If you couldn’t tell by now, I have a thing for curries (all of them – 1, 2, 3).
We get Thai or Indian takeout once a week (at least). And when I can’t decide what to make for dinner, it’s usually a vegetable curry (my favorite is in the cookbook).
Because I love a good snack, I thought I’d combine the flavors of curry with my favorite nut these days: cashews.
This recipe is simple, requiring just 10 ingredients and 30 minutes to prepare. And if you’ve been making my curry recipes recently, you already have all the ingredients on hand (ftw)!
I hope you all love these cashews. They’re curry-spiced, crunchy, savory, slightly sweet, addictive, and a healthy snack! I have a salad recipe coming up that puts these to good use, so stay tuned!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Curry-Spiced Cashews
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews*
- 1 1/2 Tbsp melted coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp green curry paste*
- 1 tsp curry powder*
- 1 1/2 Tbsp coconut sugar (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 scant tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch each ground cardamom and coriander (optional)
- 1 tsp lime zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (163 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (use more baking sheets, as needed, if increasing batch size).
- Add cashews to a bare baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, add oil, maple syrup, and green curry paste to a medium mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.
- Remove slightly toasted cashews from the oven and add directly to the curry mixture. Toss to combine. Then add remaining spices (curry powder through sea salt), and toss thoroughly to combine.
- Add back to baking sheet and bake for another 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown and roasted. Once the cashews have cooled a bit, taste a cashew and adjust seasonings as needed while still warm on sheet. Add more cumin for smokiness, turmeric for earthiness, curry powder for more intense curry flavor, or coconut sugar for sweetness. Optional: sprinkle with lime zest and toss to coat.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 weeks. Best within the first week!
Notes
*You can sub red curry paste for the green curry paste in the same quantity. However, I would recommending omitting the extra curry powder and adding 1/2 tsp ground paprika.
*This recipe includes both green curry paste and curry powder. You can learn about the Thai and Indian influences of these ingredients by following the links.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)
Sabrina says
These are delicious and slightly addictive! Huge hit at Thanksgiving. Not as spicy as I thought they’d be, so that can be played around with depending on taste. I will make these year-round!
Amazing! We’re so glad they were a hit, Sabrina. Thank you for sharing! xo
Heather says
These are so good! I’m obsessed. I’ve made them as a gift for others, too!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Heather!
sam says
OH MY GOD these are so freaking good! Gonna be making these all the time now! I used tom yum paste because that’s what was in my fridge and they came out amazing. Perfect midnight snack I don’t have to feel guilty about!
Yay! Thanks for the great review, Sam!
Laura says
Made this replacing about three quarters of the oil with unwhipped aquafaba, no sugar and just a touch of maple syrup (I think it would be too sweet otherwise), and it’s delicious! I even got some clusters. Used a mix of cashews, almonds and walnuts, will definitely make it again :) Thank you for the recipe!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Laura!
Jeremi says
Not too crazy about this. I don’t really understand the combination of green curry paste, curry powder, and sugar- It’s conflicting. The final result is ‘nice’ but not worth preparing again.
BTW, this totally works with almonds.
Hi Jeremi, sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this one. Did you use our DIY curry powder? We’d recommend it for best flavor.
Jenny says
Am I going crazy or has a recipe for green papaya salad been removed? I remember a delicious recipe that had the crowning glory of these cashews. Please help!
Ah! Yes, here it is.
Jenny says
That’s it! I always substituted green papaya for the kale, that’s why I couldn’t find the recipe. Just sayin’, it’s the best👍🏼
Starr Hawksley-Anderson says
So very delicious!!
JJ says
There are some senior diabetics in my life who can never enjoy treats I make… I think this may be a game changer! Can this be made (and still enjoyable) without the maple syrup and sugar?
We haven’t tried that, JJ, but it might work. Won’t be quite the same though. Let us know if you give it a try!
Janet Thornton says
I would love to know if you made this without the sugar and how it turned out as well. :)
I think it can be, but perhaps sub a little maple syrup if possible to help balance the flavors.
Susan V Laurenti says
I have made this recipe at least 3 times with great success. It’s my go-to for an easy and healthy, savory snack. I get rave reviews every time I make them, and they never last very long around the house! If it’s even possible to keep them around, they do keep really well in a sealed container.
I’ve made it with the red curry paste, and it was delicious with the substitutions listed.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Susan. We are so glad you enjoy these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Elizabeth says
These were a huge hit! I used red curry paste and paprika (as you suggested), and mixed in a few pecans. They were sensational! I think we even preferred the pecans.
