Roasting cashews adds a slight crunch and brings out their natural nutty flavor. They are great for snacking on or adding to salads and side dishes. Follow this easy recipe for how to roast cashews including various flavor options.
Follow this simple recipe for how to roast cashews. Roasting cashews (or any nut for that matter) is an easy way to enhance the flavor of the nut. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and creates a nice crunch (which in my opinion tastes better than raw cashews, which have a softer texture).
Roasted cashews are great for snacking, adding to charcuterie boards, snack boards, or topping off salads. These are a versatile little gem. Try them with my dairy-free chicken salad, broccoli kale salad, stir-fry with ground chicken, superfood salad, or swap the almonds for roasted cashews in this wild rice pilaf.
Benefits of Cashews
Cashew are a great choice if you're looking for an easy healthy snack. Like all nuts, cashews provide a plethora of benefits. And in my opinion, they are one of the best tasting nuts (with pistachios being my favorite).
Cashews in particular are a rich source of fiber, zinc, copper, antioxidants, heart healthy fats, and other essential minerals and vitamins. They also contain a decent amount of plant-based protein (5 grams in about 18 cashews).
Clean food tip: High amounts of pesticides are used to grow cashews, so I recommend using organic if you can.
How to Roast Cashews in the Oven
Roasting cashews in the oven is my preferred method. Roasting in the oven allows the cashews to more evenly cook and is helpful if you need to roast larger amounts.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325-degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Evenly spread cashews out on prepared baking sheet.
Step 2: Bake for 12-14 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes. They are done when lightly browned and you can smell their nutty aroma.
Tip: Ensure nuts are in a single layer on the baking sheet and aren't crowded.
How to Roast Cashews on the Stovetop
Roasting cashes on the stovetop is much quicker than roasting in the oven. However, you do run the risk of burning and uneven cooking compared to roasting in the oven.
I usually prefer to roast on the stovetop if I'm just needing a small amount.
Directions: Heat a large skillet over medium/medium-low heat. Add cashews to skillet and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Cashews are done when they are lightly browned and fragrant.
How to Roast Cashews in the Microwave
While this is not my recommended method, it can be done.
Directions: Spread cashews out on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until browned and fragrant. Total time will vary pending your microwave.
Flavor Suggestions
There are lots of ways to spice up roasted cashews if you're looking for something a little fancier than plain roasted. Mix up some of the below flavor combinations with the raw cashews and follow the same roasting directions as listed in the recipe card.
Spiced - Toss cashews with 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp. smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp. chili powder. For extra heat, add some chili flakes.
Herb roasted - Toss cashews with 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. dried rosemary, ½ tsp. dried thyme, ½ tsp. dried sage, salt and pepper to taste.
Sweet honey roasted - In a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop, melt 2 tbsp. of butter. Add ¼ cup honey and ¼ tsp. salt and mix until honey has softened and mixture is smooth. Add cashews to a bowl and pour mixture on top. Mix until cashews are evenly coated. For honey roasted, bake at 300 to avoid burning.
Ways to Use Roasted Cashews
There are lots of ways to enjoy roasted cashews! Try one of the below:
Snacking: Enjoy as is for a simple snack.
Trail mix: Mix with other nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips for a healthier homemade trail mix.
Stir-fry or fried rice: Make your favorite gluten-free teriyaki stir-fry and top with roasted cashews, sprinkle over this gluten-free teriyaki chicken recipe or add to healthy fried rice.
Salad toppings: Add to your favorite salad. These are especially good on my cashew chicken salad.
Chocolate covered cashews: Enjoy a better-for-you sweet treat with these chocolate covered cashews.
FAQs
Compared to almonds, almonds do have more protein, fiber, and a few other vitamins and minerals. They are also higher in calcium. However, both almonds and cashews are among the lowest calorie nuts and both are still a nutritious choice.
Nope! Although some recipes call for oil, you don't need it. One ingredient is all you need to create delicious, crunchy, flavorful roasted cashews.
You do not need to, but soaking them before roasting them could result in a crunchier texture. And if you are seasoning the cashews, soaking them first will help the nuts absorb the flavors. If you choose to soak them, fully submerge them in room temperature water for about 3 hours. Strain and pat them dry before roasting and/or adding any seasoning.
Not that if you do soak them, you should roast them at a lower temperature and for longer. Roast at 250-degrees F for about an hour, stirring frequently.
That being said, I never soak mine first as it's usually very last minute for me!
Expert Tips
Regardless of which method you use to roast, watch cashews closely towards the end! Cashews cook quickly and can easily burn. Once you can smell a nutty fragrance and they are lightly browned, they are done.
Use whole cashews. Whole cashews cook up better and won't burn as fast. If you need chopped cashews, simply chop after they have been roasted.
Storing
Room temp: Once fully cooled, store roasted cashews in an air tight container at room temperature. These will stay fresh for 1 week.
Freezer: While I have never stored these in the freezer, you should be able to. Place them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. They are so easy to make though, and everything is better fresh, so I recommend making them when needed.
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Eat Clean.Be Healthy!
-Sara
How to Roast Cashews
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Equipment
- 1 baking sheet or frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw, whole cashews
Instructions
Directions for Oven
- Preheat oven to 325-degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread cashews onto prepared baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between them.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes. Cashews are done when they are lightly browned and smell nutty and fragrant. They can easily burn, so watch closely towards the end of baking.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!
Directions for Stovetop
- Heat a skillet/frying pan over medium/medium-low heat. Add cashews and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until nuts are lightly browned and aromatic.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Enjoy!
Directions for Microwave
- Spread cashews out on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until browned and fragrant. Total time will vary pending your microwave.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to use whole cashews and not cashew halves.
- Watch closely towards end of cooking, as they can burn quickly.
- Once fully cooled, store roasted cashews in an airtight container at room temperature. These will stay fresh for 1 week.
Nutrition
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Sara says
My favorite way to roast cashews is in the oven, but I love that there are directions for the stovetop and microwave too.
Deb says
I looked all through this and see no reference to soaking which is what I was looking for. Where am I missing this?
Sara says
Hi Deb - You actually don't need to soak the cashews before roasting them. However, if you would like to soak them (which will make them slightly crunchier), you can submerge them in room temperature water for about 3 hours, strain, and pat dry before roasting. You'll also want to roast them at a lower temp (250) for about an hour, or until fragrant. That said, I never soak mine as it's usually last minute for me 🙂
Greg says
If you soak the cashews, it will take 2-2.5 times longer to roast
Sara says
Thanks for the note! I have updated the directions to reflect this... total miss on my part 🙂
Brenda says
just what I was looking for! thanks!
Sara says
Perfect... glad this was helpful!
Ann says
This tutorial was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!