When you toast nuts, it enhances the taste by bringing forward the nutty, sweet, and buttery flavors with a crunchier finish. All of that certainly stands out compared to raw nuts straight out of the bag, but there’s one mishap that can ruin all of those perks before your snack is even tossed in the serving bowl — the temperature at which you toast the nuts. It’s an important step to get right from the start.
Perhaps the most foolproof technique to toast nearly any popular type of nut in a skillet at home is to start with a cold and dry pan. It might sound odd to start with no temperature when you want to toast nuts, but you should trust the process. The idea is that as the pan warms over low heat, the toasted nuts will cook in a more controlled manner so that they don’t get burnt. It should take less than 10 minutes for the raw nuts to toast to perfection. You’ll know the nuts are ready when the aroma emits from the pan. Still, carefully toss the nuts periodically throughout the process and keep an eye on any burning in case parts of your burner are hotter than others.
Additional temperature tricks when toasting nuts with other techniques in your kitchen
If you toss the nuts in a piping-hot pan, it’s a risk that the nuts will burn before the natural oils are released and present those flavors mentioned. You can use medium heat if you want to toast the nuts more quickly, but they should still start in a cold pan to allow for even browning.
If you don’t have a pan handy, there are still other ways to make toasted nuts. Toast them in the oven on a baking sheet, but stick to a low temperature of around 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 to 15 minutes. It’s also important to not forget to toss the nuts halfway through the cooking time. This will ensure even cooking throughout the process.
There are many other tips you can use to toast nuts at home. Start with fresh, raw nuts so that they have the chance to let the natural flavors shine. Always use lower heat, as nuts that are roasted at too high heat might burn, and any herbs or oils on the outside can go to waste. It’s also important not to overcrowd the skillet or pan, so that the toasted nuts cook evenly at the low temperature. Looking for another way to step up your roasting game? You can use them in a dish like this roasted almonds with crispy herbs recipe to fully enjoy them.
