One mouthful of these Air Fryer Mexican Masala Roasted Peanuts is like having a party in your mouth! You can have Mexican flavoured peanuts ready in minutes when using the air fryer. We love this delicious combination of paprika, oregano, and lemon juice. I suggest making a few batches as they will finish fast!
Nuts are one of my go-to snacks! I always keep a little sandwich bag of nuts in my handbag at all times because I just know that cravings will hit! More often than not, it will be a batch of plain nuts but recently I have been loving experimenting with different flavours.
This particular recipe is one that my Mum posted on the blog back in 2013.
These nuts are:
✅An easy and quick snack
✅Gluten-free
✅Dairy-free
✅Vegan!
✅Good shelf-life
Since the arrival of air-fryers in our kitchen, we have been able to explore a different style of cooking. We were so surprised at the versatility of the air-fryer and how so many different recipes can be adapted and made in the air fryer!
Why you should Air Fry your snacks
We have totally jumped on the Ary Frying trend and have been reaping the benefits!
✅Air Fried food:
✅Has fewer calories than deep-fried
✅Uses less oil than deep-fried or shallow fried food
✅More often than not, it is usually quicker to make
✅Retains delicious flavour and texture
Some recipes where the air fryer works wonders are, Tandoori Paneer Tarte au Soleil , Rose and Pistachio Puff Pastry Cream Horns and Chilli, Garlic and Lime Mogo Chips
Have you tried Tiktok Air fryer Pasta Chips ? It’s a delicious and fun recipe that everyone will enjoy 🙂
One of mine and my brother’s favourite snack is these Air fryer Banana Chips , just can’t stop munching as soon they are made.
One of our family favourites, this Air Fryer Cheesy Potatoes are simply irresistible, packed with Mexican flavours.
Ingredients for Mexican Masala Roasted Peanuts:
🥜 Peanuts – use raw or blanched. If using raw with skin see below how to skin peanuts easily.
🥜 Oil – any oil without its own strong flavor works well here
🥜 Salt to taste
🥜 Lemon juice or 1/2 tsp citric acid or lemon crystals ( in Gujarati AKA Limboo na phool)
🥜 Mexican seasoning or taco seasoning – easy to buy from the supermarket or make your own. See below for the recipe
🥜 Black pepper powder freshly ground black pepper
🥜 C ream cheese powder – this is optional. Use if you want a more creamy and cheesy flavor to the nuts. If you want to keep this recipe vegan skip it.
Homemade Taco/Mexican seasoning
- Chilli powder (you can vary the amount to suit here, depending on whether you want a very spicy Mexican seasoning or not)
- Garlic powder (you can substitute with slightly less garlic salt, but you probably won’t need to add any salt to the mixture)
- Onion powder
- Oregano
- Smoked paprika
- Ground cumin
- Cinnamon powder
- Salt & pepper
Mix everything and use it in the desired recipe.
How to remove Peanut skin easily
To remove the skin of the peanuts you must roast or toast peanuts first, without this step, you won’t be able to remove raw peanuts skin very quickly.
You can roast peanuts 3 ways, over the stovetop in a normal frying pan, in the microwave or in the oven.
You can use either red or pink peanuts
Stovetop method – take peanuts in a frying pan, and dry roast on low to medium heat until the peanuts start changing their colour, the aroma starts wafting and the skin starts tearing. Keep stirring all the time using a spatula. This will take around 8-10 minutes.
Microwave method – Roast peanuts in M/W for 3-4 minutes on HIGH in one layer. Every minute pause and check. Let it cool for 8-10 minutes.
Oven method – Spread the raw peanuts in a rimmed baking pan and place them in at gas mark 4 350F/180C, oven for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Once the peanuts are cool at room temperature and can be handled, rub the nuts between your hands or tea towel. Discard the skin and use roasted peanuts in the desired recipe.
This will affect the cooking time of these flavoured nuts as they are already slightly roasted. Around 3-4 minutes in the Air Fryer should be enough.
These moreish peanuts pair so well with cocktails, mocktails or soft drinks, if you’re looking for some non-alcoholic or kid-friendly drink recipes have a look at our Virgin Cardamom Mojito .
Anyone in the family a fan of James bond movies and apples? Serve this light and crispy Non-alcoholic Green Apple Martini .
How do I get seasoning stick to roasted nuts?
There is nothing worse than preparing a finger-licking seasoning just for all of it to fall off during the roasting process!
