7 Water Chestnut Substitutes You Must Try

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Substitutes For Water Chestnuts

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Water chestnut, also known as Chinese water chestnut, is a sedge that looks like grass. It is usually found in Asia and a few countries in Africa. Water chestnut is a crop that is mostly cultivated for the edible corms that the plants produce. Despite having “nut” in its name, the water chestnut is not a nut but rather a vegetable that grows underwater, in marshes, or the mud. When the plant is finally grown, it produces small and rounded corms that have a slightly dark color body with a caramel white colored flash inside. Water chestnut substitute is what this article would be talking about.

Water chestnuts have different uses across different cultures in the world. It may even be eaten when it is still raw or when it has been boiled, grilled, pickled, or tinned. They have a crunchy texture when eaten raw and a more firm but slightly crunchy texture when eaten after being boiled. It has a mildly sweet and fruity taste. It has a flavor that tastes like a mix of fresh coconut and apples 

In China, water chestnut is a common ingredient used in many local Chinese recipes and it is also eaten raw just like a fruit. It works well in salads, curries, or stir-fries. Water chestnut substitutes that would provide very similar taste, flavors and texture to your recipe is what we would be discussing in this article.

Water chestnuts are rich in nutrients that the body needs. It is low in calories with very little to no fats so it is quite healthy for people who are cautious of what they eat. Raw water chestnut is said to contain about 74% water, 24% carbohydrates, and 1% protein. It is a good source of vitamin B6 and it also has moderate amounts of other vitamins. It is rich in fiber, manganese, and potassium all of which are good for the body. 

If you feel like eating water chestnut or it is an ingredient in a recipe you want to make, only to find out that it is not available. Continue reading as I’ll share with you 7 best substitutes for water chestnuts and the ratios you should use them in. 

Water Chestnut Substitutes

Below are some of the best 7 substitution for water chestnut for almost all recipes.

  • Daikon

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Daikon is a long white radish that is originally native to Japan and some other East Asian countries. It is known for its leaves which grow fast. Daikon is just like a carrot but with white color. It is now a common crop grown in Asia and it is used to make different recipes in different cultures. Sometimes, the plant is grown to help break up compact soils and recover the nutrients in them, in this situation, the plant is not going to be harvested. 

Daikon has a mildly sweet flavor with a crunchy texture similar to water chestnuts, making it a near-perfect replacement for the water chestnut. It is also low in carbs, fat, and calories so it can be a regular ingredient when eating healthy. 

Nutrient-wise, daikon is a good source of dietary fiber and other useful vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B2, vitamin B5, vitamin B1, and vitamin B3. As for minerals, water chestnut contains calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. 

It can be used instead of water chestnut when making salads, stir-fries, and more. When using daikon, take a cup of raw daikon in place of a cup of raw water chestnuts.

  •  Jerusalem artichokes

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Indigenous to the people of the Americas, the Jerusalem artichokes are a variety of sunflower that is grown for their tuber which is used as a root vegetable. It is also known as sunchoke, earth apple, sunroof, or wild sunflower as the leaves look just like sunflowers.

The tubers obtained from this Jerusalem artichokes are quite long and have an uneven shape which makes them look similar to a ginger root. The color varies across different tubers but most come in pale brown, purple, or red.  Over the years, earth apples have been used for making different recipes or cooking in different places around the world. Also, they can be eaten raw or pickled which adds versatility to their usage. 

Jerusalem artichokes have a slightly sweet taste with a nutty flavor and a crunchy texture when it is eaten raw. When cooked, it seems to lose a bit of a crispy and crunchy texture. 

As for nutrition, Jerusalem artichoke is a good source of dietary fiber and it is low in calories, fat, and carbs. It is rich in useful vitamins like niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B5, and vitamin C. It also provides the body with useful minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. As you can see, it provides close to the same nutrients that the human body gets from water chestnut so you do not miss out on anything. 

Jerusalem artichokes can serve as a good replacement for water chestnuts when making different recipes like spinach dip, roasted veggies, soups, etc, as they both have a similar taste and texture.

  •  Canned water chestnuts

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This should definitely not be a surprise to anyone, as fresh water chestnuts could be difficult to get, you can go to the store and get canned water chestnuts as a good substitute for the original.

Canned water chestnuts are very similar to normal water chestnuts except for the fact that it has been processed and packaged. Due to this, the flavor and taste have been tampered with, with the freshwater chestnuts being richer in taste and flavor.

Although the taste may not be as strong as fresh water chestnuts, canned water chestnuts still manage to provide all the nutritional value their non-canned counterpart would have. It is low in fat and calories, and it also contains useful vitamins and minerals like folate, vitamin B6, dietary fiber, manganese, etc. Canned water chestnuts will help to replace fresh water chestnuts in many recipes bringing that lovely crunchy texture.

When using this, take two cups of canned water chestnuts to replace a cup of fresh water chestnuts to get a similar taste and flavor. Before using canned water chestnuts, make sure to wash and rinse them with plenty of water to make them as fresh as possible.

