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Instant Pot Cajun Spiced Walnuts

Instant Pot Cajun Spiced Walnuts are buttery walnuts coated with a mixture of zesty spices in this easy-to-make recipe.

open jar of cajun spiced walnuts

May 17th is National Walnut Day! Of course you must celebrate with walnuts. I suggest making Maple Walnut Fudge, Walnut Cake or these Instant Pot Cajun Spiced Walnuts!

Share the walnut love on social media today using the hashtags #NationalWalnutDay, #WalnutDay and #RecipesForHolidays.

Be sure to follow my May Food Holidays page so you never miss a food holiday in the month of May!

“They say that there are moments that open up your life like a walnut cracked, that change your point of view so that you never look at things the same way again.”

-Jodi Picoult

The History of Walnuts:

Walnuts are the oldest tree food known to man, dating back to 7,000 BC. Historians believe that walnuts contributed to the diet of early tribes of hunter gatherers. Early history suggests that walnuts came from ancient Persia, where they were reserved for royalty.

The Romans called walnuts “Jupiter’s royal acorn.”

Walnuts were traded along the Silk Road route between Asia and the Middle East. Trade of walnuts all over the world is what increased the popularity of the walnut.

Walnuts were first cultivated in California in the late 1700’s.

Today, the nut trade is big business! China is the world’s biggest producer of walnuts. California is second, producing 1 billion pounds of walnuts annually.

ingredients displayed for making instant pot cajun spiced walnuts

Ingredients Needed:

  • egg white
  • hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
  • chili powder
  • dried thyme
  • dried oregano
  • salt
  • onion powder
  • black pepper
  • garlic powder
  • walnut halves
four photos showing how to make instant pot cajun spiced walnuts

How to make Instant Pot Cajun Spiced Walnuts:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg white and hot pepper sauce; stir well with a whisk until foamy. Beat in the chili powder and next 6 ingredients. Add the nuts to the egg white mixture, tossing to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart Instant Pot coated liberally with nonstick spray.

Cover the cooker with the lid, and lock the lid in place. Turn the steam release handle to the VENTING position. Select the SLOW COOK setting. Select the LOW temperature setting for 3 hours, stirring every hour.

wooden spoon with cajun spiced walnuts on it over instant pot

Spread the nuts in an even layer on 2 baking sheets; cool completely. 

overhead shot of open jar of cajun spiced walnuts

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

open jar of instant pot cajun spiced walnuts

What can you do with Cajun spiced walnuts? They’re a tasty snack or appetizer, for sure. They’re also great chopped up and added to salads. Enjoy!

fingers holding a cajun spiced walnut

Fun Facts About Walnuts:

  • Walnuts are technically not a nut. They are the seed of a drupe.
  • California produces more than 99% of the walnuts in the U.S. with more than 4500 walnut farms.
  • Santa Barbara is the walnut capital of the world.
  • The nutrition in walnuts makes them great pregnancy food.
  • Walnuts can assist with sleep! They are a great source of tryptophan, and they contain melatonin too.
  • Maintain freshness of walnuts by keeping them cold in the fridge or freezer.
open jar of cajun spiced walnuts

Cajun Spiced Walnuts

Yield: 4 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Buttery walnuts are coated with a mixture of zesty spices!

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg white
  • 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 cups walnut halves

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the egg white and hot pepper sauce; stir well with a whisk until foamy. Beat in the chili powder and next 6 ingredients. Add the nuts to the egg white mixture, tossing to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart Instant Pot coated liberally with nonstick spray.
  2. Cover the cooker with the lid, and lock the lid in place. Turn the steam release handle to the VENTING position. Select the SLOW COOK setting. Select the LOW temperature setting for 3 hours, stirring every hour.
  3. Spread the nuts in an even layer on 2 baking sheets; cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 163mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

Nutritional information is estimated using a nutrition calculator. It's not likely to be 100% accurate.

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