All About the Veg! is a recipe column where Best of Vegan contributor Seiran Poon breaks down one amazing plant at a time. In today’s column, she talks about chestnuts, since it’s that time of the year! Her recipe for air fried chestnuts with vegan garlic-parsley butter is deliciously addictive and makes a perfect snack or appetizer for the holidays.
Table of Contents
Air Fried Chestnuts – The Perfect Holiday Snack
Around this time of the year, in many parts of the world, street vendors are starting to roast chestnuts. You can just follow that sweet and smokey pleasant smell, certainly one of those things that makes this season extra cozy.
When cooked, chestnuts are sweet, mild, and buttery, similar to sweet potatoes in flavor but with a more firm and dense texture. This makes them perfect for both sweet and savory dishes and great as small appetizers or snacks around the holidays. You can also blend them into dips, add them to stews, salads, or baked goods, and even to rice dishes.
How to Pick The Best Chestnuts
Before we get into this week’s recipe, here are some tips on how to pick the best chestnuts. Try to get plump ones with firm, shiny, and dark brown shells, make sure they’re not moldy and don’t have any cracks. They should also feel heavy when you pick them up.
If you hear a rattling sound when you shake the chestnut, the nut inside has shrunk and it has most likely already gone bad. You can store them in the fridge but I recommend using them within a couple of days when you get them from the store.
This year I’m roasting my chestnuts a little bit differently, I’ve tried pretty much everything in the air fryer so why not try roasting chestnuts in the air-fryer too? As chestnuts easily turn hard and dry when roasted for too long, roasting them in the air fryer is great because it’s so quick and easy to check on them. The whole roasting process is also very quick in the air fryer and as they should be served while warm when served whole, tossing them into the air fryer as guests arrive is so smooth.
The soft and meaty chestnuts with that garlicky vegan butter are addictive and a perfect snack or appetizer for the holidays.
I can’t deny that I’m team savory (if I have to choose) so naturally, I’m sharing a savory chestnut recipe! The soft and meaty chestnuts with that garlicky vegan butter are addictive and a perfect snack or appetizer for the holidays.
Recommended Equipment
Air Fried Chestnuts – RECIPE CARD
Use this card to save & print this recipe and be sure to read the full article above for additional photos and tips.
Air Fried Chestnuts with Vegan Garlic-Parsley Butter
Ingredients
- 25 chestnuts - rinsed
- 3 tbsp vegan butter - if using unsalted, adjust with more salt
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tbsp parsley - finely chopped
- 1 pinch flaky salt - or to taste
- 1 pinch freshly cracked black pepper - or to taste
Instructions
- On a chopping board, place a chestnut with the flat side down and make a slit across the chestnut with a sharp knife. Make sure that the slit goes through the outer shell and the inner brown skin. If you want you can make another slit across so you have a cross. Try not to go through the nut with the knife, as this will make them go hard and dry while roasting. Repeat with remaining chestnuts.
- Place the chestnuts in a bowl and cover with boiling water, let sit for 2 minutes. Then drain them and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook at 200ºC/400ºF for 10 minutes or until the chestnut meat is soft. Check on them after 6 minutes of cooking.
- When done, immediately place the chestnuts on a clean kitchen towel and wrap them up to trap the steam, this will make peeling them so much easier. Let sit for 10 minutes then peel the chestnuts, make sure to remove the inner skin as well.
- Melt vegan butter in a pan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown. Then add the parsley, cook while stirring for another 30 seconds then remove from heat.
- Place chestnuts on a serving plate and pour the garlic butter on top. Season with salt and pepper and serve while warm.
Equipment
Notes
Recipe, text, and photography by Seiran Poon.
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- Oven-Roasted Umami Potatoes: These oven-roasted umami potatoes are oh-so simple, yet so delicious! The crispiness of the potatoes combined with the fresh tomatoes, creamy sauce and spinach is a match made in heaven.
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