Our Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts recipe is an outstanding appetizer with a delicious twist on the old standard.
If you’re looking to change that flavors you use in your everyday cooking, you’ll want to try out my deliciously tangy bacon wrapped water chestnuts. They’re easy to make, taste amazing, and present well as a party appetizer.
The recipe for bacon wrapped water chestnuts taste of home produces is the tried and true standard, but hey we’re gonna shake it up a bit
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
To get things started on your bacon wrapped water chestnuts, you’ll preheat the oven and grab the aluminum foil. You’ll line your baking pan and set it aside. Next, you’ll create the simple sauce by combining Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and ketchup.
Next, you’ll wrap the water chestnuts in bacon and secure them with toothpicks. You’ll lay out in the pan, bake them and drain off the grease. Finally, you’ll cover them in the sauce and finish baking until everything is crisp and delicious.
What Do You Need to Make This Recipe?
You’ll mostly need ingredients that you already have around the house. Water chestnuts may be the exception.
Brown Sugar
Any standard brown sugar works for this recipe. I have my favorites, but you probably do as well.
Canned Water Chestnuts
If you’re not entirely sure where to find these at the grocery, check the aisle where they stock “international” ingredients or “Asian” items. Water chestnuts are most commonly used in delicious Asian dishes like stir-fry and Szechuan Shrimp.
Ketchup
Any high-quality ketchup will do for this recipe. The sugar content of the ketchup will add some sweetness to the sauce, so aim for higher or lower grams of sugar per serving depending on your family’s preferences.
Bacon
There have to be a dozen or more styles of bacon that you can choose from. The type of wood used to cure the bacon has a huge effect on the flavor — ever heard of applewood smoked bacon? — so look at the descriptions to better understand what you’ll get.
The manufacturers are generally pretty good about telling you if the particular wood adds sweetness, tang, or a heavier smoke flavor than average.
Worcestershire Sauce
If you don’t already have Worcestershire sauce at home, you can grab some from just about any store, even dollar stores. I prefer higher-end brands, but even the super budget-friendly options work great.
Are These Similar To Bacon Wrapped Smokies?
The bacon wrapped water chestnuts are a little like our Bacon Wrapped Smokies. The main difference, besides the smokies versus chestnuts, is the topping. The sauce for the smokies is brown sugar and cayenne pepper — giving them a bit of a kick — while the water chestnuts are topped with a sweet, tangy barbecue-like sauce instead.
Both are great for families looking for a savory treat or a party hors d’oeuvres. The bacon wrapped water chestnuts have a slightly fancier feel to them, though, so they may be more suitable for your grown-ups only kind of dinner parties.
For a bacon party trilogy, you can make Bacon Wrapped Chicken with the smokies and water chestnuts and please just about everybody.
Variations on This Recipe
If you’re throwing a party and thinking you’d like to offer a variety of flavors on this recipe, you can try a couple of fun variations to follow your theme.
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Pineapple
You can add in a small amount of pineapple juice to your sauce and then layer some pineapple chunks across the pan before baking. This will add a citrusy sweet tang with a Hawaiian leaning. It’s perfect for a luau or tropical themed party.
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Teriyaki
Another favorite twist on this fantastic recipe is adding in some teriyaki to the sauce or replacing the sauce all together with a delicious douse of teriyaki.
Keto Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Or if you’re hosting a party where you need some keto-friendly options, you can simply whip up some homemade ketchup or tomato sauce of your own that doesn’t add in sugar.
More Bacon Wrapped Appetizers
Want more bacon? Check out these other bacon wrapped appetizers to add some piggy goodness to your meals.
Bacon Wrapped Avocado
If you love bacon and you love the creamy goodness of avocado, you’ll love making these bacon wrapped avocado bites for your next event.
Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots
Looking for the perfect breakfast? Cook up some of these bacon wrapped tater tots to please everyone in the family.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
These awesome bacon wrapped chicken bites will save any party you need a quick-to-make, easy recipe for that everyone will love. Add some dipping sauces and veggies, and you’ve got an entire spread.
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Need an elegant and delicious appetizer tonight? Grab some seafood and bacon and make this bacon wrapped shrimp recipe in no time.
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Or if you’re thinking something a little less common, go with the bacon wrapped scallops instead and win the night with this unique flavor combination.
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
If your family has a favorite brand of poppers, you might want to up them a notch by making bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers. Bake them up and enjoy in about an hour.
Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos
If you’re making a South-of-the-Border menu, bake up these bacon wrapped jalapenos for an extra measure of spicy pleasure.
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Recipe Notes:
Can You Reheat Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts?
You can make bacon wrapped chestnuts ahead of time and reheat them whenever you’re ready to serve. Put them in a 400-degree oven and let them warm for about five minutes. They’ll come out just as delicious as the day they were baked — possibly more so for saturating in the sauce longer.
More Tips for Upping the Game on Your Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts:
You can create a dipping sauce for bacon wrapped water chestnuts to liven them up by making an extra batch of the sauce. For sauce lovers — like me! — this addition can take this treat from pretty darn good to absolutely amazing.
Or, if you want a little more kick, you can make bacon wrapped water chestnuts chili sauce instead of going with the sweet and tangy sauce as your dip.
Bacon Wrapped Waterchestnuts
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar Packed
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Cups Ketchup
- 1 Pound Bacon Slices Cut in Thirds
- 2 (8 Ounce) Cans Waterchestnuts Drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9X13 inch baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Combine brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup until smooth.
- Wrap each water chestnut with a bacon piece, overlapping ends, then securing with a toothpick. Place in a prepared baking dish in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
- Pour the sauce over chestnuts then arrange in a single layer. Place back in the oven and continue to bake another 50-60 minutes, or until bacon crisps up.
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Need Some Cocktail Drinks To Serve With These Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts…
- Planters Punch– Our Planters Punch is the perfect combination of sparkling and sweet, a refreshing summer drink for every gathering! Make it by the glass or pitcher.
More Appetizers…
- Pizza Fries – Our Pizza Fries are piled high with loads of delicious seasoning and mozzarella cheese. Possibly the best Football Sunday dish to ever exist!
- Bisquick Sausage Balls assemble in mere minutes to form bite-sized snacks that are full of flavor & perfect for dipping! Moist, meaty, & of course- delish!
- Tiropita – My tiropita are delicious, savory, cheesy phyllo triangles that are also known as Greek cheese pies.
Can precooked bacon be used?
No, not really
I precook the bacon until it is almost cooked but still able to wrap around the chestnut. I dip the bacon wrapped chestnuts in the sauce and place in a lightly sprayed dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350.
I accidentally prepped these with sliced water chestnuts! Should I just bake less??
Hi, Jamie. Just watch it closely while it cooks 🙂 Try baking it on 50 minutes or less, then add more minutes if needed.
I wrapped the chestnuts in bacon place in oven for 20mins.at400 take out turn over and return for another 20min.Then I remove from oven and use a squirt ketchup bottle to put sauce on return to oven for 5-10 min.Works great
Hi, Pat! That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing your tweak 🙂