Rosemary Roasted Almonds

These Rosemary Roasted Almonds are a healthy and flavorful snack! They're made with olive oil, smoked paprika, lemon zest, and fresh herbs.

These Smoky Roasted Almonds are an easy snack to whip up for your next party! They're great served alongside your favorite savory party snacks along with a glass of wine.

My husband and I love to have friends over for a few glasses of wine. It's always nice to have a few flavorful snacks like these roasted almonds to enjoy while sipping on a glass of wine.

This recipe is great because it's easy to prepare and only requires a few simple ingredients. These roasted almonds are also healthy, naturally vegan and gluten free, and bursting with flavor.

It's inspired by Spanish tapas, which is a small bite or small plate that's often enjoyed with wine in Spain. These almonds are tossed in olive oil, smoked paprika, and fresh rosemary and then roasted in the oven until fragrant.

They're then tossed with lots of kosher salt and lemon zest for extra flavor. These almonds are perfect served alongside cheese and crackers or as part of a charcuterie board.

Jump to:

• Which Almonds Are Best For Roasting?
• Ingredients For Rosemary Roasted Almonds
• How To Make Roasted Almonds
• How Long Does It Take To Roast These Almonds?
• What To Serve With Smoky Roasted Almonds
• How Long Do These Toasted Almonds Last?
• Rosemary Roasted Almonds

Which Almonds Are Best For Roasting?

For these Rosemary Roasted Almonds, I love to use whole raw, unsalted almonds.

Raw, unsalted almonds tossed in olive oil will become crispy when roasted in the oven and tend to absorb the flavors of all of the ingredients that are added to them.

This makes them a great choice for roasting. You can grab a bag of raw, unsalted almonds at any grocery store or food coop.

• Make sure that the brand you choose is unsalted, as pre-salted or pre-spiced nuts will become overly salty once all of the other ingredients have been added to them.
• It's also important to choose a brand that is gluten free and not processed on shared equipment if gluten is an issue for you.
• For the best results, I recommend whole almonds as opposed to slivered or sliced almonds.
• Some recipes call for almonds to soak almonds in water before they are roasted, but I find that it is not necessary to soak the almonds before roasting.

Ingredients For Rosemary Roasted Almonds

As mentioned, it only requires a few ingredients to whip up this flavorful snack.

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 lb. Raw, Unsalted Almonds (equals 16 oz.)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 3 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary (minced)
• 2 Lemons (zest only)
• 1 ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)

• If you do not have fresh rosemary on hand, you can sub dried rosemary instead. Simply use 2 tsp. dried rosemary in place of the 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary.
• Feel free to reduce the amount of smoked paprika to 2 tsp. if you find the flavor too 'smoky'. Alternately, you can use half regular paprika and half smoked paprika for an overall less smoky flavor.

How To Make Roasted Almonds

Roasting is one of my favorite overall cooking methods. It's easy to do and brings out the flavors of whatever is roasted.

I roast vegetables all the time for easy side dishes like garlic green beans, Mediterranean cauliflower, and Asian Brussels sprouts. Roasting the vegetables helps to caramelize them and brings out their natural sugars.

The concept is similar when roasting nuts in the oven. The roasting process helps to release their oils, creating a deeper flavor. The addition of the olive oil as they're roasting results in a crunchy texture.

To roast the almonds, all you need is a large baking sheet. You can place some parchment paper on the baking sheet if you like, but this step is entirely optional.

1. Start by heating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mince 2 Tbsp. of fresh rosemary.
3. Place 1 lb. (equals 16 oz.) of raw, unsalted almonds on a large baking sheet (feel free to use parchment paper if you like).
4. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. olive oil over the almonds and toss until completely coated in the olive oil.
5. Sprinkle 3 tsp. smoked paprika and ½ tsp. kosher salt over the almonds and toss until completely coated.
6. Add 2 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp. dried rosemary) to the almonds and toss until completely coated.
7. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 14-15 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through the cooking time to prevent the nuts from burning.
8. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside.

How Long Does It Take To Roast These Almonds?

These almonds are roasted for 14-15 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. It's best to remove the baking sheet from the oven halfway through the cooking process and shake it to prevent the almonds from burning.

I recommend allowing the almonds to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. This will allow them to become crispy.

Roasted almonds straight from the oven are not yet completely crispy, making for an unappealing texture.

1. Immediately after removing the baking sheet from the oven, add another ¾ tsp. kosher salt to the almonds and toss until combined.
2. Using a Microplane zester, add the zest of 1-2 lemons to the almonds and toss until completely coated.
3. Allow the roasted almonds to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving, which will help them become crispy.
4. Adjust salt levels as needed.

What To Serve With Smoky Roasted Almonds

These almonds are bursting with flavor and become quite fragrant when roasting in the oven.

They're smoky, savory, earthy, and salty all at the same time. It's one of those snacks that you find yourself reaching for again and again.

I love to serve savory snacks like this one with a variety of appetizers, such as cheese, olives, and dips with crostini.

The smoky flavor of these almonds goes great with Spanish cheese, such as Manchego, along with Spanish olives or tapas such as patatas bravas, garlic marinated mushrooms, or chorizo.

If not sticking with a Spanish theme, they pair nicely with any quality cheese, such as brie, goat cheese, blue cheese, Gouda, or Gruyere along with some crackers and cured meats such as salami or prosciutto.

I love crunchy almonds with a flavorful dip such as baba ghanoush, roasted mushroom tapenade, or Kalamata olive tapenade with some crostini.

These almonds can be served with either red or white wine, or your favorite cocktail or nonalcoholic drink such as this Raspberry Mule or Cranberry Mocktail.

Looking for more party appetizers? Don't miss these recipes!

• Mushroom Gruyere Tartlets
• Asparagus with Prosciutto
• Maple Walnut Baklava Bites
• Smoked Salmon Dill Ricotta Crostini
• Prosciutto Gruyere Tartlets
• Feta Stuffed Dates

How Long Do These Toasted Almonds Last?

Any leftover toasted almonds should last 4-5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

They can also be made the day ahead and stored in an airtight container if needed. Make sure to allow the almonds to cool completely before transferring to a container for storage.

If you love toasted nuts, check out these Maple Spiced Roasted Nuts!

Love appetizers? Check out these recipes!

• Slow Cooker BBQ Turkey Meatballs
• Crispy Breaded Mushrooms
• Cold Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Cheesy Chipotle Rice Balls
• Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
• Mediterranean White Bean Dip

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