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These bacon wrapped water chestnuts are positively addictive! Salty, crunchy, sticky, and sweet, they’re the perfect appetizer that everyone will just love. Easy and quick to make, but they’ll be gone faster than it took you to make them!
These flavorful water chestnuts wrapped in bacon are so insanely delicious! Perfect for an appetizer, tailgating, or potlucks, this will absolutely be the recipe your friends and family beg you to make. Trust me, you’ll want to make extras because these babies go fast!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Water chestnuts – Sweet, nutty, and fruity, these soft vegetables (yes, vegetables!) perfectly complement the savory bacon and salty sauce.
Bacon – Meaty, salt, rich bacon. Let’s be real, it makes just about everything taste better!
Sauce – With salty soy sauce, tomato-y ketchup, and brown sugar or maple syrup, this simple but delicious sauce takes your water chestnuts to the next level.
How To Make It
Add the water chestnuts and soy sauce to a large plastic sandwich bag to let the chestnuts marinate. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes, occasionally tossing and massaging the bag so they get coated.
Preheat your oven to 400º F. Put a rack on top of a baking or cooking sheet.
Wrap each water chestnut with a piece of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Arrange the wrapped chestnuts on the rack with the seams of the bacon on the bottom. Bake until the bacon is crispy.
While the bacon is cooking, mix together all the sauce ingredients. After the water chestnuts have cooked, take them out of the oven and brush them with the sauce. Bake again and serve warm!
Chef’s Tips
- I used canned water chestnuts for this recipe, but you can absolutely use fresh ones if you prefer! To prepare your fresh water chestnuts, cut off the top and bottom and then peel with a vegetable peeler. Rinse them well in cool water.
- This recipe is perfect for prepping ahead of time and popping in the oven before guests arrive. You can let your water chestnuts marinate, then wrap them in bacon and put in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. You can also make the sauce ahead of time!
More Delicious Appetizers
- Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms
- Bacon Wrapped Dates
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Dip
- Canned Salmon Salad
- Shrimp Cocktail
- 10 Best Pigs in a Blanket Recipes
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce cans whole water chestnuts 16 ounces, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon
- 14 slices bacon cut crosswise into thirds
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar firmly-packed, or maple syrup
- non-stick cooking spray
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Add the water chestnuts and ¼ cup soy sauce to a large plastic sandwich bag. At room temperature, let marinate for 30 minutes, occasionally tossing and massaging bag.
- Preheat the oven to 400º F. Place a cooling rack on top of a cookie or baking sheet. Wrap each water chestnut with a piece of bacon, securing with toothpick. Arrange water chestnuts on rack with seam face down. Bake about 30 minutes or until bacon is crisp and has rendered fat.
- Make sauce while chestnuts baked. Stir together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar or maple syrup.
- After chestnuts bake, remove from oven and brush with sauce, placing chestnuts back on rack. Bake again for 25 minutes and serve warm.
- Fresh water chestnuts: Can be used instead of canned. To prepare, cut off the top and bottom and then peel with a vegetable peeler. Rinse them well in cool water.
- Make ahead of time: Marinate water chestnuts as stated in directions. Wrap in bacon and refrigerate in airtight container. Make sauce and keep in fridge until needed.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Easy to put together and loved by all.
We’re so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing, Debra!
I have made these before many times and love them, however I have never tried the sauce and it really upgrades these delightful bites! Thank you from my partner and I for this Valentine’s Day treat idea!
What a perfect Valentine’s Day treat! Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for your review, Tasha!
Yummy and easy!!!
Agreed! 🙂
Yum! We’ve eaten rumaki for years, but without the sauce. I can’t wait to try this vaariation!
Let us know how it goes Robin!