Toasted Walnuts 2 Ways for Snacking & Recipes - Attainable Sustainable® (2024)

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Walnuts are a favorite for stirring into banana bread and baking into cookies; walnuts that have been baked take on a richer, nuttier flavor. You know what I’m talking about. That extra nutty goodness of a walnut that’s been baked into a chocolate chip cookie is so much better than a raw walnut. You can enjoy the flavor of toasted walnuts without the baked goods, though.

Toasted Walnuts 2 Ways for Snacking & Recipes - Attainable Sustainable® (1)

There are two ways to toast walnuts, both of which work very well. Toast them in a skillet on the stove top or pop them in the oven on a baking sheet. Either way, it doesn’t take long to make toasted walnuts at all and the flavor will be much improved. What’s better than a nuttier nut?

My son came in the other day and grabbed a handful. “Hm!” he said. “These are…extra.” When I told him they were toasted, not raw, I got a nod of approval.

No matter which of the following methods you opt to try, you don’t need to add any oil to the pan.

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How to Toast Walnuts

For a small amount of nuts, you can toast them in a skillet or small pan right on the stove. Measure walnuts into a dry skillet — no oil — and cook on medium. When you begin to smell the aroma of roasted nuts, stir the walnuts. Continue cooking until the nuts are toasted on all sides, about 5 minutes.

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Toasted Walnuts in the Oven

This method works well to toast a larger amount of walnuts. Spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place tray in a 350º oven for 5-to-10 minutes or until the walnuts begin to brown. Stir them around occasionally, so they brown evenly. You will smell the aroma of roasting nuts. Be sure to set a timer; they can scorch quickly.

You’ll know they’re done when you see them visibly become slightly darker.

If you’d like, line the baking sheet with parchment paper. This is optional, but it will make cleanup easy.

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Chopping Nuts

You can toast walnuts in large pieces and chop them after they’re toasted, or chop them prior to toasting. Your call! In either case, there are several ways to chop nuts.

In a food processor:Place walnuts in the bowl of the food processor and pulse until nuts are desired size.

In a manual chopper:Place walnuts in the chopper. Don’t fill it more than in inch or so deep, to allow easy chopping.

With a knife:Choose a knife with a slightly curved blade. Place a handful of walnuts on a cutting board, and rock the knife back and forth over the nuts until they are the desired size.

Using Toasted Walnuts

Toasted nuts give an extra flavor pop and crunch to recipes.Try sprinkling toasted walnuts on top of a hot fudge sundae or in your favorite kale salad. They’re a delicious snack eaten right out of hand, too!

Toasted walnuts are keto and paleo diet approved.

Allow the nuts to cool before adding them to recipes. Store extra nuts in an airtight container and use as needed.

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How to Toast Walnuts

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Toasting walnuts is easy — it takes just 10 minutes or so — and results in super flavor perfect for topping waffles, pancakes, salad, or yogurt.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnut pieces

Instructions

Toasting walnuts on the stove top

  1. Measure walnuts into a dry skillet. Cook over medium heat.
  2. When you begin to smell the aroma of roasted nuts, stir the walnuts. Continue cooking until the nuts are toasted on all sides, about 5 minutes.
  3. Turn the hot nuts out onto a plate to cool.

Toasting walnuts in the oven

  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. Spread walnut pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer.
  3. Place tray in oven for 5-to-10 minutes or until they begin to brown and become aromatic.
  4. Turn the hot walnuts out onto a plate to cool.

Using toasted walnuts

  1. Use the walnuts as is, or chop them into smaller pieces. Use a knife and a rocking motion on a cutting board to chop the nuts into the size you need for your recipe.

Notes

Adjust the amount of walnuts to suit your needs, using the skillet method for small amounts and the oven method for larger quantities.

Cool completely, then store toasted pecans in an airtight container for up to a month.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 191Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

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Toasted Walnuts 2 Ways for Snacking & Recipes - Attainable Sustainable® (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to toast walnuts? ›

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts to the hot, dry pan, only toasting as many walnuts as fit in the pan in a single layer. Cook, watching constantly and stirring frequently until the walnuts start to brown and they smell toasted—about 5 minutes.

