Toasting nuts is one of the most underrated yet challenging tasks in the kitchen. The flavor transformation that takes place is unparalleled. But let's just say, it's not exactly difficult to accidentally burn your nuts in the toasting process. I'm a culinary school graduate who cooks professionally in restaurants and in people's homes, and still, I've managed to incinerate more than my fair share of nuts while toasting. It's the worst.
However, stuff happens in the kitchen — and the only way to become a better cook is to make mistakes and learn from them. As someone who has burned countless batches of nuts (smoke alarms have been set off in the process), I can confidently say that I have mastered the art of toasting them to golden-brown perfection. Here's how the magic happens.
Best Methods for Toasting Nuts
Toasting nuts is an art form that (I believe) is most successfully accomplished in the oven. Almost every nut I have ever attempted to toast in a dry skillet on the stovetop ends up with a burnt exterior and completely raw, un-toasted interior. No matter how patient you are and how low you keep your heat, the skillet method regularly yields an uneven and improperly toasted nut. I'm sorry to say it, but if you want pristine roasty-toasty nuts, you're going to have to turn your oven on.
Using the oven to toast your nuts is ideal because an oven provides uniform, even heat, which means that the nuts are going to be toasted from the inside out. Nothing burnt on the outsides and nothing raw on the inside. Grab a sheet pan (if you're not toasting many nuts, this would be a great time to whip out your quarter sheet pan) and spread your un-toasted nuts in a single layer across it. Unlike many other food items that go onto a sheet pan, you don't need to worry too much about overcrowding with nuts. As long as it's only one layer of nuts, you're good to go.
The key to an oven-toasted nut is a low heat. I would recommend preheating your oven to a mild 300 degrees F. This way, the nuts will toast evenly throughout instead of the outsides taking on color before the insides even have a chance to warm up. After all, what's the point of toasting your nuts if only a portion of the nut is actually going to get toasted?
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How Long To Toast Nuts
Now, let's talk about timing. Because your oven is at a lower heat, you have a pretty large margin of error here. Unlike toasting your nuts in a hot skillet, where nuts can go from delightfully golden-brown to irreparably burnt in less than 30 seconds, the oven allows for some wiggle room.
The chef-like thing to say here would be, "nose knows," which is the idea that you will smell your beautifully toasted nuts when they're ready to go, and your culinary instincts will kick in at the exact moment that it's time to pull the nuts from the oven. However, I have been burned (pun intended) one too many times by this strategy to continue using it. Set a timer. Just do it.
The amount of time that it will take to toast your nuts depends on the type of nut that you're toasting, how many nuts you're toasting, and the strength of your oven. Start with 15 minutes. If you're toasting a smaller nut variety, like pine nuts, they might be done around that time, but if you're working with something larger like pecans or walnuts, it could take another 10 to 15 minutes. I prefer to toast whole nuts because chopped nuts vary in size and you run the risk of burning the smaller pieces. It's all about uniformity, people.
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Tips for Toasting Nuts in the Oven
You know the nuts are done toasting when your whole kitchen has a subtly nutty, toasted scent (so yes, a nose knows, but a timer certainly helps). It's also a good idea to cut a nut in half and see what the inside looks like. If it's pale and raw, then the batch probably needs more time. But if it's a light brown hue, you're looking at a nut that has been toasted from the core to its surface. And if you're not quite sure, save a raw nut and taste your toasted one next to the raw one. It should have a toasty, buttery depth of flavor that the raw one doesn't come close to delivering.
Sure, this method may not be as quick as toasting them in a skillet, but the results are far superior. Toast your nuts in large batches so you don't have to do this every time you want to incorporate a toasted nut into whatever you're cooking. After the toasted nuts have cooled down, store them in an airtight container. You can store them with your dry goods, but they'll keep even longer if you store them in the fridge. If you're sick of throwing away burnt nuts that you forgot about on the stove, this is the only method to achieve consistent, perfectly toasted results.
