These bacon wrapped water chestnuts are crunchy marinated water chestnuts covered in bacon and a sweet and savory sauce, then baked to perfection. A quick and easy appetizer option that’s always a big hit!
I love to serve a variety of appetizer recipes when I’m entertaining including mozzarella sticks, hot spinach dip, and this classic dish of bacon wrapped water chestnuts.
Growing up, my mom always used to serve bacon wrapped water chestnuts at parties. This classic appetizer is a simple dish, but has the perfect blend of textures, and let’s be honest, you can never go wrong with bacon!
I love to wrap appetizers in bacon! If you want more bacon wrapped treats you have to try my bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers, bacon wrapped dates and bacon wrapped scallops. Bring on the bacon!
Table of Contents
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Ingredients
To make bacon wrapped water chestnuts you will need water chestnuts, soy sauce, garlic powder, brown sugar, bacon, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.
How Do You Make Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts?
To make this bacon wrapped water chestnuts recipe start by letting the water chestnuts marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic powder. Cut bacon strips in half. Wrap a piece of bacon around each marinated chestnut, then secure the bacon with toothpicks. Set the chestnuts on a wire rack on a sheet pan, baking sheet or baking dish and bake them. While the chestnuts are in the oven, prepare the sauce. Whisk together ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Remove the partially cooked chestnuts from the oven, then pour or brush the sauce over the top. Bake the chestnuts for a while longer until the bacon crisps up and the sauce thickens and caramelizes. Sprinkle on a little chopped parsley, serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Appetizer
- Do not use thick cut bacon. The thicker bacon will take a lot longer to cook and get crispy.
- The water chestnuts should marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- I find that this dish is best served immediately when hot. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in a refrigerator up to 3 days. You can reheat any leftovers in the oven until warmed through.
- If you are sensitive to salt, feel free to use low sodium soy sauce.
- You can leave the toothpicks in for serving, or remove the toothpicks for a more elegant presentation.
- I like to add a little fresh parsley to dress up the dish, but this is an optional step.
- If you find that the bacon has any unwanted grease, you can always set the cooked chestnuts on paper towels for a minute to absorb the bacon grease.
- You can put a piece of aluminum foil under the wire rack for easier clean up.
Quick Tip
Be sure to use whole chestnuts; the sliced version will not work.
Recipe FAQs
Water chestnuts are not actually nuts. In fact, they are vegetables. This veggie grows underwater, hence the name. They are typically grown in Asian countries. In America, you can typically find water chestnuts sold in cans, although it is possible to find fresh water chestnuts in some markets. I typically used canned chestnuts, as they are readily available in almost all grocery stores.
The great thing about water chestnuts is that they do retain their crunchy texture when cooked.
Some people prefer the taste of fresh water chestnuts to canned. Fresh water chestnuts have a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. For this bacon wrapped water chestnuts recipe I use canned water chestnuts. You can easily find canned water chestnuts and the flavor of the bacon and sauce enhances them.
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Flavor Variations
This combination of bacon and brown sugar actually works with a number of different ingredients if you don’t have water chestnuts on hand.
- Pineapple: Instead of the water chestnuts, substitute large chunks of pineapple. There’s no need to marinate the pineapple, simply wrap with bacon, bake, then add the sauce halfway through.
- Chicken: Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs into 1 inch pieces. Marinate, then follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Little Smokies: Skip the marinating, then wrap the smokies in bacon and bake. Top with sauce halfway through the baking time as directed in my bacon wrapped smokies recipe.
- Shrimp: No need to marinate the shrimp! Wrap in bacon, then broil for 10-15 minutes until bacon is crisp. Top with sauce, then broil for another 2-3 minutes and serve. See my bacon wrapped shrimp recipe for more information.
You can make extra sauce to dip the chestnuts in or try dipping them in my homemade bbq sauce or some sriracha.
These bacon wrapped water chestnuts are the perfect little bites! They have a crunchy texture and they’re smoky, sweet and savory, all wrapped up in one delectable little package!
More Appetizers To Try
Antipasto Platter Recipe
21 mins
Sausage Balls Recipe
40 mins
Spinach Artichoke Dip
30 mins
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
50 mins
Easy Mini Pizzas
15 mins
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
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Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Ingredients
- 3 8 ounce cans whole water chestnuts drained
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar divided use
- 1 pound bacon sliced cut into thirds
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Place the water chestnuts, soy sauce, garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar in a bowl or resealable bag. Toss to combine. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a rack on top of a sheet pan. Coat the rack with cooking spray.
- This recipe can also be made without the rack if you don't have one, I just find the bottoms get crispier this way.
- Wrap each water chestnut with a piece of bacon. Secure each one with a toothpick.
- Arrange the water chestnuts in a single layer on the rack.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining brown sugar, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.
- Brush the sauce mixture all over each chestnut. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until bacon is crispy and sauce has caramelized.
- Sprinkle with parsley, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Be sure to use whole chestnuts; the sliced version will not work.
- Do not use thick cut bacon. The thicker bacon will take a lot longer to cook and get crispy.
- The water chestnuts should marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
You can definitely use sliced water chestnuts, just use 2-3 wrapped in bacon. I actual prefer the texture better.