Should walnuts be toasted before baking? ›

Toasting raw walnuts is generally optional, but it's almost always recommended. The toasting process adds a better taste, golden brown color, nutty aroma, and a delicious crunch. Nuts toast quickly in the oven or on the stovetop, and they add a healthy, gluten free, protein-packed, omega-3 rich element to many recipes.

Can you toast walnuts without oil? ›

Yes! You can roast walnuts plain without any kind of coating, or use just oil if you want to try different spices. It would even work with different varieties of nuts!

How long do toasted walnuts last? ›

If you plan on storing them long-term, you can refrigerate or freeze them for 2 to 3 months. If you store the toasted walnuts at room temperature, keep them in a dark, cool place and use them within 1 week.

Are toasted walnuts still healthy? ›

Both raw and roasted nuts can be a healthy addition to most diets. Both types are a good source of beneficial nutrients such as Vitamin E, manganese, and omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.

What are the 3 ways you can toast nuts or seeds? ›

Enjoy the health benefits of a daily handful of nuts or a couple of tablespoons of seeds by sprinkling them on cereal, yogurt, salads, soups, pasta and vegetables.

Why are my toasted walnuts bitter? ›

That astringent note in walnuts comes from the tannins found in the paper-thin skin that covers the walnut. That bitterness is a perfect counterpoint to all the sweet notes in these rugelach.

What is the best way to eat walnuts? ›

One can soak walnuts overnight to improve their digestibility and nutrition absorption and have them in the morning. Adding them to your smoothies, salads, shakes, chutneys, breakfast cereal, desserts, dalia is also a good idea. "The best time to eat walnuts in summers is in the morning.

Does toasting walnuts destroy nutrients? ›

Both Have a Similar Nutrient Content

Roasting nuts changes their structure and chemical composition. Specifically, it changes their color and decreases their moisture content, giving rise to their crunchy texture (5, 7). Raw and dry-roasted nuts have very similar amounts of fat, carbs and protein.

Can you toast walnuts in an air fryer? ›

Add 1 cup raw nut of your choice to the basket of a 6-quart air fryer or 6- to 7-inch-long heat-safe baking dish or cake pan (if needed). Cook at 300 degrees F until golden brown and toasted, giving the basket or baking dish a good shake halfway through, according to the timing below.

Do you use oil when toasting nuts? ›

You don't need any oil because the nuts and seeds that you are toasting naturally have a lot of oil in them. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan and pour the nuts on top. Spread them out so that they are in a single layer.

How many walnuts should you eat in a day? ›

A serving of walnuts is roughly 1 ounce, or about ¼ cup. However, some studies suggest eating 1.5 to 2 ounces may be beneficial to reap the health benefits walnuts offer. With this in mind, and considering walnuts are calorically dense, Kalloo recommends aiming for a handful daily to reap their many health benefits.

Can you eat nuts 2 years out of date? ›

A: Nuts can't expire; however, they can change in taste or go rancid. Nuts contain much-unsaturated fat, an oil that makes nuts likely to go rancid. Nuts spoil faster when exposed to light, air, or heat.

Do you chop walnuts before toasting? ›

Always toast your nuts whole and then chop if chopping is needed. Toasted nuts actually chop easier than raw anyway. To oven toast, heat your oven to 400 degrees and put a rack in the upper third of the oven. Lay your nuts in an even layer in a sheet pan.

Should I toast nuts in pan or oven? ›

Most of the time, we like to toast nuts in the oven. Why? Because the dry, indirect heat the oven offers will toast the nuts more evenly than a skillet will. Using a skillet might trim a few minutes off your cook time, but the heat is uneven.

Is it better to bake walnuts raw or roasted? ›

Walnuts have a mild, buttery flavor that makes them perfect for baking into cookies and cakes. They have a high oil content, so they tend to toast much faster than other varieties. Because of this, it's best to use raw walnuts to prevent them from burning during the baking process.

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