Braised Chestnuts and Pearl Onions combine beautifully to create a Thanksgiving chestnut side dish that will totally wow your guests! And it's also fantastic any time mixed into pasta, to serve over bread, and to make a tart with. 
Let's throw something new on the Thanksgiving menu.
Full of deep, rich flavors, this pearl onion chestnut side dish is unexpected, seasonal, beautiful and so delicious!
Serving Ideas
Of course it's not just for Thanksgiving. You can serve this any time!
- Mix it into pasta.
- Serve it over rice or on a lovely slice of crusty bread.
- Make a tart with it (with puff pastry it would be excellent).
Can you make is ahead?
Yes! You can make this up to three days ahead of time and warm it on the stove before serving.
*Learn how to peel pearl onions here.*
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Peeling chestnuts and pearl onions can be daunting if you haven't done it before. You can learn how to peel pearl onions here and peel (and roast) chestnuts here. Both are much easier than you might think.
- I love using chestnuts I've roasted, but you can also use steamed chestnuts, which are commonly sold in the fall and winter months. Follow the same instructions for adding them to the recipe.
- Peeled pearl onions are often available in the freezer section of most markets. If you're very pressed for time, that's an option.
- You'll likely see red, white and yellow/golden pearl onions in stores. Use whichever ones you like. I think the red really makes this a beautiful dish.
- You should easily find pearl onions in November and December, but if for some reason you can't get them, use shallots, cut into quarters.
*Learn how to roast and peel chestnuts here.*
I hope you and your guests love this amazing chestnut side dish as much as my family and I do!
You can find more Thanksgiving recipes here.
More recipes with chestnuts and/or pearl onions:
- Chestnut Butter
- Potato Chestnut Soup
- Chestnut Cookies with Chocolate Chips
- French Onion Mushroom Casserole
Braised Chestnuts and Pearl Onions
Braised Chestnuts and Pearl Onions combine beautifully to create a Thanksgiving chestnut side dish that will totally wow your guests! And it's also fantastic mixed into pasta, to serve over bread, and to make a tart with.
*Please see notes below.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, (divided)
- 1 pound roasted and peeled chestnuts (click here for how to roast and peel chestnuts)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, if necessary ((see recipe instruction no. 2))
- 1 pound red pearl onions, (peeled)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, (finely chopped)
- ¾ cup vegetable stock
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup roasted pecans, (roughly chopped)
- ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
- salt, pepper and sugar to taste
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Brown the chestnuts. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to a large pot fitted with a lid (a Dutch oven is perfect). Over medium heat, melt the butter to coat the bottom of the pot. Over medium-high heat, add the roasted, peeled chestnuts and sauté them until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes.
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Add the onions. Add the peeled pearl onions and stir to combine. If the bottom of the pan is dry, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté for another 5 minutes or so, until the onions are slightly tender and golden brown.
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Add thyme and liquids and simmer. Add the thyme, stock, and red wine and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Reduce the liquid. Remove the lid, and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook to reduce the liquid until all but about 3 tablespoons remain, about 20 minutes. (Gently stir the mixture from time to time during the cooking process. Cooking times may vary.)
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Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, pecans, sugar, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve!
Please note that the prep time listed above does not include peeling the onions (about 20 minutes), or roasting and peeling the chestnuts (about 40 minutes). Both can be done ahead of time: the onions up to 2 days before and then wrapped well and refrigerated, and the chestnuts 1 day ahead, also wrapped well and refrigerated.
For detailed, step by step instructions and photographs of how to roast and peel chestnuts, click here.
For detailed, step by step instructions and photographs of how to peel pearl onions, click here.
Calorie count is only an estimate.
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Claire
Just beautiful, I didn't worry about saving them for thanksgiving we had it last night with some pork chops 😀
valentina
Ooooh sounds so delicious! Thank you.
Alene
Can these be made in advance? I used to serve a mixed pearl onion and dried cherry compote which I adored. My husband got tired of it and wasn't as much of a fan of it as I was. This sort of sounds like it and might be a nice change of pace for him. My onion dish could be made in advance. Do you think this one can be too? When you're cooking for 10 or 12, in advance is a great thing! Thank you!
valentina
Hi Alene, Thanks for writing in. Yes, you can make this ahead of time. You can make it up to three days ahead. Warm it on the stove before serving. You could probably make it even sooner, but I usually stick with three or less. I just added this info to the post, too.Thank you for asking! Enjoy, and I hope your husband loves it. 🙂 ~Valentina
angiesrecipes
Love chestnuts! Haven't tried the combination with pearl onions yet...thanks for the inspiration!
valentina
Thanks, Angie. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
What an interesting dish! And completely new to me. What a fantastic winter dish.
valentina
Thanks, Jeff. Hope you try it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz
I adore sauteed onions and adding a second (and festive!) ingredient like chestnuts makes for a tasty holiday side dish!
valentina
Thanks, Liz! I love that chestnuts are "festive!" 🙂 ~Valentina
Kelly | Foodtasia
Such a wonderful side dish that would go with everything on the holiday table!
valentina
Hi Kelly! Thanks so much. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
Well, no chestnuts available thus side of the ocean bit I do like the way the onions are prepared and pecans are freely available . . . as are other possible ones in the family . . . a somewhat different side which will be tried . . .
valentina
Hi Eha. Without chestnuts, you can use whole pecans. Just a thought. Enjoy and thanks as always for visiting. 🙂 ~Valentina
Chef Mimi
Wonderful! It’s almost like a condiment!
valentina
Yes! I agree. Thank you, Mimi. ~Valentina
Christina
This really is a wonderfully unique side dish! I can totally see it used in a tart, too! Fabulous!
valentina
It's going in a tart shell next time I make it. Thanks, Christina. ~Valentina
Gerlinde @ Sunnycovechef
I love chestnuts and I am always looking for new recipes. This looks like a great one.
valentina
Thanks, Gerlinde. Hope you give it a try. 🙂 ~Valentina
Marissa
I'd never eaten a chestnut before I started dating my husband and had dinner with his family at Christmas (they put them in the stuffing). I love them! And I love how they share the spotlight with pearl onions in this beautiful dish.
valentina
Thanks, Marissa. I adding chestnuts to the stuffing this year -- it'll be my first time adding them, as I'm always reluctant to change up our traditional family dishes. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Can you believe I've never had chestnuts before! I can't wait to give them a try in this dish. Perfect for Thanksgiving!!!
valentina
What!? Kathy, you could do amazing things with them, and I'm sure you'd find a way to fill jars with them to have on hand throughout the year, too. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron
Hi Valentina, what a great side dish idea for the holidays. I love chestnuts, but alas we can't do nuts in our house. Any ideas on a non-nut substitute for this recipe?
valentina
Hi Ron. I would use whole pecans instead of roughly chopped. And/or peewee potatoes. That might be fun. Enjoy and I hope you and your family are well. 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
This looks superb! VERY creative. Neat, neat recipe -- thanks.
valentina
Why thank you, John! Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Huge fan of chestnuts here, and I love pairing chestnuts with onions. That's why this is right up my alley 🙂
valentina
Hope you love it, Ben! Thanks so much for checking it out. 🙂 ~Valentina
David
What a fabulously brilliant recipe! I can only imagine the intense, dark chestnut with the herbal pearl onions. This might not happen on my Thanksgiving table, but it will get to the table soon!
valentina
Happy Thanksgiving, David! Hope you enjoy whenever you try it. 🙂 ~Valentina