Turmeric spiced nuts are chock full of nutrition and flavor and low in sugar. Perfect for snacking and serving at gatherings, nuts are also a great inexpensive last-minute holiday gift or party favor. You can customize the taste by adjusting the spice level or adding other spices to the mix.
Why This Works
- Nuts are a tasty healthy snack loaded with protein, fiber, and micronutrients
- Roasting nuts at home gives you greater control of added ingredients
- Easy snack recipe requiring only 6 ingredients
- Adjust the flavors or mix it up with other spices
- Make a batch for little treat bags or jars
- Nuts can be added to other foods such as a salad or bowl of popcorn
Ingredients and Nutrition
Mixed raw nuts
This recipe calls for the following raw nuts. However, you could use other nuts in the mix and adjust the ratio of nuts used. Read the product label carefully and select raw nuts since the roasted kinds have already been cooked.
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Pecans
- Walnuts
Satisfying, tasty, and crunchy, nuts are a popular snack enjoyed by many. Apart from their flavor profile, nuts are teeming with fiber, protein, healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, micronutrients, and antioxidants.
In addition, nuts are delicious on their own or you can snack on them along with fruit or add them to a salad or cereal, among other foods.
Health authorities increasingly recommend eating more plant-based foods such as nuts, due to the array of health-promoting nutrients they offer.
While nuts are calorie-dense, studies show they do not stimulate weight gain and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases by providing the following health benefits [1, 2].
- Promote satiety and thereby potentially help with portion control
- Support heart health by reducing total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol
- Improve post-meal blood sugar
- Lower oxidative stress and inflammation
- Boost cognitive performance specifically with walnuts consumption
Turmeric
Long used as an herbal medicine and spice in India and other parts of the world, turmeric powder comes from the turmeric plant, a member of the ginger family.
Turmeric powder gets its rich yellow-orange color from its compound curcumin. It’s what gives curry and other foods made with turmeric that distinctive golden hue.
You may hear about turmeric and curcumin in the news. That’s because of the growing interest in their potential health benefits.
Studies suggest that turmeric and curcumin, particularly in extract and supplement form, may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cardioprotective properties [3].
Bitter, earthy, and spicy are the common descriptions for turmeric. It also combines well with other spices to balance the flavor in recipes.
Cayenne pepper
Used in recipes to add moderate spice, cayenne pepper, like other chili peppers, gets its desirable heat from capsaicin.
In addition to elevating flavor to nuts, cayenne pepper compliments a variety of dishes such as chili, eggs, soups, stir fry, and even a little bit sprinkled on hot chocolate.
Similar to other spices, cayenne pepper combines well with other ingredients to make marinades and dressings.
While eating salt in small to moderate quantities is not bad for you, too much may increase the risk of health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke [4].
Using spices such as cayenne pepper and turmeric could help you cut back on salt as your primary seasoning.
Olive oil
Naturally extracted from olives, olive oil contains a rich amount of healthy monounsaturated fat and a low amount of saturated fat.
Monounsaturated fat can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. On the other hand, a diet high in saturated fat is associated with elevated LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. [5]
Olive oil, specifically extra virgin olive oil, is abundant in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. These active compounds may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer [6].
Steps
To make turmeric spiced nuts, first make sure your oven rack to roast the nuts is positioned in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the oven is preheating, finely chop the fresh rosemary if you’re planning on using it.
For a quick tutorial on chopping rosemary, follow these next steps:
- Hold the sprig at the top with one hand.
- Using the other hand, firmly run your fingers down the stem (the opposite direction) to remove the leaves.
- Discard the rosemary stem and finely chop the leaves.
Next, set aside a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/2 tablespoon of chopped rosemary.
Then add all the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and combine well, making sure all the nuts are coated.
Afterward, pour the nuts mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper before adding the nuts, if you have that on hand.
Roast for 9 to 11 minutes, turning the pan and stirring halfway through. Keep a close eye on the last two minutes as the nuts can quickly go from golden to dark.
When the nuts are finished roasting, immediately remove them from the oven and carefully transfer them to a big plate or sheet of parchment paper to cool off.
Lastly, serve turmeric spiced nuts slightly warm or at room temperature.
After they’ve cooled down, you can also gift them in small jars or treat bags. I like using little jars for gifting because the recipients can reuse them.
Store leftover turmeric spiced nuts in an airtight container for up to a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
– Brazil nuts
– Hazelnuts
– Macadamia nuts
Yes. Try roasting nuts with raw seeds like pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and/or sunflower seeds.
I like the combination of sweet, savory, and spicy. But feel free to reduce or omit the maple syrup and/or salt.
The wonderful thing about roasting nuts (and cooking in general) at home is you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste and needs.
If you don’t have turmeric and cayenne pepper on hand, try a combination of these other spices. Start with a half teaspoon of a couple of spices.
Do a taste test before roasting and adjust the spice level to your liking. If you just want a hint of spice, start with a lower amount.
– Allspice
– Black pepper
– Cumin
– Chili powder
– Cinnamon
– Curry powder
– Ginger
– Combination spices such as pumpkin pie spice and five spice powder
While they’re great on their own, a roasted nut mix may be added to the following foods for variety.
– Add to coleslaw or a meatless salad to provide protein
– Hot or cold cereal
– Plain yogurt for a savory taste or vanilla-flavored yogurt for a sweet and savory taste
– Chopped up as a topping for soups
– Charcuterie board
– Mixed with grains such as rice, quinoa, and bulghur
– Chopped up as a topping for pasta and noodle dishes
– Mixed with popcorn
Turmeric Spiced Nuts 6 Ingredients
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 spoon for mixing
- 1 rimmed baking sheet
- 1 sheet of parchment paper optional
Ingredients
- 6 cups assorted raw nuts such as almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts Start with raw nuts, not roasted. You don't want to roast nuts that have already been roasted.
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt (divided into 1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
Optional: 2½ tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary divided into 2 tablespoons and ½ tablespoon
Instructions
- First, check your oven to make sure your oven rack for roasting the nuts is centered in the middle. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Finely chop the fresh rosemary leaves if you're using them and divide them into 2 tablespoons and ½ tablespoon. Discard the rosemary stem.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the nuts with 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary if you're using, 1 teaspoon sea salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper, olive oil, and maple syrup or honey.
- Roast for 9 to 11 minutes. Turn the pan halfway through roasting and stir the nuts. Keep a close eye on the last two minutes as the nuts can quickly go from golden to dark.
- Immediately remove nuts from the oven and transfer them to a sheet of parchment paper or a large plate to cool off. Separate the nuts that have stuck together and sprinkle with remaining salt and rosemary.
- Serve the nuts warm or at room temperature. If you're planning to gift, allow the nuts to completely cool off. Store leftover nuts in a covered container for up to a week.
Notes
Tried this recipe? What variations or adaptations did you make? Share in the comments.
