10 Simple Ways to Use Walnuts
Even with rising food prices, walnuts don’t have to leave your grocery list! These versatile nuts are great for various recipes, from snacks to meals and desserts. Besides which, they are an easy way to add a delicious dose of plant-based nutrition to your dishes.
The following 10 simple ways to use walnuts at home provide quick ways that you can enhance the flavor and texture of your dishes by simply including the mighty walnut!
Whether you pair this tasty nut with oatmeal for breakfast or charcuterie trays or make them into a delicious trail mix, you’ll find you can do a ton with California walnuts! Use this nutrition-packed nut to help stretch your budget!
1. Plus-Up Cereal or Oatmeal
Add the perfect crunch to your breakfast by chopping up a handful of walnuts and using it on top of cereal or oatmeal. You’ll boost the nutrition of your meal in the process while adding four grams of plant-based protein! One of our favorite walnut recipes, Banana Bread Overnight Oats, offers a deliciously sweet breakfast option that only requires a few ingredients. This quick, satisfying meal will help tide you over until lunch!
2. Make a DIY Trail Mix
There’s nothing better than homemade trail mix! It’s easy to make, filling, and incredibly tasty. Plus, you can use whatever you have on hand to make a delicious mixture. Combine ingredients like walnuts, cereal, raisins, chocolate chips, and dried fruit for a flavorful, quick snack.
Need more snack inspiration? Try this Vanilla Walnut Berry Trail Mix or Spiced Walnut Trail Mix recipe for a fun combination of flavors! Or, make up your own mix customized to include your family’s favorites.
3. Pair with Fruit, Cheese, and Crackers
What’s better than a tasty charcuterie board with fruit, cheese, crackers, and walnuts?! You can add nutrition and crunch to a charcuterie board or a simple cheese and fruit plate by including walnuts. You can also create Walnut Snack Boxes, which feature hard boiled eggs, veggies, crackers, hummus, and more for a quick and easy snack!
4. Swap-in on Salads
Tired of using boring old croutons? Try swapping in walnuts to boost the flavor of a salad and add a yummy crunch! You can add them to recipes like Walnut, Quinoa, and Ranch Chicken Salad.
5. Add to Sandwiches and Wraps
Creamy salads are always an excellent choice for meals, and adding chopped walnuts can easily enhance the texture, nutrition, and flavor. Try mixing walnuts into chicken or tuna salad for your next meal! A few favorite sandwich recipes include the Green Goddess Tuna Walnut Salad Pinwheels and the Chickpea & Walnut Salad Sandwiches, which require only a few steps.
6. Make-Ahead Walnut Pesto
Did you know that you can use walnuts to make Walnut Pesto in just 10 minutes? Bonus—you can prep walnut pesto ahead for the week and freeze it in ice cube trays. Then just defrost as the week goes by to spruce up pasta (for example, Pappardelle with California Walnut Pesto) or pizza, or to add flavor to salads, appetizers and sides.
7. Just Eat a Handful Plain
For a nutritious snack you can’t beat a handful of walnuts. About 1 oz adds 2.5g of omega-3 ALA, the plant-based fatty acid (the most ALA of any tree nut), 4g of plant-based protein, 2g of fiber, and 45mg of magnesium. To add to that nutty flavor, try toasting your walnuts, it only takes 10 minutes.
8. Top Your Pizza, Pasta, or Roasted Veggies
You can even top pizza, pasta, and roasted veggies with walnuts! Doing so boosts the flavor, texture, and nutritional value. Plus, adding walnuts to a pre-made pizza crust can jazz it up with extra crunch.
Not sure where to start with adding walnuts to these recipes? Try recreating these recipes at home: Roasted Vegetables with Walnuts, Basil, and Balsamic Vinegar or Chicken Broccoli Pasta.
9. Swap Walnut ‘Meat’ for Ground Beef
It may seem challenging to get extra protein into your diet. However, you can easily turn walnut “meat” into various tasty dishes. When you mix walnuts with beans, vegetables, and spices, you can make a wholesome meat alternative! Classic Family Taco Night Walnut Tacos are a yummy way to enjoy walnut “meat” with the whole family. Walnut and Mushroom Ragu is an easy way to feed even the pickiest eaters! Try making Walnut and Mushroom Teriyaki Burgers on the grill for your next BBQ. The options are endless with walnut “meat”!
10. Add to Ice Cream or Yogurt
Elevate your sweet treats with toasted walnuts! You can add these morsels to the top of your favorite ice cream and yogurt or use them as a brownie topper.
Maximize Your Budget with California Walnuts
Here’s a bonus budgeting tip! Avoid food waste by maximizing the life of your walnuts. Keep them in the fridge or freezer for walnuts that stay fresh longer.