There are a few easy solutions to this!
Oil is great at getting the seasoning to stick to nuts. Simply add a spoon of oil to the mixture. Careful not to add too much oil as the nuts contain their own and will release once they begin to warm.
Water can also help the seasoning to stick. The water will help the seasoning stay on the nuts and as the nuts heat, the natural oil will take over
Honey is also a good option if you want a little sweetness to the nuts.
Variations
Great part of these Air fryer peanuts is that you can make and enjoy whatever flavour you fancy each time. We love to make different batches with various spices blends.
Salt and Pepper – Can’t go wrong with this one, everyone will love it! Raw Peanuts + Salt + Freshly ground Black Pepper
Spicy Indian Peanuts – My dad’s go-to snack, he would make it himself. You’ll need Raw Peanuts (we like to use jumbo or extra jumbo peanuts) but regular works fine too. Plus Chaat Masala , Red Chilli Powder or Cayenne Chilli Pepper and salt. (you may add little powdered sugar if you like, it tastes sooo good )
Honey and Chilli – Raw Peanuts + Honey + Chilli flakes + Salt (not suitable for vegans)
Spicy Cajun Seasoned Peanuts – Raw Peanuts + Cajun seasoning + Cayenne Pepper + Salt
Pub style Roasted Peanuts – Raw peanuts + Cayenne Pepper + Garlic Powder (not granules) + Salt + Sugar (powdered)
Piri Piri Roasted Peanuts – A delicious spicy spice mix from South Africa, Raw peanuts + Piri Piri seasoning + Salt
Masala Peanuts – Add finely chopped onion, green chilli and tomato in air fryer roasted peanuts .
Add little red chilli powder , salt along with lemon juice . Garnish it with fresh cilantro/coriander leaves and enjoy healthy and tangy treats anytime of the day.
You will need to mix the spices of your choice and 1tablespoon oil (or spray oil) and toss your roasted air fried peanuts in these.
How to roast peanuts in the air fryer
See the recipe card for the microwave, oven, and stovetop methods below.
👉 Preheat the Air Fryer for 5 minutes at 160C.
👉 Add the nuts, all the spices, and oil to a large bowl.
👉 Mix thoroughly
👉 Place a sheet of parchment in the air fryer tray and transfer the nuts into the tray.
👉 Air Fry for 8-10 minutes at 160C
👉 Keep a check on the nuts to ensure the nuts or seasoning does not burn.
👉Leave to cool before eating
Spicy Indian Masala Air Fryer Roasted Peanuts
Storage:
These nuts can be stored in an air-tight container for around 10-15 days. This is not a freezer-friendly recipe.
Liked this Mexican Masala Roasted Peanuts recipe? you may enjoy trying our other roasted nuts recipes too!
Indian Masala Mixed Nuts
Spiced Rosemary Almonds
Lemon and Black Pepper Peanuts
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Air Fryer Roasted Peanuts
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw peanuts
- 1 tablespoon oil any
- ½ teaspoon citric acid Limboo na phool or fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon mexican seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon cream cheese powder optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
Air fryer method
- Preheat the Air Fryer for 5 minutes at 160C
- Add the nuts, all the spices, and oil to a large bowl.
- Mix thoroughly
- Place a sheet of parchment in the air fryer tray and transfer the nuts into the tray
- Air Fry for 8-10 minutes at 160C.
- Start checking the nuts after 7 minutes.
- Keep a check on the nuts to ensure the nuts or seasoning does not burn.
- They should be ready between 12-15 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheese powder if using whilst the peanuts are warm.
- Leave to cool before eating or storing.
Stovetop Method
- Dry roast peanuts in a frying pan.
- Add all the spices, salt and oil except cheese powder.
- Roast the nuts for a couple of minutes again, turn off the heat.
- Sprinkle cheese powder if using, mix well.
- Let the nuts cool completely before consuming.
- Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 or 350F/180C.
- In a bowl mix spices, lemon juice, oil, and salt, add nuts. Mix well and ensure that all the nuts are well coated with the masala spices.
- Spread the peanuts on a baking tray evenly, and roast for 5-7 minutes.
- Turn the tray around and roast again for 5-7 minutes.
- Again check the nuts if they are done.
- These nuts are done around 8-12 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.
Microwave Method
- Roast peanuts in M/W for 3-4 minutes on HIGH in one layer. Every minute pause and check.
- Let it cool – remove the skin.
