Toasted walnuts are crunchier and nuttier: you can taste the difference! Use them as a garnish for salads, veggies, or desserts. Here’s how to toast walnuts.
If you’re not making toasted walnuts: start now! Toasting does two things for a nut: it makes it crunchier and it brings out its nutty flavor. Try a raw walnut vs one that’s toasted, and you can immediately taste the difference! Alex and I always make time to toast walnuts if we’re using them as a pancake topping or to throw on a salad. There are two major ways to do it, each with pros and cons — but both easy! Here’s how to toast walnuts: two ways.
Want more ideas for walnuts? Try these 10 Tasty Walnut Recipes.
Toasted walnuts: on the stove
Make toasted walnuts on the stove when you have a small quantity of nuts and want to make them quickly.
- Pros: This method is so fast: it takes only 5 minutes!
- Drawbacks: Toasting nuts on the stovetop can cook unevenly. You can also only fit about 1 cup in a skillet.
- Basic stove method (go to recipe): Place the nuts in a dry skillet: don’t add oil! Heat over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Do not leave the stove because the nuts can burn very easily. (We know from experience!)
How to toast walnuts: in the oven
Make toasted walnuts in the oven when you have time to preheat the oven! This method is also nice for quantities of walnuts that are larger than 1 cup.
- Advantages: This method cooks the nuts more evenly than the stovetop method, and you can cook lots of nuts at once.
- Drawbacks: You’ll need to wait for the oven to preheat: about 10 to 15 minutes!
- Basic oven method (go to recipe): Preheat to 350 degrees and bake the nuts on a baking sheet about 7 to 8 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Again, don’t leave the oven because they can burn easily.
Ways to use toasted walnuts
Add a handful of toasted walnuts to a recipe to add a nutty crunch! They’re a versatile nut and work with both savory and sweet foods. Top them on a salad, sandwich or roasted vegetables. Or, go sweet with oatmeal, pancakes, or an ice cream sundae.
- Sandwiches: This Pear & Walnut Sandwich is even better with toasted nuts.
- Salad: A handful of toasted walnuts are perfect on Cabbage Apple Salad, Arugula Beet Salad, Grape & Walnut Salad, Spinach Apple Salad, Strawberry Summer Salad, or French Lentil Salad.
- Veggies: Add a sprinkle on Lemony Green Beans or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
- Pancakes or Waffles: Use them to top Banana Pancakes, Sour Cream Pancakes or Fluffy Gluten Free Waffles.
- Oatmeal: Toasted walnuts & bananas on Best Oatmeal or Instant Pot Oatmeal? Yes please.
- Desserts: They’re great over ice cream or with berries and whipped cream.
Storage info
Once you’ve got those toasted walnuts (and your kitchen smells amazing), you can use them immediately! Here’s how to store leftovers, if you have them:
- Cool fully and place in a sealed container. We use a small glass container with lid.
- Store at room temp for 1 week OR
- Store refrigerated for 2 months.
- Freeze to extend the life even further, up to 6 months or more.
Another use for leftover toasted nuts? Make Homemade Nut Butter!
Walnuts nutrition
Eating walnuts is not just delicious: it’s good for you too! Walnuts are (source):
- Good source of protein and fiber. Walnuts have lots of plant based protein and fiber (good for staying full). One handful (1 ounce) has 4 grams protein and 2 grams fiber.
- High in omega-3s. They’re also a great source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid (2.5 grams).
How to Toast Walnuts
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
Toasted walnuts are crunchier and nuttier: you can taste the difference! Use them as a garnish for salads, veggies, or desserts. Here’s how to toast walnuts.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole walnuts or walnut pieces (or any quantity; for any more than 1 cup use the oven method)
Instructions
- Stovetop method: Place the nuts in a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat. Heat, shaking the pan and stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the nuts are fragrant and slightly darker brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stay at the stove because the nuts can easily burn! Remove immediately from the heat and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.
- Oven method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 7 to 8 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker brown, stirring once. Do not stray far from the oven, since the nuts can go from toasted to burned quickly. Remove immediately and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.
- Use immediately. Or, allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week and refrigerated at least 2 months. (You also can extend the life by freezing nuts.)
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Nuts
- Diet: Vegan
Keywords: Toasted walnuts, How to toast walnuts
More toasted recipes!
Nuts and seeds taste better toasted! Here are all our our methods on how to toast nuts and seeds (and even bread):
