Dry Roasted Peanuts
These dry roasted peanuts are an addictive snack. They don’t require oil or frying, which makes them an easy and healthy snack. Plus, there are many different flavors to experiment with!
Peanuts are both a healthy and quick snack! There are many different methods of preparation. Some of the most common ways to cook peanuts are frying or roasting, both of which require oil. Dry roasted peanuts are similar to roasted peanuts, but no oil is used. So, this makes the peanuts even healthier. Oil is typically used to help the seasonings stick to the peanuts. Since this recipe does not use oil, the seasonings are mixed in hot water to help them stick.
In addition to different cooking methods, there are many different flavor combinations. For example, I’ve included the following:
- Curried peanuts
- Five-spice peanuts
- Garlic peanuts
- Sour plum (suan mei) peanuts
My family’s favorite is the sour plum powder peanuts because it is a great combination of sweet and savory. Feel free to experiment with all different flavors for an endless variety of spiced peanuts/flavored peanuts! You can try making Asian peanuts or western peanuts.
Have unshelled peanuts? Here is a way to make those!
Dry Roasted Peanuts (Microwave and Oven)
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw peanuts, shelled (~300 grams)
- 2 tsp hot water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp seasoning of choice (e.g. garlic powder, curry powder, five spice, etc.) more or less to taste *Note 1
Instructions
- To the hot water, add the salt and your seasoning of choice. Mix until the salt has completely dissolved.
- Mix in the peanuts thoroughly so that the seasoning is well distributed.
- Roast the peanuts using one of the following methods. I recommend using the oven for ease and better flavor.
Oven Roasted Peanuts
- Bake at 325 F for 12-20 minutes, flipping halfway through to promote even browning. Keep an eye on the peanuts to make sure they are not browning too quickly. **Note 2
- Once the peanuts are fragrant and nicely toasted, immediately remove them from the oven to prevent burning.
Microwave Peanuts
- Note that the following microwave cooking times are flexible depending on how powerful your microwave is. The more powerful the microwave, the more you should shorten the cooking times to prevent charring/burning.
- Microwave the peanuts for the following times, mixing after each time: 2:30 minutes, 2 minutes, 1:30 minutes, 30 seconds. At the end, the peanuts should be toasted and fragrant.
Notes
- Seasonings: There are many different seasonings that you can experiment with. You can either go sweet or savory. Some options include:
- Savory: garlic powder, curry powder, five spice, furikake
- Sweet: suan mei powder (Chinese sour plum powder), cinnamon sugar, etc.
- Cook time: The amount of time required to roast the peanuts can vary based on what kind of seasoning you use. Seasonings with sugar will promote quicker browning compared to those without.
How to Make Dry Roasted Peanuts
To the hot water, add the salt and your seasoning of choice. Mix until the salt has completely dissolved. Mix in the peanuts thoroughly so that the seasoning is well distributed.
Roast the peanuts using one of the following methods. I recommend using the oven for ease and better flavor.
Baked Peanuts (Recommended)
Bake at 325 F for 12-20 minutes, flipping halfway through to promote even browning. Keep an eye on the peanuts to make sure they are not browning too quickly.
Once the peanuts are fragrant and nicely toasted, immediately remove them from the oven to prevent burning.
Microwave Peanuts
Note that the following microwave cooking times are flexible depending on how powerful your microwave is. The more powerful the microwave, the more you should shorten the cooking times to prevent charring.
Microwave the peanuts for the following times, mixing after each time: 2:30 minutes, 2 minutes, 1:30 minutes, 30 seconds.
