48 water chestnut recipes

Low calorie seven layer salad with crisp lettuce, sweet peas, reduced-fat cheddar, turkey bacon, scallions, water chestnuts, and hard-boiled egg. Vinaigrette on the side keeps it light. A potluck classic, slimmed down without losing the layers.

Chestnut and lentil soup: roasted chestnuts and green lentils simmered with carrot, celery, and garlic. Half pureed for body, half left whole for texture. Vegan autumn comfort.

Crispy fried asparagus won tons stuffed with chopped asparagus and water chestnuts. A crunchy, golden appetizer ready in 25 minutes. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Homemade siopao steamed dumplings stuffed with a savory shrimp, ground pork, and water chestnut filling. Makes 30 pillowy buns from scratch, street-food style.

Velvety pureed chestnut soup kissed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. This warming vegetarian broth comes together in 35 minutes with a silky milk finish and bright lemon squeeze.

Steamed seafood dumplings wrap a delicate shrimp-and-scallop filling with garlic, ginger and crunchy water chestnuts in wonton skins, then steam them light and tender. Served with a duck sauce and hot mustard dip.

Filipino lumpia filled with seasoned pork, shrimp, dried mushrooms, and water chestnuts, fried golden and crispy. Served with sweet and sour dipping sauce.

Blanched cauliflower and cabbage tossed in a warm sweet-and-sour sauce with pineapple, water chestnuts, soy, malt vinegar, and sherry. A crunchy Asian-inspired side salad served cool.

Bacon-wrapped rumaki with marinated chicken livers, water chestnuts, and scallions broiled until the bacon crisps. A retro tiki bar appetizer with soy-sherry-ginger soak.

Soft steamed buns filled with mushrooms, water chestnuts, bell pepper, and hoisin sauce, served with a soy-chili dipping sauce. Homemade Chinese bao that freeze beautifully for later.

Kona Coast pizza on English muffins with Hawaiian ham and pineapple, hoisin-spiked sauce, water chestnuts, and mozzarella. A quick tropical pizza snack ready in 15 minutes.

Shrimp filling is one of the popular fillings of Chinese dumplings. Fresh or frozen shrimp seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro and scallions, the flavor comes out amazingly delicious; the dumplings are juicy and tangy.

Chinese shrimp balls (pai chiao hsia chiu) rolled in stale bread cubes and double-fried until shatteringly crisp. Served with Sichuan pepper-salt dip. 30 pieces.

Light crab salad with asparagus, water chestnuts, and green onions tossed in a tangy yogurt-horseradish dressing. A crisp, refreshing seafood salad that's low in fat.

Turkey salad with green grapes, mandarin oranges, water chestnuts, and celery tossed in a peach yogurt soy dressing. A bright, no-cook way to use leftover turkey.

Quick chicken stir-fry with snow peas, carrots, water chestnuts, and green bell pepper in a soy-ginger-garlic sauce thickened with cornstarch. Marinate the chicken, fire up the wok, and dinner is on the table in 15 minutes.