Is It Possible To Roast Nuts In The Microwave?

Whether you like adding toasted pine nuts to your salads, love including roasted walnuts in desserts, or enjoy making homemade peanut butter, there are many reasons you may have familiarized yourself with how to roast your own nuts at home.

According to A Couple Cooks, it's definitely worth it to start toasting your nuts before including them in recipes. Not only does it bring out a better flavor, but it also makes them crunchier — an ideal texture for any true nut fanatics out there.

As per J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats, roasting nuts in the oven or in a skillet are most typically the methods used to achieve toastier, nuttier nuts. However, there are a few drawbacks to these methods. As López-Alt points out, the oven can be a bit timely. One has to account for the preheating time, and the overall bake time can drag on, as well. While a skillet gets the job done quicker, it does require consistent attention, and the nuts are more likely to be unevenly toasted or burned.

So, with plenty of downsides to consider with the previous two methods, you may have wondered if there are other options when it comes to achieving quick and perfectly toasted nuts — which is where your trusty microwave comes in.

If you'd like to leave burnt walnuts or over-cooked almonds behind you, then microwaving your nuts may be the best new hack you learn about this year. And, according to Mel's Kitchen Cafe, it's simpler than any other method. All you have to do is spread roughly a half cup of nuts onto a microwave-safe plate. Make sure your nuts are spread evenly and form a single layer. Then, just microwave in one-minute intervals. When you see your nuts get lightly golden, they're ready to be used however you like.

According to J. Kenji López-Alt, this trick works especially because the microwave is able to heat the nuts evenly from all sides, unlike a skillet where all the heat is coming from the bottom. However, the site admits that the difference between oven-roasted and microwaved nuts may be slightly noticeable.

Since the nuts are toasted, they do still have a deepened flavor after a few spins in the microwave. However, as López-Alt notes, they don't get as browned as they would with more traditional methods, so the depth of flavor is not as strong.

So, if you're looking for perfectly crunchy and exceptionally toasted nuts, you may want to stick to more time-consuming methods. But, if you're in a pinch for roasted nuts and don't mind a slightly less complex flavor, look no further than your microwave.