Yay!! Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth! xo
Chantell says
What other substitutes did you make? I love these nuts got to make them twice but there seems to be a massive shortage of green curry paste in my area, store after store only has red! Wanting to try making with red soon so your suggestions are appreciated. Thanks for the recipe! So tasty!
Elizabeth says
So excited and high on curry powder, I forgot to post a rating ; )
Elizabeth says
Insanely AMAZING. WOW. I added 1 tsp each of Curry, Cumin, Tumeric after it was out of the oven, because it prefer it not to be too sweet. The LIME Rind took it off the charts. I used the Zest of one entire Lime aas the final step. Unbelievable ; ) Thank you !!!
Shannon Burns says
I have tried several recipes for spices nuts, and this is the best one yet. I used a mix of almonds, cashews and pecans (I halved the pecan halves, as they are rich), with a high ratio of almonds, as they are my preferred nut. I like mine extra crunchy, so I roasted them for longer, possibly 5-10 minutes more. Watch them closely to avoid burning them. Next time I will decrease the amount of maple syrup, as they are a little TOO good, and I tend to overeat them (insert embarrassed emoji here). I will add a smidgen more cayenne for an extra kick. I like a little tingle in the aftertaste.
jessica says
Hi I was wondering if this would work in a crockpot instead of an oven?
We haven’t tried using a crockpot, but I wouldn’t think so.
Barb says
Great recipe! These are amazing! I used regular sugar and they turned out great! Will make again and again!
Barbara Boustani says
Hi I was jut reading about the ethical problems of cashews- an eye opener, thank you. I’m thinking of trying this exquisite sounding marinade on the roasted chickpeas that were in the Care2 article that led me to your blog! It could be a more ethical choice (though I haven’t researched it)
In any case, I KNOW I’m going to try your recipe, and thank you for putting it out there!
Rachel says
Mm yum! Reminds me of the curried cashews they have over at Canteen in PDX. They put them in the quinoa confetti salad- a must try!
Marilyn says
Hi Dana,
This sounds really interesting. My sister and I have noticed that you make frequent use of “raw cashews” in your recipes. What do you mean by “raw cashews”? Roasted but unsalted, unspiced? I think all the cashews I’ve seen at Bulk Barn are already roasted. (When I think of “raw” I think of what you would find if you picked a cashew off of a cashew tree in India.)
EC says
Raw cashews are not roasted and are a healthier choice and are more expensive. Bulk barn does not carry them. You can usually find them at Costco with the baking nuts. If you are using pre-roasted you will likely have to reduce your cooking time, so watch them.
Xavier says
Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration! Delicious coating, it turned out great with macadamia nuts too! :)
Paayel says
What green or red curry paste do you use?
Alex says
OMG I have made these twice in the last week – once as the topping for the Thai Carrot salad and then one more time tonight because these were such a HIT in our house!! Great recipe!
Chris Glenn says
I have a tip for all of you, as money permits, store you raw or cooked nuts in a glass jar in the freezer!
The oils in the nuts do not go rancid that way. I have put labels on the jars with the dates on the on them, and after 3 or 4 years they still tasted fine! The only drawback to this is the “hot” spices such
as Cayenne and Chili powders do tend to loose their heat after awhile.
I am very anxious to try this and your salad recipe, by the way!!! Will do so, soon. Sounds wonderful &
Thanks for sharing!
Chris
Amy says
These must smell amazing
Crystal Elston says
WOW and OMG! Made these this morning for the Thai Salad (page 3 recipes) for my lunch today and tomorrow and I was so in love with the taste (good with coffee too). Me thinks this is going to be dangerous since cashews are pricey in the calories but really a great option for hand-to-mouth finger snacks at the holidays. The spices, including some fresh ground cardamom, has left my apartment smelling AMAZING! LOVE this recipe. Sat on the max texting at least three friends that they need to make this – now!
Haley says
These are delicious and made my apartment smell amazing! Using em in a snack/cheeseboard tomorrow and super excited
Sophia Koessel says
I am not the greatest cook and have always been nervous about toasting nuts but I really wanted to make spiced cashews as a thank you gift for a friend. She has celiac disease so I couldn’t make my usual baked gifts.
I found your recipe and thought it sounded delicious – boy did I underestimate how delicious they are! Knowing the heat of the green curry paste I use and the level of heat I enjoy I used only a 1/2 Tablespoon of it. That amount is perfect for me.