- In a microwave-proof, bowl mix peanuts, oil, and all the spices powder.
- Mix well the peanuts and masala and once again microwave them for 30 seconds more.
- Mix one more time and let it cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 or 350F/180C.
- In a bowl mix spices, lemon juice, oil, and salt, add nuts. Mix well and ensure that all the nuts are well coated with the masala spices.
- Spread the peanuts on a baking tray evenly, and roast for 5-7 minutes.
- Turn the tray around and roast again for 5-7 minutes.
- Again check the nuts if they are done.
- These nuts are done around 8-12 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Air Fryer Roasted Peanuts
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw peanuts
- 1 tablespoon oil any
- ½ teaspoon citric acid Limboo na phool or fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon mexican seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon cream cheese powder optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
Air fryer method
- Preheat the Air Fryer for 5 minutes at 160C
- Add the nuts, all the spices, and oil to a large bowl.
- Mix thoroughly
- Place a sheet of parchment in the air fryer tray and transfer the nuts into the tray
- Air Fry for 8-10 minutes at 160C.
- Start checking the nuts after 7 minutes.
- Keep a check on the nuts to ensure the nuts or seasoning does not burn.
- They should be ready between 12-15 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheese powder if using whilst the peanuts are warm.
- Leave to cool before eating or storing.
Stovetop Method
- Dry roast peanuts in a frying pan.
- Add all the spices, salt and oil except cheese powder.
- Roast the nuts for a couple of minutes again, turn off the heat.
- Sprinkle cheese powder if using, mix well.
- Let the nuts cool completely before consuming.
- Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 or 350F/180C.
- In a bowl mix spices, lemon juice, oil, and salt, add nuts. Mix well and ensure that all the nuts are well coated with the masala spices.
- Spread the peanuts on a baking tray evenly, and roast for 5-7 minutes.
- Turn the tray around and roast again for 5-7 minutes.
- Again check the nuts if they are done.
- These nuts are done around 8-12 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.
Microwave Method
- Roast peanuts in M/W for 3-4 minutes on HIGH in one layer. Every minute pause and check.
- Let it cool - remove the skin.
- In a microwave-proof, bowl mix peanuts, oil, and all the spices powder.
- Mix well the peanuts and masala and once again microwave them for 30 seconds more.
- Mix one more time and let it cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 or 350F/180C.
- In a bowl mix spices, lemon juice, oil, and salt, add nuts. Mix well and ensure that all the nuts are well coated with the masala spices.
- Spread the peanuts on a baking tray evenly, and roast for 5-7 minutes.
- Turn the tray around and roast again for 5-7 minutes.
- Again check the nuts if they are done.
- These nuts are done around 8-12 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
This Moong/Masoor dal with Carrot Greens is packed with garlicky flavours and is easy to prepare.
Carrot Greens Dal
My Dad once proudly brought home some green-topped carrots for my Mum. She then had the task of actually deciding how to use the green tops! She had the idea of adding the carrot tops to daal for added nutrition and flavour.
She used a combination of two different daals – moong and masoor (or red lentils).
The daal was super delicious and became a favourite in our house!
This daal is one of the simplest and delicious ways to incorporate green vegetable tops into your diet. Instead of carrot tops, you can certainly use other vegetable tops also.
Garlic Daal
The addition of garlic in this daal is the reason it deserves a place in the title!
Usually, we would simply add crushed garlic to the masala of the dal but here we have added fried sliced garlic separate to the tempering to give an extra oomph of flavour!
Once the daal has been cooked with the onion mixture, the second tempering of sliced garlic is added and stirred through.
This is so worth doing so do not skip this step! You get a much deeper flavour.
Ingredients you will need for Carrot Top Garlic Moong Daal:
Do red lentils and yellow lentils need to be soaked?
What to serve with Moong Dal
Daal is extremely versatile and can be served in a variety of manners.
Whether it is part of a complete meal or eaten on its own with some rice, daal provides maximum flavour!
A stack of Round and soft Gujarati rotlis vanishes in our house in no time when served with this daal.
For a comforting and cosy meal serve it with Ghee rice or Takeaway style Pilau Rice ,
If making this daal as a main, serve with Zucchini Sabzi , Aloo Gobi , Kachumber Salad and Raita on the side for a well-balanced meal idea.
The idea is to keep the daal mild if you plan on serving it with spicy food.
How long will keep this Daal in the Refrigerator? Can I make it ahead and freeze it?
