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

FAQs

What is the best way to toast walnuts? ›

Toasting nuts brings out their earthiness and minimizes any bitterness in raw nuts.

The stove top method is much faster, but you also don't get the more even cooking of the oven method. If you have time (or large quantities of walnuts) to toast, I'd suggest the oven method. But the stove top method will work just fine when you need to speed things up.

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.

– Raw nuts contain natural enzymes that can aid digestion. “nu*ts such as walnuts and pecans can be enjoyed raw to derive their full nutritional benefits. The heat from roasting can compromise the omega-3 fatty acids in these nuts, which are integral for heart health and brain function,” added Sisodia.

Walnuts keep best in the fridge or freezer. It's worth noting that toasted nuts are a bit more perishable than raw. Shelf life varies considerably, so it's best to judge freshness by taste and smell. If they lose their sweetness and begin to smell “off,” they're likely rancid and should be thrown out.

Heat used during roasting nuts can slightly reduce their levels of antioxidants and vitamins. Roasting may also damage some of their healthy fats. Further, if stored improperly in heat or exposed to sun for too long, these fats can get rancid which will give the nuts an unpleasant taste and smell.

Astringent, mouth-puckering taste…

This is because when soaking walnuts, the tannins are rinsed away, leaving behind a softer, more buttery nut. The soak water from nuts and seeds should always be discarded and never used as water in a recipe. Be sure to rinse the nuts well after soaking them.

One last thing to keep in mind is that if a recipe calls for chopped nuts, it's best to toast them whole so they are the same size and will cook more evenly. Then you can chop them as desired. (Warm nuts are easier to chop by hand while they are still soft because they harden as they cool.

Walnuts are tasty and healthy, but you should eat them carefully. Eating a hundred grams of walnuts will add 654 calories to your daily intake. This will make it difficult to include enough foods from the other major food groups in your diet.

Should you toast nuts whole or chopped? ›

Don't chop: Begin with whole, raw nuts. If your recipe calls for toasted chopped nuts, roast them whole, if possible. Chopped bits will cook unevenly, due to the differing sizes, and some pieces will likely burn. Just a few burned bits can ruin your entire batch.

Place walnuts in boiling water for five minutes to remove bitter taste. Remove from water and drain, then run cold water over the walnuts.

Best Methods for Toasting Nuts

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.

Tip: Despite what you might have heard or read online, nuts don't need to be sprayed with oil before toasting; they naturally contain enough oil to brown nicely on their own.

You toast nuts on a cookie sheet [or sheet pan] in a preheated oven set on a low heat*. The low heat is crucial because nuts burn both easily and quickly. I toast nuts at 250 F. This is a low temperature, but I find that the higher I set the temperature, the higher the chances of burning the nuts.