For The Easiest Toasted Nuts, Pop Them In The Air Fryer
Whether you're eating nuts as a snack or incorporating them into recipes, toasting them boosts their taste to another level. The heat brings out and deepens nuts' flavor in a matter of minutes. The most common ways to toast nuts at home are in the oven or a skillet. But while there are some things you should never put in an air fryer, Vivian Villa, chef and founder of Villa's Authentic Sauces and UnButter, told The Takeout it's the best way to toast nuts.
Villa shared, "Toasting nuts in an air fryer is ideal since the hot air is circulated evenly around the inside of the unit, toasting the nuts evenly." An oven takes longer, and it's common for nuts toasted in stovetop skillets to be irregularly browned and burn easily. She explained: "Toasting on the stove requires constant watching and stirring to toast evenly, since the heat source is only on the pan."
Villa said to use the air fryer's instructions as a guide for toasting temperature and time in the fryer, but that times will vary according to the size of the nuts, and can range from a low of two minutes for a pine nut to 10 minutes for the largest ones. Online recipes for air frying nuts are in the 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit range. She also had some pointers: "Overfilling of the basket will result in uneven roasting and longer time due to restricted air flow. Also, the nuts should be stirred half way through cook time to ensure even toasting throughout the batch."
Air frying different kinds of nuts
While toasting time won't be the same for all nuts, there's no restriction on what you can use. "Any nut can be toasted once a set time and temp has been determined (do a small test batch). Larger, sturdy nuts (filberts, Brazil nuts, walnuts) require longer toasting time [and] therefore are less fickle than smaller nuts that can burn more easily," said Villa. Among other common nuts, macadamias and pine nuts will tend to toast quickest. Almonds are among the larger nuts that take longer, while cashews, peanuts, and pecans (want to test your strength? Shell them by hand with one trick) are in the middle.
The nuts should be arranged in an even single layer in the air fryer basket, following one of the basic rules for using your air fryer to the fullest. Arrange smaller nuts that could fall through the holes on a parchment paper lining. Toast the nuts whole first if you need them chopped. The smaller, uneven pieces will be more likely to burn if you chop them before air frying. Once the nuts are golden brown, put them on a baking sheet to cool completely. Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, or freeze them for up to four months.
For extra oomph, nuts flavored with savory, sweet, or spicy seasoning blends can also be toasted in the air fryer. Just toss them with olive oil or butter and the seasonings before putting them in the machine.