Garlic Roasted Pecans

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If you want an easy, quick, and healthy snack, then look no further than this recipe for garlic roasted pecans. Be careful however, as these impressive homemade roasted pecans are highly addictive with their garlicky and salty flavors.  

I’m not exaggerating when I say they are addictive. I had to hurry up and put my last batch in the freezer when my husband kept eating them and walked out of the room saying, “These are so good I can’t stop eating them”.

If I didn’t freeze them, he’d have eaten them all right then and there! 

Garlic Roasted Pecans 

There isn’t anything complicated about making this recipe. If you already know how to roast pecans or any nuts, then you’ll find this recipe to be very similar but with some added garlic powder, butter and salt.  

If making this recipe is the first time you’ve ever roasted nuts or pecans specifically, no worries. I step you through exactly how we roast pecans, and how we get them to taste out-of-this-world delicious with our touch of garlic.  

You can watch the video at the end of the post if you want to literally watch me prove how easy it is to make! 

Ingredients 

For this recipe, we keep the ingredients list to a minimum. We don’t use complex flavors or a mix of herbs. We only use four ingredients.  

Pecans 

For the pecans we are using halved raw pecans. This recipe is for one cup of pecans. 

Butter 

A little butter goes a long way. We use a Tablespoon for a cup of halved pecans.  

Garlic powder 

The best way to get a good garlic flavor when roasting nuts is to use the powder form. The granules are small and can more evenly mix with the melted butter.  

Salt 

I use Himalayan pink salt. I recommend using a fine sea salt if you have it.  

How to Make Garlic Roasted Pecans 

Don’t let the term roasting throw you. We are basically baking the pecans at a low temperature, in this case 300F.

There are many ways to roast pecans. The thing to remember is that we are roasting them, not toasting them. If the temperature is too high when baking or roasting, you run the risk of burning the pecans and not baking them all the way through.  

Here are the steps you’ll want to follow.

Preheat oven to 300F (148 C)

Pecans have a very high oil content, and they will burn quickly if you’re not careful. However, I don’t want to be watching the oven for an hour, so I roast mine no lower than 300F. This allows enough time for the pecans to absorb the flavors and not get so dried out that they are too crunchy for my liking.  

Create the garlic, salt and butter mixture 

While the oven is heating, grab a small saucepan and heat your butter over low heat until it is melted. This should only take about 2 minutes.  

Once it’s melted, turn off the heat and add in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Use a spoon to mix it all together. It will probably clump a bit, don’t expect it to be like a runny liquid. See image above to show the process of what it looks like.  

Coat the pecans 

Now add in your pecan halves and use the same spoon to stir and coat them with the butter garlic mixture until the pecans are fully coated. Stir the pecans for about a minute to make sure that they are coated with as much mixture as you can.

Try to break up any large garlic clumps, and scrape any off your spoon that might accumulate while mixing.  

Prep the pecans for roasting 

Next, line a baking pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have any parchment paper, that is okay. The parchment simply makes for a quick and easy clean up.  

Add the coated pecans to the baking pan and spread out evenly.  

Bake at 300F 

Once ready, place on a middle rack in the heated oven. You will bake the pecans for a total of 15 minutes, but you’ll need to turn them over (as much as possible) halfway through. So set a timer for 7 minutes, turn or toss them a bit and then bake them the remaining 7 minutes.  

Check periodically to ensure they are not getting too dark and burning. See image below in next section.

Roasting Tips

Here are a few tips that I’ve learned about roasting the pecans that I want to pass onto you too. I also discuss them in my video at the bottom of the post. 

1. Overbaking your pecans can lead to them getting burnt. And they will burn! If you try to bake them at a higher temperature the outside will cook too quickly. It’s important to keep an eye on the pecans. If they start getting too dark it’s time to take them out.  See image below.

2. Do a practice batch if it’s your first time. Pecans aren’t exactly cheap so don’t waste a batch by guessing or not paying attention. Ovens vary. I cooked mine in my Breville Smart Oven Air 900 BSS, which may bake differently than someone’s 20-year-old conventional oven. So do a small batch – even if it’s just pecans and test the timing.  

3. Don’t judge until they are cooled. One thing I’ve learned is that making a judgement call on too much of this or too little of that, when the pecans are right out of the oven, can really throw you off. Wait until they have cooled as the flavors will mellow, plus you’ll be less likely to burn your mouth! 

How to Store Roasted Pecans 

So, one of the great things about roasted nuts is that they can be frozen for at least 6 months! You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  

This makes it really convenient to make in advance for parties, get-togethers, or when you want to have a few on hand to toss in a salad.  

Ways to Use Garlic Roasted Pecans in Recipes 

It should be no surprise these nuts are so popular, especially during the holidays. In fact, you can check out my list of over 20 different pecan Christmas recipes from appetizers to side dishes and desserts.

But since we are making garlic roasted pecans, the ways to use these in recipes is a little more restrictive than regular roasted pecans. However, here are some ideas to get you started.  

Appetizers

These are great as appetizers. When serving these for guests or family, it’s best to serve them with spoons so no one has to get butter fingers all over your furniture and house. These are nice with cocktails or next to an Italian antipasto platter before a nice dinner or during the holidays.  

Salads

I love adding healthy nuts to my salads, and this is one way to get them in there that everyone will love. If you want to go super healthy, reduce the amount of salt.

You’ll find that when you toss them with the salad, the leaves will take on the garlic flavor and wow does it taste delicious! These are a perfect way to dress up a standard salad during holiday meals.

Ice Cream and garlic pecans?

Serve with ice cream. Okay, who really wants garlic with their ice cream? Well, it’s actually not bad! Give it a try.  

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