These Tangy and Spicy Nuts have an unexpected tang from pomegranate molasses and sumac with perfectly salty, spicy, and sweet flavors. If you love snacking on flavored nuts, try this recipe for a fun twist to your regular trail mix!
The recipe is adapted from the cookbook by Nik Sharma.
Making these Tangy and Spicy Nuts is easy and quick and can be done within 30 minutes. This nut mix is perfect for healthy snacks or party appetizers!
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About Tangy and Spicy Nuts
My husband and I love flavored and toasted nuts. They are handy when we require something healthy in the early afternoon or evening.
So, I always try to use different elements to make the nuts flavorful and enjoyable. I have already posted a few recipes for flavorful nuts. One of the most popular recipes on my blog is Spicy Roasted Cashews / Masala Kaju.
When I saw Nik Sharma’s recipe in one of his books, I was immediately tempted to try it in my kitchen. I modified the recipe to suit my preferences.
I pre-roasted the nuts in the oven for 10 minutes in this recipe. Then, I mixed them with the other ingredients and baked them until they were nicely toasted.
These Tangy and Spicy Nuts are seriously addictive. They burst with different flavors: sour, spicy, tart, salty, and slightly sweet. I added cayenne pepper to make them spicy, but you can add less to keep them milder.
My preferred nuts are almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, and pistachios. I used cashews, pecans, and pistachios for this recipe, but feel free to use your choice of mixed nuts.
Why You Will Love This Nut Mix
- These Tangy and Spicy Nuts are bursting with lots of pleasant flavors.
- They are perfect as healthy snacks and party appetizers.
- The recipe is easy and has only a few ingredients.
- These nuts have an unexpected but pleasant tang from pomegranate molasses.
- You can customize the recipe using your favorite nuts and other elements.
Ingredients and Notes
- Nut Mix: I used cashews, pecans, and pistachios in this recipe, but you can use any mixed nuts. Almonds and walnuts are other great choices.
- Butter: Use unsalted and melted butter. If you use salted butter, decrease the amount of salt.
- Pomegranate Molasses: Pomegranate molasses is the star ingredient of this recipe. It is sour, slightly sweet, and tart. It provides a fantastic tang and slight sweetness to the nuts.
- Jaggery: I added a tablespoon of jaggery powder to sweeten the nuts slightly and enhance the other flavors. You can use brown or granulated sugar instead of jaggery powder.
- Sumac: Ground sumac provides a tart and lemony flavor to this Tangy and Spicy Nut Mix.
- Cayenne Pepper: I love the nuts with the hint of spiciness with other flavors. You can add cayenne pepper, less or more, to taste.
- Salt: Salt is essential to flavor the nuts.
How To Make Tangy and Spicy Nuts
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Line a large and rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the cashews, pecans, and pistachios on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake them for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven and set them aside.
- Add melted butter, pomegranate molasses, jaggery, sumac, cayenne pepper, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir well to form a smooth paste.
- Add the roasted nuts and stir to coat evenly.
- Transfer the nuts back to the same baking sheet and spread them in a single, even layer.
- Bake the nuts for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
- When you remove the nuts from the oven, the coating mixture will still look liquidy. However, upon cooling, it will harden and become glossy.
Storing Suggestions
Store the Tangy and Spicy Nuts in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Substitutions
Nuts: You can use your choice of nut mix. Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, can be used for this recipe. You can also add pumpkin or sunflower seeds with the nuts.
Butter: For the vegan recipe, you can use olive oil instead of butter or any neutral-flavored cooking oil.
Jaggery Powder: Use light or dark brown sugar instead of jaggery powder. You can also use muscovado, coconut, or white granulated sugar.
Ground Sumac: Sumac has a complex flavor. Instead of sumac, you can add amchur or lemon juice.
Cayenne Pepper: Add red chili powder to taste instead of cayenne pepper. You can use freshly ground black pepper instead of chili powder for a milder taste.
Salt: I used sea salt. You can use kosher salt, table salt, or pink salt.
Recipe Tips For Tangy and Spicy Nuts
Nuts: Make sure to use raw and unsalted nuts for the recipe.
Roasting the Nuts: Do not skip toasting the nuts for 10 minutes before mixing them with the spices.
Jaggery Powder: Jaggery enhances the flavor and gives the nuts a candied texture. However, you can add less jaggery if you prefer.
Baking The Nuts: While baking the nuts after mixing with spices, keep an eye on the oven after 10 minutes to prevent them from burning. When you remove the nuts from the oven, the coating mixture will still be liquidy, but it will harden and become glossy upon cooling.
Lining The Baking Sheet: Line the baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper; otherwise, the butter mixture will stick to the pan.
More Party Nuts
Recipe Card
Tangy and Spicy Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup (115g) raw cashews
- 1 cup (105g) pecans
- ½ cup (60g) raw shelled pistachios
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon jaggery powder or brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground sumac
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large and rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread cashews, pecans, and pistachios on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake them for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven and set them aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add melted butter, pomegranate molasses, jaggery, sumac, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir well to form a smooth paste.
- Add the roasted nuts and stir to coat evenly. Transfer the nuts back to the same baking sheet and spread them in a single, even layer.
- Bake the nuts for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
- When you remove the nuts from the oven, the coating mixture will still look liquidy. However, upon cooling, it will harden and become glossy.
Storing Suggestions
- Store the Tangy and Spicy Nuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Nuts: Make sure to use raw and unsalted nuts for the recipe.
- Roasting the Nuts: Do not skip toasting the nuts for 10 minutes before mixing them with the spices.
- Jaggery Powder: Jaggery enhances the flavor and gives the nuts a candied texture. However, you can add less jaggery if you prefer.
- Baking The Nuts: While baking the nuts after mixing with spices, keep an eye on the oven after 10 minutes to prevent them from burning. When you remove the nuts from the oven, the coating mixture will still be liquidy, but it will harden and become glossy upon cooling.
- Lining The Baking Sheet: Line the baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper; otherwise, the coating mixture will stick to the pan.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
The recipe is adapted from the cookbook by Nik Sharma.
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