Dear Crissy

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

When I think about holiday food, I always crave these bacon-wrapped water chestnuts. My mom used to make appetizer every year for a Christmas work party. She would whip up a second dish for us to eat at home.

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts Recipe

I’d like to thank Kikkoman for sponsoring this post.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

Since I loved eating bacon-wrapped water chestnuts as a kid, I was sure to swipe my mom’s recipe when I got older.

I did make one important change to this recipe. I add soy sauce to the dish.

Marinating the water chestnuts in soy sauce adds so much flavor.

RELATED: Looking for a great game day appetizer? Try my delicious sausage stuffed mini sweet peppers!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

I recommend using Kikkoman Soy Sauce for this recipe. It’s simply the best!

Kikkoman’s Traditionally Brewed Soy Sauce is a major flavor enhancer and brings out the “umami” taste that everyone has been talking about.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

After you marinate your water chestnuts, don’t throw out that soy sauce! You’ll be utilizing the marinade to create a truly delicious finishing sauce for the dish.

Quick tip—if you’re wanting to cut down on the sodium, try Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce—it also tastes great.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

There are a few steps involved in making these scrumptious bacon wrapped water chestnuts.

They are really quite easy to make, and in my experience, are always a total crowd-pleaser!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

I can’t keep my husband away from these things!

After you pop one of these sweet, tangy and crunchy little bites into your mouth, it’s difficult to stop reaching for more.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

People will quite literally hover and linger around the dish holding these bad boys, and who can blame them? They are my absolute favorite holiday appetizer.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

I can’t remember celebrating a Christmas without a big warm dish of bacon-wrapped water chestnuts. It’s a recipe that I genuinely adore, and I hope you’ll make it a part of your unique holiday celebrations this year as well.

Be sure to pin this recipe so you can easily find it later!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one! These are made with ketchup, brown sugar and soy sauce. YUM.
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Yield: 1 7" x 11" dish
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Sweet and savory bacon wrapped water chestnuts are the perfect holiday appetizer!

Ingredients

  • 2 (8 oz.) cans water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 lb lean bacon, cut in half 
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Kikkoman Traditionally Brewed Soy Sauce
  • Toothpicks

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Soak water chestnuts in Kikkoman soy sauce for 15 minutes, stirring a few times to make sure they are fully coated.
  3. Remove water chestnuts from soy sauce.
  4. Wrap 1/2 strip of bacon around each; secure with toothpicks.
  5. Reserve soy sauce.
  6. Place chestnuts toothpick side up in a 7” x 11” glass baking dish.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes or until desired crispness.
  8. Remove chestnuts from dish and drain grease. Replace chestnuts in the same dish.
  9. Meanwhile, add ketchup and brown sugar to reserved soy sauce, stir well to combine.
  10. Pour sauce evenly over the chestnuts to coat.
  11. Bake chestnuts an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

Notes

Initial bake time really depends on how you enjoy your bacon. Keep an eye on it and bake a little longer if you want it crispier!

More Delicious Appetizers

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts - Just tried these for a holiday party. Such an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer recipe! You can't eat just one!

    103 Comments on “Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts”

  1. I’m making these for Thanksgiving 2020. We’ve made similar recipes in the past, but never one where you marinate the water chestnuts first. That’s what drew me to this rendition. Can’t wait to try them because I’m certain they will be delish!

  2. Your work seems to be great. Continue the great effort!!

  3. Can these be prepared ahead of time? (marinated & wrapped). Looking forward to making these Thanksgiving this year.
    Thanks

  4. This recipe was delicious and super easy! I used liquid aminos instead of the soy sauce and it was wonderful, definitely a great and inexpensive appetizer. 

  5. I have made these in the past but did not include a sauce. That is ingenious!

  6. Easy to make and disappear in a heartbeat. Fantastic.

  7. I like sweet potato casserole.

  8. Just wondering if these bacon-wrapped water chestnuts need to be eaten warm, or are they good cold. If warm, can they be microwaved or should I keep warm in a crock pot?

    • Hey Tracy, we usually like to have them warm when an event starts but they honestly taste just as good when they’ve come to room temp. If I’m taking them somewhere I usually take in a glass baking dish covered with foil then try to pop into the oven if they have gotten cold on the drive.

  9. I have been making Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts for many years. It is pretty much a requirement for the family Christmas party. Mine have nothing to do with ketchup. You might be able to cut your bacon in thirds I feel the chestnuts aren’t too big (and they usually aren’t.) Marinate them in the soy sauce as stated. Put enough white sugar in a Ziplock bag to cover a few chestnuts at a time. Then wrap with bacon and hold with a toothpick. Then I broil them for a few minutes. Keep an eye on them. The sugar causes the bacon to crisp up. Awesome !  Can’t imagine them swimming in ketchup and brown sugar, what a mess.

    • MAYBE a little messy, but worth it!!! I love them in the sauce. I’ll take your advice for the sugar though to crisp up the bacon. thanks.

