Roasted Cashews

Make a batch of Roasted Cashews to bring out their soft, sweet flavor, and add some extra crunch in the process. Level up your cooking with very little effort and enhance salads, grain bowls, and afternoon snacking with a handful of roasted cashews.

Cashews are the seed of a tropical evergreen tree native to Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, but they were brought across the oceans by the Portuguese.

Today, cashews are a prominent part of Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines. And of course, a nut mix wouldn’t be complete without them! Roasted cashews are delicious on salads, roasted vegetables, grain bowls, oatmeal, and in baked goods. Or, add them to snacks like Homemade Chex Mix or Puppy Chow.

Like other nuts, roasting enhances the flavor and aroma of cashews. Thankfully, this easy roasted cashews recipe can be made right in the oven, on the stove, or even in the microwave.

Ingredient notes

• Cashews: Cooking times vary depending on which method you choose. And keep an eye on your cashews! They can go from zero to burnt in under a minute. Don’t walk away.
• Oil or butter: Toss cashews in extra-virgin olive oil or butter when you want to add salt, spices, and seasonings.

Step-by-step instructions

To roast cashews in the oven:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. Add cashews in a single layer.
2. Bake until the cashews are fragrant and golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. But don’t walk away! Stir occasionally to prevent scorching and keep an eye on your cashews since oven temperatures may vary.
3. Remove the pan from the oven and chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

To roast cashews on the stove:

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat cashews until browned and fragrant, stirring frequently, about 2 to 5 minutes.
2. Remove from skillet and chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

To roast cashews in the microwave:

1. On a microwave-safe plate, spread cashews in a single, even layer. Microwave in 1-minute intervals until lightly golden and toasted.
2. Chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: The recipe as written makes 1 cup of toasted cashews (enough for 4 servings, ¼ cup each). It can easily be doubled or tripled as needed.
• Storage: Store raw and roasted cashews for a year or more in the refrigerator or the freezer (not the pantry). They spoil easily, especially when roasted. If they smell like paint, throw them away immediately.
• Freezer: For longer storage, store cashews in the freezer. Both raw and roasted cashews once opened and exposed to air, are prone to turning rancid. Unopened, factory-sealed cashews are safe in the pantry until their expiration date.
• Trail mix: Make a healthy snack mix by adding cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts to your toasted cashews.
• On roasted veggies: Add roasted cashews to Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Roasted Butternut Squash, or Roasted Green Beans.
• Herbaceous cashews: Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add 2 cups cashews and ½ tsp dried rosemary or 1 tsp fresh rosemary. Toast over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 8 minutes. They taste great with thyme, too.
• Lemon-garlic cashews: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil or butter in a nonstick skillet. Add 2 cups cashews, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 clove minced garlic. Toast over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 8 minutes.
• Barbecued cashews: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add 2 cups cashews, ½ teaspoon cumin, ⅛ teaspoon chili powder, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, a pinch of smoked paprika, and a pinch of black pepper. Toast over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 8 minutes.
• Sweet cashews: Heat 1 tbsp butter in a nonstick skillet. Add 2 cups cashews, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon cloves, and ⅛ teaspoon allspice. Toast over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 8 minutes, stirring the honey mixture frequently.
• All the nuts: Learn how to toast hazelnuts (filberts), how to toast pecans, how to toast pine nuts, and how to roast almonds.

Put your cashews to work

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How to Make Cashew Cream

Nut and Seed Recipes

Cashew Butter Recipe

Salad Recipes

Rainbow Thai Salad with Mango

Entertaining

Cheese Board

Roasted Cashews

By Meggan Hill

Make a batch of Roasted Cashews to bring out their soft, sweet flavor and add some extra crunch in the process.

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings (¼ cup each)

Course Pantry

Cuisine American

Calories 178

5 from 86 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 cup raw cashews (see note 1)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter, optional (see note 2)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

How to roast cashews in the oven:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. Add cashews in a single layer.
• Roast until the cashews are fragrant and golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. But don't walk away! Stir occasionally to prevent scorching and keep an eye on your cashews since oven temperatures may vary.
• Remove from oven and chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

How to roast cashews on the stove:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat cashews until browned and fragrant stirring frequently, about 2 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from skillet and chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

How to roast cashews in the microwave:

• On a microwave-safe plate, spread cashews in a single, even layer. Microwave in 1-minute intervals until lightly golden and toasted.
• Chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Cashews: Cooking times vary depending on which method you choose. And keep an eye on your cashews! They can go from zero to burnt in under a minute. Don’t walk away.
2. Oil or butter: Roasting in fat is optional for plain cashews and helpful when you want to add spices and seasonings.
3. Yield: The recipe as written makes 1 cup of toasted cashews (enough for 4 servings, ¼ cup each). It can easily be doubled or tripled as needed.
4. Storage: Store raw and roasted cashews for a year or more in the refrigerator or the freezer (not the pantry). They spoil easily, especially when roasted. If they smell like paint, throw them away immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25 cupCalories: 178kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 6gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 2mg

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