooked roasted chestnuts.
In the tips below, I also provide the cooking method for the electric oven.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 29Pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric oven, Air frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 63.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.77 (g) of which sugars 2.76 (g)
- Proteins 0.82 (g)
- Fat 0.57 (g) of which saturated 0.11 (g)of which unsaturated 0.42 (g)
- Fibers 1.33 (g)
- Sodium 0.92 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 26 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Soft chestnuts in air fryer
- 30 chestnuts
- as needed water (for boiling)
Tools
- Air Fryers
- Pot
Steps
Soft chestnuts in air fryer
First, we have to score the chestnuts with a sharp knife, creating a single cut (or cross) on the rounded part.
A safety tip: To avoid cutting yourself, use a large and steady knife.Always place the chestnut on a cutting board (or stable surface) while making the incision, rather than holding it in your hand. This will give you more control and stability.
Soak the chestnuts for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a pot on the stove (this step is useful if you choose to briefly boil the chestnuts before air frying).
As soon as the water starts boiling, drop the chestnuts in and cook them for 5 minutes.
(This softens the flesh and makes peeling easier)
Draining and drying: (Crucial!) Make sure to dry them well before putting them in the fryer.
At this point, place the chestnuts in the air fryer basket.
Remember the fundamental rule: it’s crucial not to overlap them!
They must form a single layer to ensure even and optimal cooking.
Cook at 365°F for 18/20 minutes.
Tip: Halfway through cooking (around the 7th/8th minute), check and shake the basket. Around the 15th minute, check the cooking status: use a toothpick or skewer and do the skewer test. If the skewer easily pierces the flesh, the chestnuts are ready; otherwise, continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, checking again.
It’s important to remember that cooking times are always indicative and depend on various factors, including the size of the chestnuts, their freshness, and most importantly, the power and specific model of the air fryer used. Therefore, it’s crucial to always do the skewer test and visually check the opening of the shell.
Once cooked, pour the chestnuts into a cloth placed in a bowl.
Cover them well and let them rest for 4-5 minutes, so they will be soft and easy to peel.
And here are our air fryer chestnuts ready: they are warm, soft inside, and easy to peel! All that’s left is to enjoy them one by one.
Enjoy your meal…
Tips
The preparation of chestnuts in the air fryer is so quick that my advice is just one: make them on the spot to enjoy them while still warm.
If any are left over, keep them wrapped in a cloth or in a paper bag and consume them within a couple of days.
Boiled and oven-cooked chestnuts.
Static Oven 200°C 15 – 20 minutes
Ensure the oven is well preheated.
Fan Oven 180°C – 190°C 17 – 23 minutes
The “Cloth Trick”: As soon as the chestnuts are cooked, immediately transfer them to a clean cloth (or kitchen towel). Wrap them and let them rest for 5 minutes. The steam that forms softens the inner skin (episperm), making removal very easy.
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