8 Ways to Roast Walnuts

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Roasted walnuts have a richer and stronger flavor than raw walnuts. While roasting peeled walnuts is generally preferred because of the difficulty of peeling the walnuts afterward, roasted walnuts still with the skin on can often retain more of the walnut's natural flavour. Here we will describe several ways to roast walnuts, both peeled and still with the skin on.

Step

Method 1 of 8: Baking in the oven (peeled walnuts)

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (191 degrees Celsius)

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Oil spray can also be used as an alternative.

Step 2. Spread the walnuts on the baking sheet in a single layer

Ideally, peeled walnuts will be divided into two or four parts. Whole walnuts won't roast evenly, while walnut chunks smaller than a quarter of the way in can be toasted too quickly and burnt. The walnuts should be laid out in a single layer to ensure they ripen evenly.

Step 3. Roast walnuts until browned

At the above oven temperature, walnuts should only need to bake for 5 to 10 minutes, especially if they are in smaller pieces. Check the walnuts after the first 5 minutes to make sure they haven't started to burn. You can also flip the walnuts over with a heat-resistant spatula so that they brown evenly.

Step 4. Remove the walnuts from the oven and let them cool

After the walnuts emit a distinctive roasted aroma, it means the walnuts are ripe. Remove the walnuts from the oven and transfer from the pan to a heatproof plate or bowl until the walnuts are cool. You can enjoy your walnuts while they are still warm or at room temperature, but you should at least wait until the walnuts are no longer hot to the touch.

Method 2 of 8: Stove roasting (peeled walnuts)

Step 1. Heat a large skillet

Place the skillet on the stove and heat it over medium-high heat. You need to use dry heat, namely by roasting, because the fat and oil in walnuts is enough to roast them. That way, you don't have to add any oil spray, grease, or butter to the pan.

Step 2. Pour the walnuts into the pan

Peeled walnuts roast best if you divide them into halves or quarters, but since you can more easily monitor the roasting process on the stove, you can also divide them into smaller pieces if you prefer. Try to keep the walnuts in a single layer to allow for even cooking.

Step 3. Stir the walnuts frequently

Stirring the walnuts allows each seed or piece to be exposed to heat for about the same time, so you'll get walnuts that roast more evenly and burn fewer walnuts. It's best to stir constantly, but you can leave the walnuts for a while as long as you're still watching them.

Step 4. Roast until browned

The roasting process will only take about 5 minutes, but may be faster if you use small walnut pieces. Once ripe, the walnuts will turn a darker brown color and give off the characteristic aroma of roasted walnuts.

Step 5. Remove from heat

Immediately remove the walnuts from the pan as soon as the walnuts are cooked. Otherwise, the walnuts will continue to roast as the pan is still hot. Transfer the walnuts to a heatproof bowl or plate and allow to cool to your desired serving temperature.

Method 3 of 8: Microwave roasting (peeled walnuts)

Step 1. Place the walnuts in a microwave-safe glass bowl

A microwave-safe pie plate or bowl is best for this method, but any container marked as microwave safe will do. Add enough walnuts to cover the bottom of the plate, in a single layer. Use walnuts that have been cut into halves or quarters to ensure the best possible roasting.

Step 2. Microwave on high heat setting for 1 minute

Check the walnuts to make sure none of them are charred. Stir using a heat-resistant spatula to make sure each walnut is evenly cooked. If your microwave doesn't have a rotating tray, turn the walnut-filled pan 180 degrees before continuing.

Step 3. Continue to roast the walnuts for one minute on high heat

Smell the walnuts to see if the walnuts are ripe. If roasted in the microwave, the walnuts won't turn brown, but the roasted aroma will still be there.

Step 4. Microwave again at intervals of every 20 seconds if necessary

This isn't usually necessary after the walnuts have roasted for the first 2 minutes, but it may be necessary for a sizable piece of walnut.

Step 5. Allow the walnuts to cool slightly before serving

Eating it straight out of the microwave can cause your mouth to burn from the heat.

Method 4 of 8: Preparing the walnuts (with the skin on)

Step 1. Check the walnut shell or shell for cracks or holes

While it may be tempting to choose walnuts that have cracks in their shells to make them easier to peel after roasting, skins that have cracks or holes will not protect the walnuts so much that they are more likely to go rancid or lose some of their original flavor.

Step 2. Wash the walnuts

While heat will likely kill most contaminants on walnut shells, using cleaned walnuts is always more hygienic. Clean the walnuts by rinsing them with warm water. If you notice dirt sticking to it, gently scrub the walnut shells with a vegetable brush. Allow the walnuts to air dry before roasting.

