You Can Toast Nuts In A Microwave. Here's How

Toasting nuts can take your favorite snack from plain to a pleasantly savory and crunchy food. Pretty much any time you're looking to up the texture and taste of a dish or baked good, you can rely on toasted nuts to amplify the flavor, too, whether it's in cookies, salads, homemade granola. But toasting nuts can be a real hassle. It takes time, and if you've ever tried to toast nuts, you know they burn easily — the perfect culinary storm for the cooking challenged. 

Associated Press concurs, and notes that because nuts do burn so readily when they warm-up and release all their oils, it is important that you toast them on low heat. But AP also says you should never toast your nuts in a frying pan on the stove top either, especially if you are trying to avoid burning them

There are so many pitfalls for the novice and even the skilled cook, it kind of makes you want to skip making anything that requires you to toast nuts altogether. Well, there's no need to stress because we've discovered that you can actually toast nuts in the microwave, and this method is almost fool-proof. Here's why you should try it.

Per Wonder How To, not only can you use the microwave to accomplish the task of toasting nuts, but famed writer, Harold McGee, who writes about the chemistry of food, has given this method his seal of approval. However, Wonder How To explains that using the microwave to do so comes with a caveat. You will not be able to achieve the same golden-brown color that is synonymous with toasting nuts; however, you will still get that warm, sweet, and earthy smell that is also part of the toasting experience.

The speed, coupled with the lack of the messy and greasy clean-up that can come with toasting nuts, is part of the microwave method's appeal. It literally takes minutes. To toast in the microwave, simply place nuts on a microwave safe plate being sure to spread them out so they are not a jumbly mess, and use one-minute intervals to toast the nuts. After each minute, you will want to mix it up to ensure every nut is being heated thoroughly. 

Now, Wonder How To did not suggest using oil when using the microwave, but Serious Eats says you should consider coating your nuts with some type of oil and recommends canola or olive oil. The article states that even in the microwave, the oil will help turn your nuts that autumnal golden hue. To store any toasted nuts for future use, opt for an airtight container.