These spiced cashews were so delicious and easy to make that before the oven could cool I started a second batch. I still used only 1/2 the amount of green curry paste. Instead of lime zest, which I added to my first batch, I put in black pepper which helps to bring out the health benefits of turmeric.
Thanks for a delicious and easy recipe. This makes a great gift if it doesn’t get all eaten up beforehand!!
Genevieve says
I’ve made these a couple of times now with various salads and although I find the cashews turn out better than almonds they were still stinkin’ delish! Definitely a small change that can make a big difference to a salad or bowl, highly recommend!
Michelle Borquez says
Mmmm!!! Can’t wait to try! I love ALL of those warm spices! :)
natasha says
Ever since I saw this snack food I couldn’t wait to make it. And today I finally did!!! I have recently purchased some mango curry spices which I subbed in. All I can say is WOW!!!
Elise says
Wow, these were great. I had to leave them in the oven for a bit longer than you said, but they were a total hit. At first, I really thought the quantity was too big but they disappeared very quickly.
I used them in spring rolls, as well as as a salad topping. Just excellent. Thank you so much.
Thanks Elise!
Melissa says
These are seriously good. Made it tonight to top off the Thai carrot salad for tomorrow. I seriously hope there are some left! Sweet and savory. Definitely add the lime zest. This seemed to really pull all the flavors together. Now gotta get some more cashews to make this again. My kids loved it too! Can’t wait to try it with some other curry pastes.
Tanya says
Just made this to go on the Thai Carrot Salad and I didn’t think the cashews would be there by the time I made the salad. My husband kept coming back into the kitchen again and again to sneak the still very warm nuts from the cookie sheet.
Both recipes were wonderful. Thank you for all you do!!
Michaela says
Definitely going to try this with chickpeas!
Puja says
Love the grater
Vegan Heaven says
Love this idea! I’m a big fan of cashews and can’t wait to give this a try. Thanks for sharing, Dana! :-)
Terri says
Store leftovers in an air tight container…What leftovers!? These are Awesome!!!!
Stephanie says
Thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes. Since we’re on the snack idea, I’d like to share a really easy recommendation that piggy backs of this recipe really well: Curry Corn! Basically, I prepare popcorn on the stove and toss it with a spice mix similar to yours here. (I season the popcorn with anything I have in the cupboard; most of which is curry spice. I would simply leave out the liquid items that you recommend.) It takes only about 5 minutes, is super yummy, and is vegan and gluten free. My temptation now is to take your recipe and combine it with my popcorn snack. It seems like the best of all worlds: a bit of fat, a bit of carbohydrates, and a bit of protein! If that cannot take care of the munchies, nothing can! Thanks again for all of your inspiration and insight! Keep it coming!
Nice idea! I’ll have to give that a try! Love curry recipes ;D
Celeste | The Whole Serving says
Oh yum. I’m so glad I keep raw nuts in my fridge, I can make this delicious recipe. Will be having them on a big salad.
GiselleR @ ExSloth.com says
LOVE this idea! I’ve never done savoury roasted cashews before – I usually stick to sweeter versions – but this looks too good not to try. Thanks for sharing :)
Brittany says
As a curry AND cashew lover I know I could easily eat a whole pan of these in one sitting. They look amazing and so snackable. Perfect as a salad topping too!
Indeed! Stay tuned for a salad (your fave!) involving these babes soon. (hug hug, kiss kiss)
Aleksandra says
Looks like a great office snack maybe?
Julia says
Yum! These look amazing. I’m also super impressed by how well the seasoning stuck to the cashews. They look extra crispy and delicious. Can’t wait to try!
Sarah & Curtis says
Hello! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE your recipe, oops caps :p.
Ive recently discovered cashewchange conflict food. The working conditions are terrible at (most) farms in india. Being a vegan brought up alot of ethical issues on how we source our food. Cashews, almonds, and other popular foods cause suffering. Always research your food, always buy fair trade when necessary! Do a little research on cashews and youll soon realize how much pain and suffering is caused by this seemingly ethical food.
Im not trying to guilt trip anybody, I just figured as vegans we can all strive for change and ethical products. Good work everyone! And thank you for these amazing recipes, you make being vegan easy ;)
No worries! Thanks for the heads up. It seems there’s always something new to be aware of. Thanks for sharing!
Vivian | stayaliveandcooking says
Love this! I need more simple snacks like these cashews.
Nancy Fain says
So delicious! The coating made 3 cups and I upped oven to 350 degrees.