Step 3. Make small "x" shaped cuts on the walnut shells

Using a sharp serrated knife, make a small "x" cut on one side of the walnut. One of the main reasons why people usually remove walnut shells before roasting is because the skin is a little harder to peel after heating. To make it easier to peel the walnut shells, cut an "x" into the shell before you start baking.

Method 5 of 8: Baking in the oven (with the skin on)

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius)

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Oil spray can also be used as an alternative.

Step 2. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on the baking sheet

To ensure the walnuts roast evenly, you should spread them in only one layer, so that they don't pile up. It will also help to give the walnuts a little distance, but the walnuts will still cook evenly even when they are in contact with each other. For best results, place the walnut so the "x" on the shell is facing up. These marks don't need to be completely upright, but they shouldn't be covered by baking sheets or other walnuts.

Step 3. Bake walnuts for 10 minutes

The walnuts should continue to roast until they are fragrant and slightly darker in color. The skin should also start to crack slightly open at the "x" mark. You may need to roast the walnuts for 15 minutes, but they generally cook a little faster with the skin on, so 10 minutes is usually enough.

Step 4. Stir in the walnuts in the middle

It's not necessary, but stirring the walnuts will help ensure even and thorough cooking. Use a spatula to stir them as the walnuts and the baking sheet will be too hot to touch with your hands. Make sure that the "x" on each walnut is still visible and not covered.

Method 6 of 8: Grilling on the stove (with the skin on)

Step 1. Heat a large dry skillet

The skillet should be heated over medium-high heat. Preheat the pan for five minutes or so to make sure it's hot enough. Do not use oil or oil spray, as the walnuts themselves already contain enough oil to ripen them. Even so, it would be better if you still use a non-stick frying pan.

Step 2. Put the walnuts in the pan

The beans should be roasted or roasted in a single layer, and it is not recommended to roast them in large batches which can form a layered pile. It's generally good to start with as many walnuts as possible with the "x" facing up, but this is not necessary, as the walnut position will not last long that way.

Step 3. Stir the walnuts frequently

After the first two minutes, start stirring the walnuts. Walnuts can be left unstirred for every 30 second or so intervals, but often must be stirred continuously to ensure even and thorough roasting. Use a heat-resistant spatula to stir it.

Step 4. Remove walnuts from heat after 10 minutes

The walnut roasting process may take a little longer or a little shorter depending on how hot the pan is from the stove fire. Once the walnuts begin to brown and become very fragrant, they are ready to be removed. You should also pour the walnuts out of the pan because the walnuts can continue to roast in them even after they have been removed from the stove, due to the still hot pan.

Method 7 of 8: Microwave Baking (with the skin on)

Step 1. Fill a microwave-safe pie plate with a layer of walnuts

Any microwave-safe dish will work, but this pie plate is especially useful because it has higher walls or sides, like a flat bowl. Keep the walnuts in a single layer for even roasting and make sure the "x" mark on each walnut is not covered by other walnuts or facing downwards.

Step 2. Bake walnuts in 1 minute intervals until cooked

Walnuts should be roasted on full power, and will usually take several intervals to ripen. The walnut shells won't get as darker in color as they would if they were roasted in the oven or on the stove, but they will smell good and start to open a little at the "x" section.

Step 3. Stir the walnuts between roasting intervals

Stirring will allow the walnuts to roast evenly. Also keep as much of the "x" visible as you can after you stir, but if the mark isn't visible, because it's facing downwards or being blocked by other walnuts, the walnuts will still roast without much of a problem.

Method 8 of 8: Peeling the skin (walnuts with skin)

Step 1. Let the walnuts cool a bit

Roasted walnuts taste best when served warm, so you don't have to let them cool to room temperature. However, walnuts will be hot after you've finished roasting them, so handling or eating them right away can cause burns. Wait until the beans are cool enough to hold comfortably.

Step 2. Peel the corners of the "x"

"The walnut shells should start to peel slightly at the "x" as they bake. Use your fingers to grip the corners and firmly peel off the softened skin. The walnut shells may still be a little difficult to peel, but can usually come off with just your fingers..

Step 3. Use an opener or nutcracker only when necessary

If the walnut shell is still too tough or hard to peel, crack it gently with a nutcracker as with raw walnuts. However, apply pressure carefully, as roasted walnuts tend to be a bit softer than raw walnuts and will break or crumble more easily.

Step 4. Rub the walnuts with a towel

[4] You can use a clean washcloth or tissue. Rub it over the nuts using short but quick motions to remove the bitter skin.

Step 5. Serve warm

You can also store roasted walnuts in the refrigerator or freezer if necessary, but most people prefer the taste of warm roasted walnuts over cold ones.