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

FAQs

What is the best way to toast walnuts? ›

Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (for an even easier clean-up), and toast nuts for 5–10 minutes, checking frequently and gently stirring to rotate them halfway through. Let cool before handling.

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.

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.

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.

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. Toast them for added flavor. You can toast them using your microwave, oven or stove-top.

Nuts with higher fat content, like walnuts and pecans can also go rancid after a few months if stored at too warm a temperature. If you notice that your nuts have taken on a noticeably bitter, sour flavor, they may have entered this unfortunate phase.

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.

Soaking the nuts before roasting breaks down a lot of the phytic acid in the nuts. Phytic acid is something found in almost all plant foods. When we consume phytic acid, it binds to other minerals (making phytates) in our body making them undigestible.

HOW TO STORE WALNUTS. If you buy walnuts in sealed packaging, you can store the walnuts in their original packaging in the refrigerator or freezer. Once you open the bag, transfer the walnuts to an airtight container to maintain freshness and then place them back in the refrigerator or freezer.

When should you throw out walnuts? ›

You can tell walnuts are turning old if they are rubbery or shriveled. They have turned rancid if they have a strange odor similar to paint thinner. Throw away rancid walnuts! Store shelled or unshelled walnuts safely in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

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

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.

Toasting nuts brings out their earthiness and minimizes any bitterness in raw nuts. In just a few minutes, nuts will go from pale, somewhat waxy, and mild in flavor and smell, to golden brown, rich-tasting, and with intensity and delicious aroma that adds a whole new level of flavor to any dish.