Make your own crunchy roasted peanuts, with your favorite seasoning, in less than 10 minutes! We love these peanuts as a snack (perfect with a cold beer), to sprinkle on top of Chinese congee, or to even toss in a salad. Make them spicy (add dried chili flakes), sweet (honey), and even savory with Asian spices and seasonings.

How to Roast Peanuts in the Microwave

Why These Roasted Peanuts Are So Good

  • Crunchy, healthy, roasted peanuts in the microwave – in less than 10 minutes!
  • No oil, no fats.
  • Variations include: Honey Roasted Peanuts, Chinese Five Spice Peanuts and Japanese Furikake Peanuts.

Ingredients 

Microwave Honey Roasted Peanuts Recipe

  • Water
  • Honey
  • Salt
  • Shelled raw peanuts

Microwave Japanese Furikake Peanuts Recipe

  • Water
  • Soy sauce
  • Sugar (or honey)
  • Salt
  • Shelled raw peanuts
  • Furikake

Microwave Chinese Five Spice Peanuts Recipe

  • 1 cup water
  • Soy sauce
  • Sugar (or honey)
  • Salt
  • Chinese five-spice powder
  • Star anise (optional)
  • Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
  • Dried chili pepper flakes (optional)
  • Shelled raw peanuts
  • Furikake

How To Make Roast Peanuts – Step By Step

Microwave Honey Roasted Peanuts Recipe

1. In microwave -safe cooking dish, stir together water, honey and salt. Microwave 2 minutes.
2. Stir in raw peanuts. Microwave 2 minutes.
3. Drain peanuts, discard water. Spread out half of the peanuts on a plate in single layer, do not crowd. Microwave, uncovered, 2 minutes.
4. Stir peanuts, microwave 2 minutes.
5. Stir peanuts, microwave 30 seconds.
6. Check to see if peanuts roasted (golden brown), if peanuts pale in color, continue in 30 second increments until roasted.
7. Cool on baking sheet until completely cool, about 20 minutes – the peanuts will become crunchy as it cools. Repeat with other batch.

peanuts on dish

Microwave Japanese Furikake Peanuts Recipe

1. In microwave -safe cooking dish, stir together water, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Microwave 2 minutes.
2. Stir in raw peanuts, cover and microwave 2 minutes.
3. Drain peanuts, discard water. Spread out half of the peanuts on a plate in single layer, do not crowd. Microwave, uncovered, 2 minutes.
4. Stir peanuts, microwave 2 minutes.
5. Stir peanuts, microwave 30 seconds.
6. Check to see if peanuts roasted (golden brown), if peanuts pale in color, continue in 30 second increments until roasted.
7. Cool on baking sheet. Immediately toss with furikake. Let peanuts cool completely, about 20 minutes – the peanuts will become crunchy as it cools. Repeat with other batch.

japanese style nuts

Microwave Chinese Five Spice Peanuts Recipe

1. In microwave -safe cooking dish, stir together water, soy sauce, sugar, salt, Chinese five spice powder (and star anise/Sichuan peppercorn, chili pepper flakes, if using.) Microwave 2 minutes.
2. Stir in raw peanuts, cover and microwave 2 minutes.
3. Drain peanuts, discard water. You can keep the star anise and Sichuan peppercorns in with the peanuts. Spread out half of the peanuts on a plate in single layer, do not crowd. Microwave, uncovered, 2 minutes.
4. Stir peanuts, microwave 2 minutes.
5. Stir peanuts, microwave 30 seconds.
6. Check to see if peanuts roasted (golden brown), if peanuts pale in color, continue in 30 second increments until roasted.
7. Cool on baking sheet. Let peanuts cool completely, about 20 minutes – the peanuts will become crunchy as it cools. Repeat with other batch.

bowl of nuts

What Kind Of Peanut Is Best To Roast?

My Mom first learned this microwave peanut roasting technique years ago, in a Chinese cookbook, but the recipe required using a stovetop and a microwave. We’ve simplified the technique, and made roasted peanuts 100% in the microwave.

You’ll start with shelled, raw peanuts. If you go to an Asian market, you’ll find red-skinned raw peanuts that is perfect for this recipe. Of course, you can use a different raw peanut. Just make sure that they are shelled and raw.

ingredients

What Spices Are Good For Roasted Peanuts?

There are so many choices! You can just start with honey and salt, to make Honey Roasted Peanuts in the microwave, or your favorite spice blend – like a bbq rub. Here are some Asian spices:

chinese five spiceChinese Five Spice Powder

This is a blend of star anise, cinnamon, clove, fennel and Sichuan peppercorns, though the spice combination can vary. This spice is easy to find at most grocery stores.

It gives a warm, sweet flavor to stir fries and braises. Chinese Five Spice is concentrated, a little goes a long ways!

Other recipes using Chinese Five Spice:

Star Anise

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Star anise has a beautiful licorice flavor, it’s meant to be used whole (but not eaten). It’s used in many Chinese braised dishes, especially meats, and also used in Vietnamese Pho. Star Anise is an essential component to these recipes:

Japanese Furikake

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Furikake is dried seasoning made of any combination of: seaweed, bonito flakes, sesame seeds, freeze dried salmon, egg, roe and dehydrated vegetables. Its most common use is to be sprinkled on plain rice, to provide savory, sweet and salty flavor — and to provide a nice crunchy topping.

