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Grab raw cashews and a few spices to make these crunchy and flavor-packed curried roasted cashews! They are seasoned with spices such as cumin, paprika, coriander, and turmeric to create a delicate yet flavorful curry flavor. Only 9 ingredients and about 20 minutes are required!
⭐️ Why You Should Try It
- A scrumptious, crowd-pleasing snack. Once roasted, cashews acquire a delightful nutty flavor and crunchy bite, making them an excellent party snack. The smoky spice blend gives the cashews a ton of flavor and increases their addicting factor! Plus, this recipe yields cashews that are neither oily nor sticky!
- A simple, effortless recipe. These crunchy cashews are super easy to make, requiring just 10 minutes of prep time and 12 minutes of roasting time. Plus, they are made from simple pantry staple ingredients, which means you don’t have to go out of your way to make this delicious snack.
- A great last-minute gift idea. These curried roasted cashews make a great edible gift. Simply prepare them, let them cool, transfer them to a jar, seal the lid, and add a festive ribbon and gift tag. They stay crunchy for weeks in an airtight jar!
📘 What Are Cashews
Cashews are kidney-shaped seeds originating from tropical cashew trees native to Brazil. Nowadays, they are widely cultivated in warm climates around the world.
They are a staple in Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines, where they are either used as a topping or as a main ingredient for desserts and salty recipes. Cashews are rich in nutrients and contain, on average, 43g of fat and 18g of protein per 100g.
🌰 Ingredient Notes
Here is what you will need:
- Cashews – Use unsalted raw cashews. This recipe will not work with roasted cashews.
- Coconut sugar – To keep this recipe refined sugar-free, I went with coconut sugar. It brings sweetness and a delicious caramelized flavor. Granulated white sugar works great, too.
- Oil – Use a neutral oil like grapeseed, canola, sunflower, or avocado oil.
- Spices – Paprika, onion powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and turmeric for flavoring.
- Salt – To season.
🥣 How to Make It
1. Season the cashews
- Make the syrup. I found the best way to coat the cashews with salt and sugar evenly was to first dilute them in water. To do so, add the water, coconut sugar, and salt to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Toss the cashews. Add the raw cashews to a mixing bowl. Pour in the syrup and oil, and stir to combine. Add the spices and toss to coat.
2. Roast them
- Spread on a baking sheet. Spread the cashews on a baking sheet lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Ensure you spread the cashews in a single layer.
- Roast. Roast the cashews for 12-13 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking. You don’t want to roast the cashews too long. Otherwise, the nuttiness will overpower the spices. I found 12 minutes at 325°F to be the perfect spot, yielding crunchy cashews without burning the spices.
- Let cool. Remove the cashews from the oven and let them cool completely.
📔 Tips
- Keep an eye on cashews during roasting. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the cashews and the oven. Keep an eye on the cashews and be careful not to burn them.
- Use whole cashews. For the best results, I recommend using whole cashews, as they cook better and are less likely to burn quickly. If you prefer chopped cashews, it’s better to roast them whole and chop them afterward.
- Let cool completely. It’s important to note that the cashews will have a soft interior when you take them out of the oven. Allow them to cool down completely before serving to get the perfect crunch.
🔥 Variations
Looking for ways to customize these roasted cashews? Here are a few ideas:
- Add herbs: Create a herby flavor by adding dried herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or thyme.
- Incorporate extra spices: Smoked paprika, fenugreek, cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom would make tasty additions.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of chili flakes, chili powder, or cayenne for a kick of heat.
🍹 What to Serve It With
There are many ways to enjoy these cashews. Here are some serving ideas:
- As an appetizer: Serve them as is or as part of an antipasto platter with cocktails.
- Make your own trail mix: Mix the cashews with other nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruits, and chocolate chips for a nutritious and wholesome homemade trail mix.
- Use as a garnish: Top your favorite stir-fry or curry with these curried cashews for another layer of texture and flavor.
- Incorporate into salads: Stir into green salads such as kale and carrot salad, green lentil salad, or Brussels sprout salad.
These cashews are also delicious with roasted vegetables, grain bowls, or savory oatmeal!
❄️ Storing
- To store: You can store these curried cashews in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
💬 FAQ
No, there is no need to soak the cashews before roasting them.
You probably roasted them for too long, and the spices burnt. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix it once the cashews are roasted.
Yes, you can replace the cumin, coriander, paprika, and turmeric with about 1 and 1/2 tsp of curry powder.
I have no doubt that you will love these curried roasted cashews! The blend of cumin, coriander, and paprika brings plenty of flavor, and roasting gives them a satisfying crunch in every bite. Whether you’re enjoying them alone or with friends and family, these cashews are sure to be a hit.
⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
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Easy Curried Roasted Cashews
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar (or white sugar)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
Instructions
- Preheat oven to
325 °F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. - Make the syrup. I found the best way to coat the cashews with salt and sugar evenly was first to dilute them in water. To do so, add the water, coconut sugar, and salt to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Toss the cashews. Add the raw cashews to a mixing bowl. Pour in the syrup and oil and stir to combine. Add the spices and toss to coat.
- Spread on a baking sheet. Spread the cashews on a baking sheet lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Ensure you spread the cashews in a single layer.
- Roast. Roast the cashews for 12-13 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking. You don’t want to roast the cashews too long. Otherwise, the nuttiness will overpower the spices. I found 12 minutes at 325°F to be the perfect spot, yielding crunchy cashews without burning the spices.
- Let cool. Remove the cashews from the oven and let them cool completely. You can store these curried cashews in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Keep an eye on cashews during roasting. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the cashews and the oven. Keep an eye on the cashews and be careful not to burn them.
- Use whole cashews. For the best results, I recommend using whole cashews, as they cook better and are less likely to burn quickly. If you prefer chopped cashews, it’s better to roast them whole and chop them afterward.
- Let cool completely. It’s important to note that the cashews will have a soft interior when you take them out of the oven. Allow them to cool down completely before serving to get the perfect crunch.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
Wonderful recipe! I used Xylitol granules in place of the sugar and it turned out great.
Thanks for your feedback Michelle!
Such a fantastic spicy snack option, my husband couldn’t stop eating them. 🙂
I roasted the cashews in an air fryer instead of using the oven and they turned out perfectly.
Thanks for your feedback Maria!
Quick, easy, delicious.
Thanks Diane!
How do you heat a tablespoon of water and sugar in a saucepan?
You simply heat them in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Don’t boil.
Wow this looks sensational! What a perfect snack and easy too!
Thanks Rita!
I have always eaten raw cashews, I have never tried roasted or salted cashews. I really wanted to try this recipe because it looks delicious, and I just did. It’s weird because now they taste like peanuts, I guess because they are roasted? Who knows! Anyway, this makes an amazing appetizer or snack, thank you for sharing the recipe!
Yes, roasting cashews gives them a nutty flavor that can be close to peanuts 🙂
Thanks for your rating!