Roasted Nuts Recipe - 4 Ways (2024)

FAQs

What is the best method for roasting nuts? ›

It may seem counterintuitive to soak your nuts before you roast them, when the goal is a crunchy cashew. But some experts swear by this trick to give your cashews extra flavor, as well as helping them be more digestible.

Because the dry, indirect heat the oven offers will toast the nuts more evenly than a skillet will.

Pour 1 cup of whichever nuts or seeds you want to toast onto an unlined, rimmed sheet pan—but not a combination of several kinds; again, they won't all toast at the same speed. Drizzle the nuts with 1 tablespoon oil (I often use olive oil, but grapeseed or avocado oil will also do the trick).

To get the spices to stick to the nuts, use egg whites, butter, coconut oil, olive oil or blanch the nuts in boiling water. Some recipes call for nuts to be fried in oil prior to seasoning, but this adds unnecessary fat – you can make them just a delicious without all the extra calories.

For example, flax seeds turn into a mucilaginous goo in water, and brazil nuts don't always soak well due to their high fat content. Peanuts can also be soaked, however I didn't include them as they should be consumed sparingly due to inflammatory and allergenic potential.

Just as with grains and legumes, soaking nuts is essential for proper digestions. When eating nuts that haven't been soaked, the phytic acid binds to minerals in the gastrointestinal tract and can not be absorbed in the intestine and to many bound minerals can lead to mineral deficiencies.

Two teaspoons sea salt to 4 cups nuts is a good rule of thumb. I don't usually measure this, but just toss some in and it is always fine. Be sure that nuts stay submerged throughout the soaking process. Then simply drain, rinse and spread nuts on a baking sheet to dry in 150 degree oven over night.

However, roasting nuts may damage their healthy fat, reduce their nutrient content and lead to the formation of a harmful substance called acrylamide.

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.

Are roasted and toasted nuts the same? ›

Roasted, for me, means you cook them in the oven, and toasted means you cook the nuts on the stove top. I see both words used interchangeably online, though. I use both methods, depending on whether I need to roast a few nuts or a lot, and how quickly I need them.

How to do it: Spread nuts in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or in a smaller baking pan). Bake in the center of a preheated 325°F oven, stirring to redistribute nuts every 5 minutes or so. Keep your eyes peeled and your nose on alert: Nuts in the oven can quickly go from just right to burned.

Which nuts are good for roasting? Well…all of them! Just be gentler with softer nuts like pecans, walnuts, and pistachios. They will cook faster in about five minutes.

Regular olive oil, due to its higher smoke point, is better suited for roasting at high temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point and may impart a slightly bitter taste when exposed to high heat.

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.

In the end, roasting temperature and duration can have a big impact. If nuts are roasted at a low-to-medium temperature of about 284°F (140°C) for approximately 15 minutes, vitamin loss is kept to a minimum, healthy fats are unharmed and acrylamide is less likely to form.

Less Salt and Seasonings: When almonds are roasted and seasoned in their shells, the actual nut inside often absorbs less salt or other seasonings compared to shelled almonds. This can be a better option for those watching their sodium intake. Slower Consumption: Cracking open the shells slows down your eating pace.

There are two ways to roast nuts with oil. Batch oil roasting: With this method, nuts go into a stainless-steel basket and are cooked in hot oil in a machine similar to a chip fryer. Continuous roasting: Nuts travel through roasters continuously via a mesh conveyor system.