  10. First try at pinterest..BACON-WRAPPED CHESTNUTS SOUNDS FABULOUS!!!!

  11. My favorite holiday dish is cheesy mashed potatoes.

  12. My favorite holiday dish my family makes is baked macaroni cheese.

  13. My favorite holiday dish is stuffing! With lots of gravy.
    Thanks for the contest.

  14. #SweepstakesEntry- comment

    I would have to say roast Turkey because I really only have it once or twice a year (holiday times)

  15. My favorite holiday dish is some nice Turkey with Stuffing, Baked Potatoes and of course, Sweet Potatoes.

  16. I love my grandma’s sweet potato casserole

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  17. My favorite holiday dish is good old pumpkin pie!!

  18. My favorite holiday dish is a dessert we call magic marshmallow rolls, but love my mom’s stuffed cream cheese mushrooms too.

  19. I like pumpkin pie.

  20. I love my green bean casserole with bacon at Christmas! It is the only time I make it and it is always a hit!

  21. My fav holiday dish is the homemade smoked gouda fondue we always make for NYE. Can’t wait! :-D

  22. probably sweet potato casserole

  23. My favorite holiday dish is cornbread dressing.

  24. thanksgiving dressing

  25. I love pumpkin pie.

  26. My favorite dish to make for the holidays is a seafood lasagna. Everybody loves it.

  27. my favorite holiday dish is turkey and dressing

  28. I’m trying this recipe for the first time. If the aroma from my oven is any indication as to how good these will be I will be making them more often. 

  29. I love Aunt Fanny’s Squash Casserole.

  30. My fave holiday food is berry bread pudding!

  31. My favorite holiday dish is sweet potato casserole. Growing up I would never even try it, don’t know how I’ve lived this long without them!

  32. When we have special snacks, my family loves hot wings! We love buffalo sauce and ranch to go along with them. They don’t last long in our house!

  33. My favorite holiday dish is sweet potato pie with marshmallows on top.

  34. One of my favorite holiday meals is a warm, chunky pot roast!! But that might change after I make this recipe! Those pics look amazing! :)

  35. this is one of our favorite family appetizers! We have been making them for many years!

  36. My favorite holiday treat is meat balls. I love to put them in the crockpot and add a sweet sauce.

  37. My favorite Christmas nibble are home made peanut butter cookies with a Hershey kiss in the middle. My mom who passed away always made them and now I continue the tradition ?

  38. My favorite holiday dish was always my Gram’s homemade mashed potatoes. I miss them! These days it’s probably my white cheddar mac & cheese.

  39. tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/805209611745759237

  40. Green bean casserole is my favorite.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

  41. My favorite holiday dish is honey baked ham!

  42. My favorite is sweet potato casserole

  43. tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/805061296085434370

  44. My favorite holiday dish is honey baked ham.

  45. i love ham

  46. tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/805038326579220481

  47. My favorite Holiday dish is my Big Spiral Ham and scalloped potatoes I make every year for my Holiday dinner. And we love my Strawberry and Pecan pies!

  48. tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/804997880301830144

  49. stuffing and candied yams

  50. Roast Spatchcocked Turkey which I learned from the martha stewart !! its incredible

  51. My favorite holiday dish is lemon meringue pie! Look forward to it every year! Also love peanut butter cornflake cookies! So good! If we’re talking about side dish – I LOVE green bean bundles! 

  52. My favorite holiday dish is green bean casserole

    groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com

  53. My favorite holiday dish is my mother’s chocolate chip cookies with walnuts!!! Love it!

  54. My favorite holiday dish is pecan pie.

  55. Wild rice with celery is my favorite holiday dish.

  56. Homemade macaroni and cheese is my favorite holiday dish. 

  57. My favorite is spiral Ham. I look forward to this each Christmas. Thanks so much.

  58. I like sweet potato casserole.

  59. Also tweeted about this post – https://twitter.com/MkDoodle/status/803787471628730368
    Thanks for this giveaway and the recipe!

  60. These bacon wrapped water chestnuts combine my favorite things, so I’m excited to try this recipe.  Thanks for sharing.  I love appetizer dishes, especially around the holidays.  My favorite holiday recipe is orange fluff, made from cream cheese, marshmallows, nuts, and orange jello.  We only have it around the holidays, and I look forward to it all year long. 

  61. I skip the soya sauce and simply pour over them a jar of honey garlic sauce. They are definitely a crowd favorite 

  62. My favorite holiday dish is my low fat apple and onion stuffing! It tastes so good yet is so good for you!

  63. I tweeted about this post and amazing recipe!
    https://twitter.com/hybroanglid/status/803685860491280384

    h4schaffer at gmail dot com

  64. Holiday treats probably don’t (or SHOULDN’T) count as a dish, right?  ;)  So my favorite dish would probably be a sweet potato casserole that I started making about seven or eight years ago.  It’s delicious!  But my favorite treat is BUCKEYES!!  

  65. Sugar Cookies!

  66. I love a breakfast roll called a Peach Flip that my family has been making for years.

  67. My favorite holiday dish is Orange Pecan Pie! But these look amazing and may soon become my favorite. I love water chestnuts! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

  68. My favorite holiday dish is lemon lush. Those bacon wrapped water chestnuts are calling my name though. Lol. It’s something alittle extra to bring to someone’s house. Thanks.

  69. My favorite holiday dish is gingerbread cookies.

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