I love food that has a bite to it. You know what I mean, savory dark flavors with the perfect heat and intensity that keeps you coming back for more. The taste that lingers in your mind, making you crave it the next day and the day after! This simple snack of cashews with sea salt and black pepper will do that alright. Include it at the appetizer table or as a great starter to grilled steaks and as a replacement for croutons in tossed salad.
I have been buying these pre-seasoned from the bulk aisle at Whole Foods and was breaking the budget at $13.00 per pound! I simply couldn’t give them up, so I had to make my own. I bought whole unsalted cashews (Kroger brand is excellent) and tried them, tweaked them and here you go. Make these and get bitten for yourself. The cashews will keep at room temperature for 2-3 weeks. But they won’t last 2-3 days.
- 1 cup unsalted cashews
- 1/4 cup sunflower or peanut oil Sunflower has a milder taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or to taste
- In a non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add cashews. Stirring occasionally, cook until cashews are just toasted.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove cashews from the pan onto a paper towel. Do not wipe the oil from the cashews completely. Just let whatever touches the paper towel absorb but leave the rest so salt and pepper can adhere well.
- Place cashews in a medium sized bowl and add salt and pepper.
- Let cool, or better yet, give 24 hours before serving for optimum flavor.
- Cashews will keep for 2-3 weeks in pantry or up to 3 months in refrigerator.
- Cook's note: If you find you have added too much salt or pepper, lightly toss in paper towel and let excess just fall off. You want the black pepper flavor to be spicy for this recipe.
Inspired by Whole Foods Market.
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Hi, Sally, I want to make a large batch. Do you see a problem with tossing the cashews (BTW, I have had peanuts with sea salt and black pepper and they are delish too and I don’t particularly love peanuts!!) in a bowl with the oil of choice and then baking them in a moderate oven for 10 minutes or so, until the color and fragrance let you know that they’re done, and then proceed with the rest of your recipe?
Hi Joanne, I think that would work great for a large batch!
Did you use raw nuts or roasted but unsalted nuts?
Hi Moiquy, I’ve used both! I prefer the raw nuts myself, but the difference is negligible