Bold herb flavor with just the right amount of sweet and spicy, Herb Roasted Nuts have it all. They’re perfect for everything from snack time to homemade gifts for the holidays!
Have you ever eaten something in a restaurant and immediately feel a need to recreate it so you can have it all the time? Good, I was hoping I wasn’t the only one.
I was at a restaurant about an hour north of where I live to meet a college friend for wine and nibbles. Much like Tex-Mex restaurants bringing out chips and salsa, this particular restaurant brought out little dishes of these amazing roasted nuts. They were warm, a little sweet, a little spicy, with a deep savory flavor full of herbs.
I knew I had to recreate it so I could have it whenever I wanted (not only when I had time to schlep an hour north to the restaurant…and what if they closed?!), so that’s exactly what I did.
Key Ingredients
The main players in Herb Roasted Nuts:
- Mixed Nuts – You want to use raw, unroasted nuts if possible. I’ve used roasted/salted nuts in the past, and while it’s workable, they are quite a bit more oily than when using raw nuts. If all you can find are pre-roasted nuts, I would cut the amount of oil in this recipe in half.
- Rosemary – In this recipe, I call for dried, powdered rosemary because as a powder, I find it a little easier to distribute evenly when I mix, but also it packs SO much more flavor.
The Process
In a nutshell (AH HA…terrible, I know), this recipe is as follows:
- Gather ingredients
- Measure and dump all ingredients in a large bowl
- Mix well
- Roast
- Cool
- Consume
It’s that easy.
Sweet and Savory Herb Roasted Nuts
Ingredients
- 4 cup raw, unroasted nuts
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp rosemary finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried powdered rosemary optional
- 1 Tbsp rubbed sage
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet and spread evenly.
- Bake for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and toasted.
- Cool before serving or storing.
Recipe Notes:
- What kind of nuts can I use? You can also play around with the type of nut you utilize in this recipe. Pecans and walnuts really lend themselves to this recipe, their craggy surfaces hold on to the seasonings really well! But if you want to make a batch using only cashews, peanuts or pistachios, knock yourself out. Just be sure to keep an eye on the roasting as changing the type of nut may impact the cooking time.
- I can’t find powdered rosemary…what do I do? If you’re unable to find a powdered rosemary, I’d suggest getting some dried rosemary and sending it for a spin in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. If you are unable to grind up your own (or just don’t want to – I totally get it), then increase the amount of fresh rosemary by at least double. You still may need to add a bit more depending on your tastes and how strongly flavored the fresh rosemary is.
- I like more than a “hint of spice”…can I adjust the seasonings? This recipe is VERY flexible so feel free to customize it to your tastes. I like upping the sweetness and adding baking spices in the fall, and I like hitting the rosemary hard in the spring with a little extra heat.
- How long can I store this? Sweet and Savory Herb Roasted Nuts will keep for about 5-7 days in an airtight container.
Finishing Touches
Sweet and Savory Herb Roasted Nuts make a great snack, but are great for other applications as well:
- Holiday Goodie Bags/Homemade Gifts
- Parties/Gatherings
- Meal Prepping (easy on-the-go item for savory breakfast, lunch or snack)
- Salad Topping
- Use in other recipes such as a nut-crusted fish or chicken
- At-Home Happy Hour Nibbles
Enjoy!