Roasted Pecans | Fatfree Vegan Kitchen Recipe

Recipe courtesy of:
Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

Roasted Pecans

I like to keep these simple, using only salt so that the rich, sweet taste of the pecans shines through. You can, of course, use other seasonings, if you choose. Creole seasoning is particularly tasty.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Begin with 12 ounces to 1 pound of shelled pecans. Put them in a rectangular baking dish big enough for them to spread out in a single layer. Check for any shriveled or black pecans and remove them. Then cover the pecans with lukewarm water and stir for a minute.

You'll see that the water immediately becomes dark with the impurities that you're removing. Let the pecans soak for 5 minutes, and then drain them in a colander. Return them to the dish and cover them again with lukewarm water. Repeat the 5 minute soaking and drain. The water should have been a little lighter in color that time. Repeat the process one more time and return the pecans to the pan.

Spread the pecans out in a single layer and sprinkle with salt (I used Kosher flake salt because it is more finely ground than regular salt). Put the pan in the preheated oven. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Watch them carefully and remove them if they begin to get too brown.

Remove from the oven and salt again if necessary. If you are not adding margarine, allow them to cool completely before serving or storing in a tightly sealed container.

If you want to add margarine, add about 1 tablespoon as soon as the pecans come out of the oven. Stir well, using a spatula to scrape up the dried salt from the dish and distribute it to all the nuts. Allow to cool completely before serving or storing in a tightly sealed container.