Roasted Nuts: Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts, Curried Pecans and Tamari Almonds Recipe

Do you like nuts as much as I do? I always have bags of raw nuts and seeds in my freezer. I make granola, trail mix, and snacks with nuts that I roast. I also make nut milks and flours out of my stash. I am not sure if there is a nut variety that I don’t like, except maybe some of those imitation “nuts”. I can’t really wrap my head around tiger nuts. Though, I know many with allergies who enjoy them.

I make a big batch of Paleo granola every 2 weeks that we have with fresh fruit and yogurt for breakfast. I usually bake this in my oven. It takes 45 to 60 minutes while stirring every 15 minutes. I have to set aside the time to make this, but it is worth the effort.

Over the weekend, I decided to try roasting nuts for my granola in my air fryer. I was a little skeptical that the nuts would stay still with all the air buzzing about in my fryer. For instance, popcorn flies everywhere and gets stuck in the heating element. This also happens with small pepitas, that is the seeds that didn’t fall through the crisper plate holes.

I found that the trick to keeping nuts stable in the air fryer is to either soak them in water or coat them in some form of fat or liquid sweetener. If you soak nuts in water overnight before roasting or air frying, this will make them easier to digest.

Three Roasted Nut Recipes

You can use your air fryer to either roast or dehydrate nuts. Roasting them takes a few minutes. Dehydrating will take several hours. The recipes here are for roasting nuts in an air fryer. The first recipe is for maple glazed mixed nuts for making granola or trail mix. I have included a granola recipe.

The second recipe is for curried pecans. I love making curried or spiced nuts for the fall and winter holidays. I place them in small bowls around the house for family and guests to nosh on before dinner.

The third recipe is for tamari coated almonds. My very first experience shopping in a health food store (that was way before Whole Foods) was browsing the bulk bins of nuts, trail mix, dried beans, and grains. I came home with a lot of tamari almonds because they just tasted so good and were so unusual. I also think I bought way too much brown rice because I had never eaten that before.

For all of these recipes, you can double the quantities and air fry in 2 batches. Nuts do best in a single layer in the fryer.

Air Fryer Maple Glazed Nuts (Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup raw almonds
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/3 cup raw walnut halves
• 2 tsps pure maple syrup
• 1-1/2 tsps grapeseed oil (or other mild oil)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt

Total time:12 min – Prep time:2 min – Cook time:10 min – Serves:4 people
Author: Nick

Directions:

1. Add the nuts to a mixing bowl. Add the oil, syrup, and vanilla and toss to coat. Add the cinnamon and salt. Again, toss to coat. Set this aside.

2. Preheat your air fryer to 325°F for 3 minutes.

3. Place the dressed nuts in a single layer in the basket or on the crisper plate. Close the bucket or door and set your timer for 10 minutes. At 6 minutes, shake the bucket or stir to rotate the nuts. Continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes.

4. Test a nut for doneness and crunch. Pour the nuts onto a sheet pan or clean cutting board to allow them to completely cool and get even crispier.

5. Store in an air-tight container for several days and even a couple of weeks.

Grain-Free Granola (Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegan)

This recipe calls for toasted pepitas, which you can buy already toasted. You can toast the pepitas in your air fryer, but you might have to place them directly in the bucket without the basket or crisper plate if the holes are too large. I actually toasted them in the bucket beneath the crisper plate so they stayed in place and didn’t fly around. It worked. Just toast at 325°F until they start to pop.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup maple glazed, roasted, mixed nuts (see recipe above)
• 1/2 cup toasted, unsweetened coconut shreds or flakes
• 1/2 cup toasted pepitas (small pumpkin seeds)
• 1/3 cup sugar-free dried fruit, such as raisins, cherries, or blueberries
• Pinch of stevia powder (optional)

Total time: 5 min – Prep time: 5 min – Serves: 6 people

Directions:

1. Chop the roasted nuts into small enough pieces to be eaten with a spoon. You can also pulse them a few times in a food processor.

2. Place the nuts in a large bowl. Add the coconut, pepitas, and dried fruit. Toss to combine and taste. If the granola doesn’t taste sweet enough, add a little bit of stevia powder to your liking.

3. Store the granola in air-tight containers for up to 2 weeks. Serve with almond milk or yogurt and fresh fruit.

Air Fryer Curried Pecans (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw pecan halves
• 1 TBS melted unsalted butter
• 2 tsps curry powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp brown sugar (optional – omit for Paleo and Keto)

Total time: 12 min – Prep time: 2 min – Cook time: 10 min – Serves: 4 people

Directions:

1. Add the nuts to a mixing bowl. Pour in the butter and stir to coat. Add the curry powder, salt, and sugar and toss again to coat.

2. Preheat your air fryer to 325°F for 3 minutes.

3. Place the seasoned nuts in a single layer in the basket or on the crisper plate. Close the bucket or door and set your timer for 10 minutes. At 6 minutes, shake the bucket or stir to rotate the nuts. Continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes.

4. Test a nut for doneness and crunch. Pour the nuts onto a sheet pan to allow them to completely cool and get even crispier.

5. Store in an air-tight container for several days and even a couple of weeks.

Air Fryer Tamari Almonds (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

This recipe calls for tamari or liquid aminos, which are both gluten free. However, the soybeans in these are not Paleo compliant and not encouraged on a Keto diet. You can substitute coconut aminos, if you want dietary compliancy. The nuts will have a tiny bit of sweetness to them.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1-1/2 TBS wheat free tamari or liquid aminos
• Vegetable oil spray

Total time: 15 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 10 min – Serves: 4 people

Directions:

1. Add the nuts to a mixing bowl. Pour in the tamari and stir to coat. Set this aside for a few minutes so the almonds can absorb the tamari.

2. Preheat your air fryer to 325°F for 3 minutes.

3. Give the basket or crisper plate a very light spray of vegetable oil. Place the soaked nuts in a single layer in the basket or on the crisper plate. Close the bucket or door and set your timer for 10 minutes. At 6 minutes, shake the bucket or stir to rotate the nuts. Continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes.

4. Test a nut for doneness and crunch. Pour the nuts onto a sheet pan to allow them to completely cool and get even crispier.

5. Store in an air-tight container for several days and even a couple of weeks.

Feel free to mix up or change the nuts. You could try hazelnuts instead of almonds in the maple glazed recipe. Use sunflower seeds in place of pepitas in the granola recipe. Swap out walnuts for the pecans in the curry recipe. Nuts are a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. So, get creative and enjoy.