Crunchy, satisfying, oil free, and garlicky: air fryer almonds are an addictive snack that's so easy to make! Oven directions included.
Have you tried roasting nuts in your air fryer yet? It's a great way to save time roasting almonds, cashews, pecans, or any other nuts or seeds that you like.
And these garlicky, crunchy, air fryer almonds are a great place to get started.
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Recipe notes
These couldn't be easier to make.
The coating for these babies is a mix of soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika, and white pepper. Just whisk together the coating ingredients until you have a thick paste. This paste will stick well to the nuts, so you'll get maximum flavor.
Then, toss it with your almonds and air fry until they're almost-but-not-quite cooked through. Then, transfer to a baking sheet to finish cooling.
Raw almonds are pretty chewy, and your air fryer almonds are done cooking when they are still a bit chewy in the middle. That's because they're actually still "cooking" as they cool.
If you let them cook until they're hardened all the way through, you'll end up with burnt almonds. Not delicious, trust me.
Important storage instructions
To store, let your almonds cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container, like a Tupperware or a mason jar.
Do not put them up before they are cooled! You'll end up trapping moisture in your container, which is not safe. Moisture in a warm, cozy environment is how you breed bacteria. Don't do it, y'all.
Wait for them to cool at least 15 minutes before putting them away. These almonds will keep for up to a week this way.
Variations and substitutions
If garlicky isn't your thing, no worries! You've got options:
- Dry roast your almonds in the air fryer by omitting all of the seasoning. Cook them plain, following the cooking time and temperature listed in the recipe card below.
- Oil roast them by tossing with a tablespoon of oil instead of all the seasoning. Same cooking time and temperature as below.
- Try other seasoning mixes in the same amount.
- For smoky roasted almonds, use liquid smoke instead of soy sauce.
Serving suggestions
You can snack on your air fryer roasted almonds by the handful, but they're also delicious sprinkled over a soup or salad or chopped up to add some crunch to a sandwich or wrap.
Try them instead of the macadamia nuts in a broccoli kale salad or use them to add crunch to a pasta dish, like my red pepper pesto fettuccini.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Almonds Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cups raw almonds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together all of the ingredients, except the almonds, until you have a thick paste. Stir in the almonds, making sure to coat them really well (and really evenly!).
Air fryer directions
- Transfer the almonds to your air fryer basket, and cook at 300° F for 6-8 minutes, shaking every 2 minutes to prevent sticking and so that they'll cook evenly.
- Starting at minute 6, you'll want to check in every minute, tasting an almond for doneness. Your almonds are ready when they have hardened a bit but are still a little chewy in the center. They will get crunchier once they’re cooled. Trust me: I have burnt roasted nuts before, because I was waiting for them to get crunchy all the way through. Don’t be like me!
- Let them cool to room temperature – about 10-15 minutes – then transfer to your storage container of choice.
Oven directions
- Preheat the oven to 300° F.
- Spread the almonds into a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, so that they cook evenly.
Video
📝 Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Think of an air fryer as a small, super hot convection oven. Like a convection oven, it uses hot, circulating air to cook food more quickly.
Because of its size, though, an air fryer is even faster than a convection oven. Convection ovens cut down cooking time by 25%. An air fryer reduces baking time by 50%.
I've had the best results cooking them at a lower heat -- 300° F (150° C) for 6-8 minutes.
The recipe card above uses a seasoning mix, but that's not required to roast almonds in the air fryer!
If you want them plain, you can dry roast the almonds or toss with a tablespoon of olive oil before roasting in the air fryer. Same time and temp as in the recipe above.
No need! Air fryers heat up so quickly that, for most recipes, preheating is unnecessary.
You should not soak before roasting. That will cause the almonds to take on additional moisture, which will just up the cooking time.
You can double the recipe, but I highly recommend air frying the almonds in two batches, if you do.
An air fryer works best when hot air is circulating, so you want to be sure not to overfill the basket.
Yes! Your almonds will cook faster, since there is more air circulating in the basket. Start checking on them after just 3 minutes, and check every minute after that.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!