I love the history and origins of Furikake – in 1912, a Japanese pharmacist combined dried small fish, sesame seeds and seaweed to help with calcium deficiency. Later, during WWI, modern Furikake was created for the masses and military to combat malnourishment.

Today, the condiment has many different flavors, and is used as a topping for many things, other than just rice! I love it sprinkled on popcorn. Furikake sprinkled on our Roasted Peanuts is addictive!

Roasted Peanuts in Microwave

The first step is to combine 1 cup of water with your desired seasonings. Here I’m using soy sauce, sugar, salt, Chinese Five Spice Powder and Star Anise.

how to roast peanuts microwave recipe-2

2. Cover, microwave for 2 minutes:

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3. Add raw peanuts:

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4. Cover, microwave for 2 minutes:

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5. Drain peanuts:

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6. Divide peanuts into 2 batches on large plates in single layer:

how to roast peanuts microwave recipe-2-2

7. Microwave, uncovered, for 2 minutes:

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8. Give it a good stir:

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9. Microwave another 2 minutes:

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10. Another good stir:

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11. Microwave 30 seconds:

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The peanuts should be roasted, golden brown.

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how to roast peanuts microwave recipe-6439

A few of the peanuts might be a little more pale – if too many are pale, keep repeating the 30 second microwave/stir until roasted. If you carefully taste the peanut, the texture will still be soft (they will turn crunchy after cooling completely).

Here’s a pale peanut – but since there’s only one of them, I’m just tossing that bad nut out – the rest of the peanuts are perfect.

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12. Immediately transfer nuts to baking sheet to cool completely. As the peanuts cool, they’ll be come crispy and crunchy – just be patient and let them cool.

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Top Tips For These Roasted Peanuts

  • When microwaving the peanuts, if too many are pale, keep repeating the 30 second microwave/stir until roasted.
  • Have fun experimenting with spice combinations.
  • Use honey instead of sugar if you want it healthier.
  • Make sure to let cool completely – at least 20 mins. 

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Check Out These Delicious Peanut Recipes

Have you tried any of these roasted peanut recipes? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Roasted Peanuts 3 ways

Jaden Hair
Make your own crunchy roasted peanuts, with your favorite seasoning, in less than 10 minutes! We love these peanuts as a snack (perfect with a cold beer), to sprinkle on top of Chinese congee, or to even toss in a salad. Make them spicy (add dried chili flakes), sweet (honey), and even savory with Asian spices and seasonings.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
cool 20 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings
Calories 371 kcal

Ingredients
  

Microwave Honey Roasted Peanuts Recipe

  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shelled raw peanuts

Microwave Japanese Furikake Peanuts Recipe

  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar or honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shelled raw peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons furikake

Microwave Chinese Five Spice Peanuts Recipe

  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar or honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 8 star anise optional
  • 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes optional
  • 2 cups shelled raw peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons furikake

Instructions
 

Microwave Honey Roasted Peanuts Recipe

  • In microwave -safe cooking dish, stir together water, honey and salt. Microwave 2 minutes.
  • Stir in raw peanuts. Microwave 2 minutes.
  • Drain peanuts, discard water. Spread out half of the peanuts on a plate in single layer, do not crowd. Microwave, uncovered, 2 minutes.
  • Stir peanuts, microwave 2 minutes.
  • Stir peanuts, microwave 30 seconds.
  • Check to see if peanuts roasted (golden brown), if peanuts pale in color, continue in 30 second increments until roasted.
  • Cool on baking sheet until completely cool, about 20 minutes - the peanuts will become crunchy as it cools. Repeat with other batch.

Microwave Japanese Furikake Peanuts Recipe

  • In microwave -safe cooking dish, stir together water, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Microwave 2 minutes.
  • Stir in raw peanuts, cover and microwave 2 minutes.
  • Drain peanuts, discard water. Spread out half of the peanuts on a plate in single layer, do not crowd. Microwave, uncovered, 2 minutes.
  • Stir peanuts, microwave 2 minutes.
  • Stir peanuts, microwave 30 seconds.
  • Check to see if peanuts roasted (golden brown), if peanuts pale in color, continue in 30 second increments until roasted.
  • Cool on baking sheet. Immediately toss with furikake. Let peanuts cool completely, about 20 minutes - the peanuts will become crunchy as it cools. Repeat with other batch.

Microwave Chinese Five Spice Peanuts Recipe

  • In microwave -safe cooking dish, stir together water, soy sauce, sugar, salt, Chinese five spice powder (and star anise/Sichuan peppercorn, chili pepper flakes, if using.) Microwave 2 minutes.
  • Stir in raw peanuts, cover and microwave 2 minutes.
  • Drain peanuts, discard water. You can keep the star anise and Sichuan peppercorns in with the peanuts. Spread out half of the peanuts on a plate in single layer, do not crowd. Microwave, uncovered, 2 minutes.
  • Stir peanuts, microwave 2 minutes.
  • Stir peanuts, microwave 30 seconds.
  • Check to see if peanuts roasted (golden brown), if peanuts pale in color, continue in 30 second increments until roasted.
  • Cool on baking sheet. Let peanuts cool completely, about 20 minutes - the peanuts will become crunchy as it cools. Repeat with other batch.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 15gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 481mgPotassium: 434mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg
Keyword party snack, roast peanuts, roasted peanuts
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