  • Jicama

 

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Jicama, also known as Mexican turnip, is another root vegetable that one can use to substitute water chestnuts when you are making any recipe that requires it. It originates from Mexico but now, its edible tuberous root is common in other places where it is eaten or used to make local recipes. 

The plant is quite recognizable with its flowers which can either be blue or white and its pods that look like peas. The pods are only seen when the plant is fully developed. The main jicama has a thin and dry exterior with a yellow color. The inside is kind of different as it has a creamy white color.  

Jicama has a mildly sweet taste with a nutty flavor and a crispy texture. It can be eaten raw or cooked just like water chestnuts with it still being crunchy either way. Its taste is said to be like a mixture of pear and potato. 

The only thing that makes it quite different from water chestnuts is that jicama contains a higher amount of starch and carbohydrates. This makes it not be a perfect replacement if you liked the fact that water chestnuts have low sugar and carbs.

As for nutritional value, fresh jicama contains about 90% of water, 9% of carbohydrates, and 1% of protein. It is very low in fat just like fresh water chestnuts. It is a great source of vitamin C which is a useful mineral that the human body needs.

When using this, take a cup of jicama in place of one cup of water chestnuts. 

  •  Bamboo shoots

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Bamboo shoots, also known as bamboo sprouts, are the edible shoots that many bamboo species produce when it is fully grown. Over the years, bamboo shoots have been used as a useful ingredient when making local Asian recipes and meals. It is sold in many places around the world and is available in various processed shapes. It can be gotten fresh, canned, or dried. 

Bamboo sprouts are quite similar to water chestnuts as they have the same flavor. It is slightly sweet with a nutty taste and a crunchy texture.

As for nutrition, bamboo shoots are a good source of dietary fiber and other useful vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, etc. It is also low in calories making it weight loss friendly. 

Bamboo shoots can be used to replace water chestnuts when making different recipes like stir-fries, soups, and many more. You can use a cup of bamboo shoots in place of a cup of fresh water chestnuts.

  • Turnips

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White turnip is another substitute for water chestnuts you could try when making different recipes that need water chestnut. It is commonly grown in temperate regions around the world for its fleshy taproot that is used to make different dishes. 

As the name says, white turnips usually have white skin. Sometimes, the skin can be a little purple or red or green due to the sun hitting the taproot. As for the inside, it is totally white.

Turnips have a delicate and slightly sweet flavor with a little bit of spice. It can be eaten raw just like water chestnuts and can also be used as an ingredient for many recipes like salads, soups, etc. If you are looking for a substitute for water chestnuts, turnips are one of the top options that you should consider alongside others on this list.

We’ve gotten to the end of the list of 7 water chestnut substitutes you might want to try when next you have run out of the vegetable and need an alternative. Don’t hesitate to share this article with fellow cooks.

 

In the following section, I will answer some of the most popular and frequently asked questions about water chestnut substitutes.

FAQs About Water Chestnut Substitutes

  • Can I substitute water chestnuts for chestnuts?

No you cannot substitute water chestnuts for chestnuts because they are not related in anyway asides having slightly similar names. Water chestnuts are grown in fields while chestnuts are grown on the chestnut trees. They share very little similarities to warrant substituting one for the other.

  • Can you substitute bamboo shoots for water chestnuts?

Yes, you can substitute bamboo shoots for water chestnuts, though bamboo shoots are slightly nutty, it shares the same flavor as water chestnuts and serves as a great substitute for water chestnuts.

  • What can i substitute for water chestnuts?

Some of the things that can substitute for water chestnuts in almost any recipes are bamboo shoots, turnips, jicama, canned water chestnuts, Jerusalem artichokes and daikon. All these natural ingredients provide a great substitute for water chestnut both nutritionally and in flavors, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

  • What can you substitute for water chestnuts?

You can substitute for water chestnuts with any of these; bamboo shoots, turnips, jicama, canned water chestnuts, Jerusalem artichokes and daikon. All these natural ingredients provide a great substitute for water chestnut both nutritionally and in flavors, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

  • Can i substitute bamboo shoots for water chestnuts?

Yes, you can substitute bamboo shoots for water chestnuts, though bamboo shoots are slightly nutty, it shares the same flavor as water chestnuts and serves as a great substitute for water chestnuts.

  • What can I substitute for water chestnuts in lettuce wraps?

In your lettuce wraps you can substitute for water chestnuts with any of the following bamboo shoots, turnips, jicama, canned water chestnuts, Jerusalem artichokes and daikon. All these natural ingredients provide a great substitute for water chestnut in lettuce wraps both nutritionally and in flavors, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

  • What can I use instead of water chestnuts in spinach dip?

Some of the best substitutes for water chestnuts in spinach dip are bamboo shoots, turnips, jicama, canned water chestnuts, Jerusalem artichokes and daikon. All these natural ingredients provide a great substitute for water chestnut in spinach dip both nutritionally and in flavors.

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