FOOD

21 Chestnut Recipes
That Demand a Spot on
Your Holiday Table
By: Taryn Pire

Published: December 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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J E SSIC A L IN

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.

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FLOATIN G KITC H E N

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.

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SNI XY KITCHEN

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.

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H A LF B A KED H A RV EST

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.

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FLOATIN G KITC H E N

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.

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BOJON GOURMET

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.

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A CO O KIE N A MED D ESIRE

7. Chocolate Nut Cereal

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

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SPOON FOR K B ACON

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.

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SA LT A N D W IN D

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.

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W E L L PL AT E D BY E R I N

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.

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FLOATIN G KITC H E N

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.

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SPOON FOR K B ACON

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.

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C U L IN A RY H IL L

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.

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FLOATIN G KITC H E N

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.)

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SNI XY KITCHEN

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.)

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TH E BOJ O N GO U RME T

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).

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SPOON FOR K B ACON

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.

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A CO O KIE N A MED D ESIRE

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.