A savory and quick happy hour snack, these smoked paprika and garlic roasted almonds are perfect for snacking. And they’re naturally vegan and gluten-free!
Second Sunday post in a row, I’m on a roll! I’ve decided to start sharing more simple and savory recipes, partly because my body can’t keep eating desserts all the dang time (if only), and partly because, after putting out the reader survey, I’ve found that many of you want more simple, healthy recipes, which I totally understand. Hence, this easy and savory batch of garlic roasted almonds.
While this will still remain a dessert blog, I will be incorporating more savory/dinner/simple recipes in too, just to vary things a bit. Bear with me while I get my skills honed on the savory side of things, dessert is really my wheelhouse, but savory is starting to show its appeal too.
Creating these garlic roasted almonds
These garlic roasted almonds came to be after I bought a bag of whole almonds in desperation a few weeks ago, when really what I was looking for was a bag of sliced almonds. I’ve been testing a recipe for a sweet orange almond muffin recipe and needed those almonds that are sliced ever so perfectly, rather than the whole ones.
Out of frustration and running into the ‘I didn’t come here for nothing’ attitude at the grocery store, I grabbed a bag of whole almonds and headed on my way. Then, it got sucked into the vortex of oft forgotten things in the back of my baking cabinet, waiting to be used for something, but continuing to be pushed back into the recesses of the cabinet in favor of the bag of chocolate chips or new-to-me maca powder.
Finally, I decided it was time to breathe new life into them and use them for something that is a cross between the perfect happy hour snack (hello, protein!) and something that sounds fancy as all get out, without being unnecessarily fussy.
I knew I wanted to start with my new favorite spice, smoked paprika, and combine it was something else that was strong, pungent and took on the flavor of the almonds well. Garlic is always a good choice, plus roasting only brings out the natural almonds and flavor of both of the main spices in these roasted almonds. Add a healthy dose of olive oil and snack time is born!
How to roast almonds
If you’ve never made roasted almonds before, you’re in for a real treat because they require pretty much zero cooking skills to make. Simply toss the raw, unsalted almonds with some olive oil and spices, and then roast them in a 350ºF oven for around 10 minutes. One of my biggest pieces of advice for making these garlic roasted almonds is to watch them closely. I’ve burned my fair share of nuts (heh) and it’s all due to not keeping a close watch on them or walking away, confident I’ll take them out before they burn. Set the timer for less time than you think you will need and check them more often than feels necessary.
One way to tell when the almonds have finished roasting is to listen to them. It sounds crazy, I know, but if you put your ear near the nuts you should hear a faint sizzling—that means they’re done! In addition to the sizzling, the roasted almonds should be incredibly fragrant and should have gone slightly browner in color.
In the end, you will be rewarded with a perfectly crunchy, salty batch of garlic roasted almonds that would pair perfectly with that happy hour cocktail.
Shout out to my grandparents, who have cocktail and snack time every evening, I think they would absolutely love these!
More vegan snacks on Heart of a Baker:
- Chocolate Almond Vegan Granola Bars
- Spicy Vegan Black Bean Dip
- Dark Chocolate and Cacao Nib Banana Smoothie
- Vegan Spicy Cheese Ball with Sriracha and Lime
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites
Smoked Paprika and Garlic Roasted Almonds
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
A savory and quick happy hour snack, these smoked paprika and garlic roasted almonds are perfect for snacking. And they’re naturally vegan and gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large bowl, combine the almonds and olive oil, stir with a spoon to coat. Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt, toss to coat evenly.
- Spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, making sure they are spread evenly. Bake for 5 minutes, remove from oven to stir. Return the nuts to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on these, they can burn quickly!
Keywords: roasted almonds, how to roast almonds
kCharlotte Thompson says
Hi granddaughter………..appreciate the mention and these do sound yummy. Wondering if this would work with pecans as well, since we have access to locally grown pecans. Will be giving this a try, sweetie. Love, G & G
Heart of a Baker says
I think that would work perfectly!
bella says
These look & sound amazing!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
What a great snack Abby! Smoky paprika is right up there with cinnamon, cumin and chili powder as my favorites in the spice department. It’s SO versatile in the vegetarian and vegan pantry… I’d be right there with your grandparents, inhaling these as I suck down a few cocktails!
Christiann says
sounds like the perfect snack!!
Heart of a Baker says
It totally is!
Michelle || Hummingbird High says
i love how delicious (yet simple!) this recipe sounds. xo
Heart of a Baker says
Less time baking, more time eating! xo
Elizabeth says
These are the perfect afternoon snack! I’m so in love with the flavors at play here.
Laura (A Beautiful Plate) says
Oh oh! These look so good. I always forget to roast almonds in a savory way (no idea why, I just do!) and I tend to crave more savory for snacks than sweet, so this is perfect for me. Loving the simple recipes! 🙂
Heart of a Baker says
Thanks sweet Laura!
Tessa | Salted Plains says
I have been thinking about these since you posted them. I can’t wait to make a batch to have during the Super Bowl. Love it, Abby!
Tamara says
I tried this recipe for the first time and they turned out pretty good. I was hoping they would be a little ‘lighter’ but I think that’s user error on my end. I’ll keep trying until I get it right! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
★★★★★
Tammy Nichols says
I came across your recipe in a search for holiday snacks and I had a 3lb bag of raw almonds from COSTCO! Eureka! After tasting the first batch, I made a 2nd batch. I love the simplicity but also, how light the flavor is. These will be perfect for our gift exchange with neighbors and our own snack/cocktail time leading up to Christmas! Thank you for sharing!
Melissa Winscher says
I made these today! Added some onion powder and a dash of black pepper! Very tasty
★★★★
Valerie says
Simple recipe that’s delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★