Rich flavors, comforting aromas and versatile pairings—if roasted nuts have a season, we’re in it.
How to Roast Nuts for Snacking
You can roast nuts in the oven, on the stovetop or in the microwave. The only trick is watching them carefully. Nuts go from brown to burned in seconds. For all these methods, spread the nuts in an even, uncrowded layer and remove them from the pan as soon as you take them off the heat. Otherwise, they can continue cooking.
Microwave: Use a glass plate and microwave the nuts in one minute intervals, tossing them between each minute.
Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spread the nuts on a baking sheet. Timing varies from about five minutes for pine nuts to 15 minutes for peanuts. Most nuts take about 12 minutes, but be warned, keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.
Stovetop: Put a dry skillet over medium heat and add the nuts when the pan is hot. Stir them often to prevent burning.
Perfect Nut Pairings
Nuts+Vegetables = a combo made in flavor heaven. Whether in a charcuterie board or as a stand alone dish, these pairings are sure to impress.
Nuts are high in fat and relatively high in protein, meaning that they are ripe for the Maillard reaction, which explains the distinct flavor that comes from browning foods. It’s no wonder the addition of toasted nuts—to vegetables especially—lends substance, mouth feel, umami and satisfaction to leaner, more austere flavors. The classic example is green beans amandine, but there are other great vegetable-nut combinations (a little added butter never hurt anything, either).
• Stir-fry spinach and toss with toasted cashews
• Sprinkle toasted walnuts over roasted
butternut squash
• Mix Brussels sprouts with toasted
hazelnuts
• Garnish cauliflower with toasted pine nuts
• Top sweet potatoes with toasted pecans
