How to Toast Nuts and Seeds
Raw nuts and seeds contain raw moisture that dulls their flavor. Applying gentle, direct heat dries them out and awakens the volatile aromatics hidden inside.
Do not walk away from the stove.
Nuts can move from toasted to burnt in the final thirty seconds of cooking. Keep your eyes on the pan and your hand on the spatula.
- Heavy-bottomed stainless steel or cast iron skillet
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
What goes in.
- 1 cupraw nuts or seeds of your choice
Trust your nose over the clock
The moment you can smell the toasting nut from a few feet away, it is ready. If you wait for the color to turn dark brown, you have likely waited too long.
The method.
Prepare the pan
Place your skillet over medium-low heat. Do not add oil or butter; the nuts contain enough fat on their own.
Add the nuts
Spread the nuts or seeds in a single layer. If they are piled too high, they will steam rather than toast.
Toast
Stir or shake the pan constantly to ensure even browning. Keep the heat low to avoid scorching the outer edges while the center stays raw.
Cool immediately
Remove the nuts from the pan the second they are done. Residual heat in the metal will continue to cook them and can turn them bitter if left in the skillet.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Large nuts like walnuts or pecans should be chopped to a uniform size before toasting.
If toasting multiple types of nuts at once, group them by size so they finish at the same time.
Store toasted nuts in an airtight container once completely cool to maintain their crisp texture.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I toast these in the oven instead?
Yes. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet at 350°F (175°C). Check them every three minutes, as oven hotspots can burn them quickly.
How do I know if they burned?
The exterior will look charred or black, and the scent will shift from fragrant to acrid and bitter. Once burned, there is no way to salvage them.
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