Ina’s Roasted Rosemary Cashews
Ina’s Roasted Rosemary Cashews have the perfect trio of salty, sweet & spicy flavor that envelops each cashew to create a delicious and crunchy bite. This 5 ingredient recipe makes a wonderful nibble to serve before dinner with holiday cocktails, or as an anytime snack. These roasted cashews have just enough spiciness to make them interesting without overwhelming a delicate palate. Trust me when I say that these nuts are incredibly addictive!
To learn how to make this tasty snack recipe, see the printable recipe card below. Take a look at the recipe video, or get Step by Step Instructions for a more detailed explanation of this recipe. For other recipe variations, including how to make this recipe vegan and dairy-free, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in this recipe’s Blog Comments & Tips.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
INA’S ROASTED ROSEMARY CASHEWS
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 375°F. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Add cashews to prepared baking sheet pan, and spread into a single layer. Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes until warmed through (see Note #1). While the nuts are baking, prepare the mixture.
- Finely chop rosemary, and add to a medium heat resistant mixing bowl. Then add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and salt, and mix together. Melt butter (see Note #2), then add to the herb mixture, and stir to combine.
- As soon as the nuts are ready, add them to the herb mixture. Using a silicone spatula, toss to thoroughly coat each nut with the mixture. Allow to cool slightly before serving (about 15 to 30 minutes). Can be served warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Do not overbake, as these nuts are already roasted. They just need to be heated until warm and some of the oils start to release. Have your other ingredients mixed and ready to toss, as soon as the nuts are ready and removed from the oven.
- Timing is important, so make sure the butter and herb mixture is hot when you toss in the nuts. It will be easier to coat the nuts.
- Recipe can be made ahead of time. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Makes 14 servings (about ¼ cup per serving).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
192.08Fat (grams)
15.87Sat. Fat (grams)
3.2Carbs (grams)
10.3Fiber (grams)
1.03Net carbs
9.27Sugar (grams)
2.7Protein (grams)
5.39Sodium (milligrams)
99.04Cholesterol (grams)
2.15Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
Place oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 375°F. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
STEP 2
Add 1 pound roasted & unsalted whole cashews to the prepared baking sheet pan, and spread into a single layer. Bake for about 8 minutes until warmed through (see Note below). While the nuts are baking, prepare the mixture.
Note: Do not overbake, as these nuts are already roasted. They just need to be heated until warm and some of the oils start to release. Have your other ingredients mixed and ready to toss, as soon as the nuts are ready and hot from the oven.
STEP 3a
Remove leaves from the fresh rosemary stem, then finely chop 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves.
STEP 3b
Add chopped rosemary to a medium heat resistant mixing bowl. Then add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and mix together. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (see Note below), add to the herb mixture, and stir to combine.
Note: Timing is important, so make sure the butter and herb mixture is hot when you toss in the nuts. It will be easier to coat the nuts.
STEP 4
As soon as the nuts are ready, add them to the herb mixture, and using a silicone spatula, toss to thoroughly coat each nut. Allow to cool slightly before serving (about 15 to 30 minutes).
CAUTION: nuts will be very hot if consumed right from the oven.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Nuts can be served warm or at room temperature.
Notes:
Recipe can be made ahead of time. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Makes 14 servings (about ¼ cup per serving).
VIDEO
How to Make Ina’s Roasted Rosemary Cashews!
Blog Comments & Tips
Very addictive snack recipe!
I’ve been making Ina's Roasted Rosemary Cashews for years. This appetizer recipe is an absolute staple when I entertain, and these rosemary cashews are the perfect bite to serve with an apéritif when you don’t want your guests to fill up on appetizers. That is the last thing you want after you have spent a lot of time preparing a delicious meal, especially during the holidays. My mother never served appetizers when she entertained. Her motto was:
“Keep your guests wanting more! Your guests will think everything is more delicious if they are a little hungry.”
In my opinion, the original recipe from Ina Garten is almost perfect. The only three changes I made were the quantity of cashews, a variation in the roasting (warming) time, and the chop of the rosemary. Small changes as they may be, they make a big difference in the results of the final recipe.
It’s easy to find one pound of packaged cashews, but not as easy to find 1 ¼ pounds (which is what Ina asks for). The first time I made the recipe, it was exactly as Ina instructed. The second time I made these roasted cashews, I reduced the quantity from 1 ¼ pounds to only 1 pound. It was convenient because Trader Joe’s sells delicious roasted & unsalted cashews in 1 pound bags. Instead of Ina’s recommended coarsely chopped rosemary, I finely chopped the rosemary. to enjoy the herby flavor without feeling like I was biting into pine needles or soap.
These small changes made all the difference! Not only did the nuts have a more intense flavor, but the rosemary was evenly spread throughout the nuts, which gave these nuts a lovely fresh herb flavor (without tasting like soap). I hope you like my version as much as I do!
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 5 tips to making Ina’s Roasted Rosemary Cashews:
I used Trader Joe’s roasted & unsalted whole cashews. My recipe only requires you to warm up the roasted nuts, instead of roasting them from scratch.
Use organic fresh rosemary. Dried herbs will definitely NOT work in this recipe.
Since you are starting with already roasted nuts, make sure you do NOT overbake the cashews. Otherwise, they will turn dark brown and bitter.
Finely chop your rosemary. It’s best to get small bits of rosemary in every bite, rather than large pieces (which can taste like you are eating pine needles or soap).
Be sure to have the herb mixture ready to toss with the nuts. The nuts need to be hot to coat them properly. Toss the nuts in the herb mixture immediately after you remove them from the oven. This will help the mixture to evenly coat and stick to the nuts.
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it Vegan & Dairy-Free: This is a simple swap. Replace the dairy butter with plant-based butter.
Roast Your Own Cashews: If you cannot find already roasted and unsalted cashews, you can roast your own nuts. Start with 1 pound of raw & unsalted cashews. Then follow the instructions in Step 2, but extend the roasting time to about 10 to 12 minutes (depending on your oven), shaking the pan mid-way through the roasting process.
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Pimp My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to have the mixture ready to toss with the nuts. The nuts need to be really warm to coat them properly.
Adapted from the Rosemary Roasted Cashews recipe on FoodNetwork.com. Only two small changes were to the original recipe by Ina Garten. To make it easier for the home cook, I reduced the amount of cashews to 1 pound, which also intensified the flavor of the coating mixture. I also finely chopped the rosemary, so there were no large pieces to bite into.
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