Crispy roasted cashews coated with salt and coarsely ground black pepper!!! Perfect for snacks anytime, homemade gifts during the holiday season, or game day munchie, these salt, and pepper cashews are highly addictive.
Main ingredients for these spiced cashews:
Cashews – Raw whole cashews. Use whole cashews since it is best if all the cashews are the same size. If you use different-sized cashew pieces, smaller ones will be over-baked by the time the bigger guys are done.
Pepper powder – Use freshly ground pepper. Grind whole black peppercorns in a motor and pestle or dry spice grinder. Do not grind until very fine. Very coarse will not adhere to the cashews well.
Salt – I used plain salt. Sea salt will be great!
Oil – I opted for neutral vegetable oil. Peanut oil will be a fabulous option as well.
How to make salt and pepper cashews?
Toss whole raw cashews with vegetable oil, until thoroughly coated and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, until golden (refer to picture above). Cool completely.
In the meantime, grind whole peppercorns in a motor and pestle or dry spice grinder, until coarsely ground. Toss roasted cashews with salt and freshly ground black pepper powder, until thoroughly coated.
Easy and delicious!
Chef Secret Cooking Tips:
Whole cashews – We want the same size cashews so that they can be toasted evenly. Broken pieces will end up being toasted unevenly.
Color. Color. Color – Watch out during the last 5 minutes so that the cashews do not get dark-colored. Golden for the win!
Ground black pepper – Use freshly ground black pepper. Grind about 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or dry spice grinder and then measure for the recipe.
Very coarsely ground – Will did not adhere much to the cashews
Fine powder – Won’t taste fabulous
A touch is coarser than fine powder – PERFECT! Sticks better. Looks appetizing. Great texture.