Pan-Roasted Chestnuts
Tasty, unusual, and incredibly filling! Roasted chestnuts are very easy and quick to make. Serve them as a sweet, wholesome snack, or sprinkle with salt and dried aromatic herbs to enjoy with a glass of wine.
Updated : 26 February, 2026
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
1 kilograms
Chestnut
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
The fruits of edible chestnuts are enclosed in a spiky shell. It’s not easy to get the nuts out with bare hands - use a sharp knife and thick gloves. Inside the shell there are 2-3 nuts with a neat almond-like shape.
Step 2
The fruits of inedible (horse) chestnut usually have a smooth shell with slightly raised bumps. The nuts are round or irregular. Horse chestnuts must not be eaten; they’re more often used for animal feed or to make medicinal and cosmetic products.
Step 3
So, gather chestnuts. If you don’t have that option, buy the nuts at a shop, supermarket, or market.
Step 4
Submerge the chestnuts in cold water and leave for 5 minutes. Wash them thoroughly, then drain the water and dry the nuts with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
Step 5
Make deep cross-shaped cuts on each nut. Use a sharp knife and be extremely careful - it’s very easy to cut your hands.
Step 6
How to roast chestnuts? Arrange the chestnuts on a dry skillet in a single even layer. What skillet is best? Use cookware with thick sides and a thick bottom.
Step 7
Sprinkle the chestnuts with cold water, cover the skillet with a lid, and put it over high heat (optionally, place a damp paper towel on top of the nuts - this helps prevent them from drying out while cooking). Once the skillet heats up, reduce the heat to slightly above medium and cook for a few minutes.
Step 8
Periodically open the lid and turn the nuts with a spoon or spatula. Also, a couple of times during cooking, sprinkle the skillet with cold water again (or re-moisten the towel).
Step 9
The chestnuts will be ready in 20-30 minutes. The flesh of some may protrude from under the shell - this is perfectly normal.
Step 10
Remove the nuts from the skillet, let them cool slightly, and peel off the skin. This is easy to do. If the nuts cool down completely, it will be hard to remove the kernels from the skins.
Step 11
I like to drizzle the nuts with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and seasonings (Adyghe-style or Svan-style salt).
Author note
Share the recipe
