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Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts in Air Fryer

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Make bacon-wrapped water chestnuts in the air fryer for a simple and tasty appetizer recipe! It is easy to make and features water chestnuts wrapped with bacon and coated with a sticky sweet sauce.

This appetizer is a fantastic combination of sweet, salty, and crispy. Try them even if you think you don’t like water chestnuts! Using the air fryer means this popular appetizer can be ready quickly.

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The bite-sized pieces are coated with a simple three ingredient sauce that caramelizes as they cook, giving them the taste of candied bacon with a nice crispy texture. My parents always made this family favorite recipe for their holiday parties, and I wanted to try making it in the air fryer this year!

Looking for more appetizer recipes? Try air fryer pasta chips, bacon ranch deviled eggs, or air fryer zucchini fritters.

Rumaki

This recipe is a variation of Rumaki, an appetizer that became popular during the tiki culture of the 60s, which is when my mom started making this. True Rumaki includes chicken liver, but I leave that out, and my mom did too!

🥓Ingredient Notes

For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below

Water chestnuts – Make sure you get whole water chestnuts, not sliced. They can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores. Fresh water chestnuts would also work if you can find them.

Bacon – Do not use thick-cut bacon since it will take too long to get crispy. Center-cut bacon is my preference because it is less fatty.

Soy sauce – Between the bacon and the soy sauce, these appetizers are pretty salty, so I use low sodium soy sauce.

Ketchup – This forms the base for the sauce. Use barbecue sauce instead for a smokier flavor.

Brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce – These are the remaining sauce ingredients.

ingredients for bacon wrapped water chestnuts

🥣How to Make Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts in the Air Fryer

1. Marinade

Drain the water chestnuts and put them in a bowl. Cover them with the soy sauce and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

At the same time, add your toothpicks to water to soak. This will help keep them from burning in the air fryer.

marinade in soy sauce.
Marinade the water chestnuts
soak the toothpicks.
Soak the toothpicks

2. Wrap

Lay the bacon slices flat on a cutting board. Slice into thirds or halves, depending on how much bacon you want on the water chestnuts. I usually cut it in half.

Drain water chestnuts and toothpicks. Place each water chestnut on a piece of bacon and wrap it around, securing it with a toothpick. Try to cover most of the water chestnut with bacon.

wrap bacon around marinated water chestnut
Wrap with bacon
wrapped water chestnut
Water chestnut wrapped with bacon

3. Make Sauce

Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Stir to mix everything together. Dip the bacon wrapped bites in the sauce to coat, or use a pastry brush to brush the sauce on the bacon.

making the sauce.
Mix the sauce
coat in sauce.
Coat the appetizers

Throw out the remaining sauce when you are done! It can’t be used as a dipping sauce because it was exposed to raw meat.

4. Air Fry

Place the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 390 degrees F for 10 minutes. Check and see if the bacon is crispy enough for your tastes. If not, air fry for a few more minutes.

bacon wrapped water chestnuts before air frying
Before air frying
bacon wrapped water chestnuts after air frying
After air frying

🍴Serving Ideas

Serve these with a sauce for dipping. You can use a sauce similar to the one they were coated in, or just use a store-bought BBQ sauce or ranch dressing.

These tasty bites are a perfect appetizer for parties! Or just make up one small can of them and add them to dinner for a special treat.

💭How to Store and Reheat

These will keep for about 2 hours at room temperature or up to 3 days in the fridge. To reheat, put them back in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3 minutes.

holding one of the water chestnut appetizers

⭐Tips

Be sure to check out the step by step instructions

  • Use thin-cut bacon.
  • Soaking the toothpicks keeps them from blackening in the air fryer.
  • Don’t dip them in the same sauce you used for coating. It was exposed to raw bacon.
  • Don’t overcrowd the air fryer.
  • Use flavored bacon for variety, such as hickory smoked bacon, or turkey bacon.

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air fryer bacon wrapped water chestnut on a toothpick
4.50 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Recipe

Published By Anne
Water chestnuts are wrapped in bacon and coated with a sticky and sweet sauce for a tasty appetizer to make in the air fryer.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinate Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Servings: 10
Print Save Rate Pin

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cans water chestnuts whole
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 6 slices bacon thin cut

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Drain the water chestnuts and put them in a bowl. Cover with the soy sauce and let them marinade for 30 minutes – 2 hours.
    2 cans water chestnuts, 1 cup soy sauce
  • At the same time, add 10 toothpicks to a bowl of water to soak.
  • Cut each slice of bacon in half. Drain the toothpicks and the water chestnuts.
    6 slices bacon
  • Place a whole water chestnut on each slice of bacon. Wrap the bacon around it and secure it with a toothpick.
  • Combine the brown sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Brush the sauce onto the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts.
    1/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Put them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 390 degrees F for 10 minutes.
  • Check and decide if the bacon is crispy enough. If not, cook for a few more minutes.

Notes

Oven Baking

Bake in a 375-degree F oven for 15 minutes. For ease of cleanup, place the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts on a rack above an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Tips

  • Use thin-cut bacon, not thick cut.
  • Don’t use the sauce you use for coating them for dipping. It was exposed to raw bacon.
  • Soak the toothpicks so they don’t burn in the air fryer.

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Nutrition Information

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 1576mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition facts are estimates.

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closeup of bacon wrapped water chestnut
anne

Hi, I’m Anne!

I love to cook and I want to share my recipes with you. I believe cooking should be approachable and fun, not a chore. I want to make simple recipes using everyday ingredients that you can make again and again, whether it is for a busy weeknight, a summer cookout or a special dessert. Read more...

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