You can keep this daal in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator and can freeze it for longer.
If storing in the fridge, store away from sweet products as the smell may set.
Make-ahead or make in big batch and store in an airtight container and freeze it up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat before eating it.
If a small amount is left, why not make some easy and quick Dal Paratha for breakfast!
How to make Moong Masoor Daal?
Instant Pot Curry Recipes
Brussels sprouts korma/curry
Dum Aloo
Corn on the Cob with Coconut
Garlicky Moong-Masoor Daal with Carrot Greens
Ingredients
- ½ cup Yellow Moong Lentils - 100g
- ½ cup Red Lentils - 100g
- 2 cup Carrot Greens washed and chopped - a big bunch
- 8-10 Cloves of Garlic thinly sliced
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 1 tsp. Ginger and Garlic paste
- 2 Green Chillies slit or crushed
- 1 small Tomato chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp. Red chilli powder
- ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
- 2 tsp. Ground coriander and cumin
- ¼ tsp. Garam Masala
- ½ tsp. Lemon Juice or Amchoor Powder
- Pinch Hing
- 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp. Oil
- 1 tsp. Ghee
Instructions
Regular Pressure Cooker Method
- Wash both lentils and soak for 10-15 minutes in clean water.
- Heat one tbsp. oil in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds and hing.
- Once they crackle add both daal, carrot greens, tomato, Ginger-Garlic paste and green chillies.
- Stir well and add turmeric powder, salt and 3 cup water.
- Bring the daal to boil then close the cooker lid and cook till 3 whistles.
- Let the pressure cooker cool naturally.
- Now in another pan, heat 2 tbsp. oil and sauté onion till nice and pink.
- Add red chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder and fry for few seconds.
- Add cooked daal and let it simmer for 5 minutes if daal is too thick add little water.
- Now heat ghee, add thinly sliced garlic and fry till garlic turns brown but not burnt.
- Add red chilli powder and immediately pour over the cooked daal.
- Add garam masala and lemon juice.
- Turn off the heat.
- Serve hot.
- Enjoy!
Instant pot (electric pressure cooker) method
- Wash both lentils and soak for 10-15 minutes in clean water.
- Arrange inner pot in the instant pot, select saute.
- Heat one tbsp. oil, add cumin seeds and hing.
- Once they crackle add both daal, carrot greens, tomato, Ginger-Garlic paste, and green chilies.
- Stir well and add turmeric powder, salt, and 1 1/2 cup water.
- Close the lid and select HIGH PRESSURE for 6 minutes. make sure the valve is in a sealing position.
- After 10 minutes of NPR, release the pressure manually.
- Check the daal, if it’s too thick add 1 cup of water.
- Saute daal (keep the temperature low) for 6-8 minutes, meanwhile prepare the tadka (tempering) on the stove.
- In another pan heat oil, heat 2 tbsp. oil and sauté onion till nice and pink.
- Add red chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder and fry for few seconds.
- Add cooked daal and let it simmer for 5 minutes if daal is too thick add little water.
- Now heat ghee (use the same pan) add thinly sliced garlic and fry till garlic turns brown but not burnt.
- Add red chilli powder and immediately pour over the cooked daal.
- Add garam masala and lemon juice.
- Turn off the heat.
- Serve hot.
- Enjoy!
Non-pressure cooker (stovetop) method
- Rinse both lentils in a strainer and soak for 25-30 minutes.
- Heat oil in the pan on medium heat, add cumin seeds and hing.
- Once cumin seeds crackle, add lentils, carrot greens, tomatoes, garlic-ginger puree, green chillies, salt and turmeric powder.
- Mix, add 2 cups of water. Bring it to boil, reduce heat and let the dal cook/simmer for 40-45 minutes.
- Keep an eye on the water level, if it dries up and needed, add 1/2 cup water.
- Once dal is cooked, it should be well done/softer and not bitey . If not, cook further 6-8 minutes.
- Next heat oil in another small pan or frying pan on a stovetop. Saute the onion until pink, add red chilli powder, cumin-coriander powder and garam masala. (you can add garam masala in the last stage if you want).
- Add in the daal.
- In the same pan (fried onion) heat ghee, brown the garlic slices, add red chilli powder and immediately add into the daal, else the red chilli powder will burn very quickly.
- Add lemon juice and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Note – this recipe was originally posted on our blog on the 8th of February 2016 since I have updated the post with new content and pictures.
