Recipes With Walnuts | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

What to do with fresh walnuts? ›

Thanks to their subtle yet complex flavor, earthy, fruity walnuts shine in a variety of dishes both sweet and savory, either raw or toasted. They're a great substitute for pine nuts in pesto, can be turned into a sensational vinaigrette, and add wonderful texture to cookies and brownies.

Place walnuts in boiling water for five minutes to remove bitter taste. Remove from water and drain, then run cold water over the walnuts.

If a nut is only slightly stale, says Kanney, it can usually still be toasted to revive some of its previous glory and (crunch). However, Kanney says, “If a nut has spoiled or gone rancid, recognizable by a sour or bitter flavor, the nut is no longer good and should be thrown away.”

For short-term storage, keep them in your refrigerator. If you'll be storing them for a month or longer, store them in your freezer. Prep as needed – shell, chop or grind walnuts right before using them. This will help maintain great flavor and optimal freshness.

Walnuts go rancid when exposed to warm temperatures for long periods of time. Heat causes the fat in walnuts to change structure, which creates off odors and flavors. Fresh walnuts smell mildly nutty and taste sweet. If your walnuts smell like paint thinner, you know they're rancid.

Omega-3 fatty acids, known for their heart-healthy properties, are more readily absorbed when walnuts are soaked, boosting cardiovascular benefits. Antioxidants become more available, helping to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, while vitamins and minerals contribute to improved overall wellness.

Improvement in Taste

You'll notice that soaked walnuts do not have that astringent, mouth-puckering taste to them. This is because when soaking walnuts, the tannins are rinsed away, leaving behind a softer, more buttery nut.

Walnuts should be soaked because doing so makes them easier for the body to digest than eating them raw. The phytic acid found in nuts, which is reduced by soaking walnuts, contributes to increased absorption as well. Raw walnut digestion may be more difficult for those with weak gut.

Walnut skin is rich in health-supportive compounds that can help you fight against free radical damage. Choosing organic fresh goods can help in lowering the levels of pesticides and harmful chemicals. In the nutshell, it is better to eat with the walnut skin, unless you really cannot accept the bitter taste.

What's more, walnuts are usually eaten raw. So they have greater antioxidant abilities than nuts that are usually eaten roasted. (Antioxidants help prevent or reduce the artery-damaging oxidation that contributes to heart disease).

What to soak walnuts in? ›

Soaking raw nuts and seeds is such a quick simple thing that it doesn't really need instructions. Just add good nutrient rich sea salt or pink Himalayan salt (both have their health benefits) to water, toss in your nuts and let sit about 8-12 hours until softened.

Just toasting them in a dry pan or oven should be enough to revive them, but they'll also go in any recipe that requires nuts. We got through most of ours by toasting them with spices, to eat as nibbles or to add crunch to soups, stews and salads.

Q: Do Nuts Expire? A: Nuts can't expire; however, they can change in taste or go rancid. Nuts contain much-unsaturated fat, an oil that makes nuts likely to go rancid.

Rich in healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants, black walnuts are worth the effort required to harvest the coveted nutmeats.

Wash the nuts and lay them in a flat area that is well ventilated, cool, dark, and dry where they can cure for 3-5 days. You'll know they're ready when the nut is brittle and cracks open easily. Storage tips: Once the nuts are cured they will remain good for up to a year if stored in a dark, dry, and cool place.

Picking up walnuts is a fall tradition before people mow or just to keep yards looking nice. Walnuts often end up in landfills, city yard waste dumps or scattered in ditches.

Excessive consumption of walnuts may cause diarrhea, bloating, stomach pain or kidney stones. Due to the phytic acid they contain, too many walnuts may also inhibit the absorption of dietary iron, calcium and zinc. Recommendation: One ounce (10-14) English walnut halves per day.