Roasting Walnuts To Bring Out The Flavor

Warm-up by roasting walnuts

Nothing warms up a kitchen in the cold winter than having the oven on and something cooking. Not only does the heat permeate through the kitchen, but the lovely smells of whatever you are cooking draws your friends and family into your kitchen. Roasting walnuts helps to release the natural oils in the nut and a rich earthy flavor fills the kitchen.

Whether I am making a soup, salad or dessert, I can always find a reason to roast some walnuts to enhance the texture and flavor of a dish. If you want to add some roasted nuts to a dish, put them in the oven just before serving to increase the flavor.

Roasting walnuts brings out the natural oils of the nut and enhances the flavor. Add warm roasted nuts to a spinach salad or to top off an ice cream sundae to elevate the dish. You can cool the walnuts prior to serving too. If you do decide to cool the nuts, you will notice an oily texture on the outside – that is good, it comes from the roasting.

To roast the walnuts, place them in a preheated oven at a low temperature –  225 degrees F for 10 minutes, or cook on the stove top on a low heat in a non-stick or cast iron pan for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, stir the walnuts occasionally to keep them from burning (every few minutes).

This tip works well for pecans too – enjoy!

I’d love to know how you have used roasted walnuts to change a dish. Let your kitchen friends know so that we can try something new. From your table to ours.