How to Boil Peanuts in Instant Pot (+ 2 Serving Ideas)

With this post you’ll learn how to make instant pot boiled peanuts.  Boiled peanuts are best eaten immediately, while still warm, and have a completely different texture than roasted peanuts. 

Why Should You Try Boiled Peanuts?

For many like me, it revives best childhood memories of eating boiled peanuts as school snacks especially during monsoon or winter days.

And the best part is slurp the liquid out of the shell as you eat them. Pick one, slightly press of tip of the peanuts with fingers, slurp out the liquids (trust me you are in for a treat, it’s yummy salty flavored water, it’s like spice brine).

If you happen to live outside the South, you likely haven’t heard of boiled peanuts. You are likely not tasted it as well.  I suggest you give it a try atleast once, you’ll either love it or hate it! And that’s the truth!

I often get asked  “how to you eat peanuts with shell?, do we eat along with the shell” by few.

Answer is no, we don’t eat the outer shell. Crack open boiled peanuts, pick the peanuts and pop into your mouth. I bet you wont be able to stop eating them. Word of warning – these are super addictive! Southern’s will agree!

Some of you might be wondering, wait – boiled peanuts? Aren’t all peanuts roasted? No not all peanuts are roasted. Boiled peanuts are so much different that roasted peanuts. It tastes like soft bean.

You can totally control who spice you want to add in. Generous amount of sea salt is must. Along with it spices like Cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning, pepper flakes, curry powder, tabasco sauce, smoked paprika, everything tastes so good with instant pot boiled peanuts.

It’s one of the favorite Southern snack. If you are boiled peanut loving southerner you would insist on plain salt water boiled peanuts – THE TRUE TASTE OF SOUTH!

Difference Between Green Peanut & Raw Peanuts

Green peanuts aren’t exactly what they sound like! They  aren’t really ‘green’. They are brown on the outside (the outer shell) and white/baby pinkish on the side (the peanut inside). A green peanut is a term to used to describe newly harvested Peanuts.

“Green” in this case means they are raw, uncooked,un roasted fresh peanuts. Pretty much all peanuts you find on streets of Indian markets are green peanuts. This recipe calls for green peanut.

Raw peanuts also refers to uncooked, un roasted nuts. Raw peanuts is the tern used to describe nuts that are dried or dehydrated to bring down the moisture in to for longer storage.

If using raw peanuts make sure to soak in water overnight along with shell and then use it to boil.

How Long to Boil Peanuts

If you use green peanuts you need to boil peanuts for 20-25 minutes.

If you will have a hard time finding green peanuts. You could soak raw peanuts overnight and cook for 40 minutes. Alternatively you can dump peanuts into your instant pot along with gallons of water and generous salt and cook for 80 minutes.

How to Eat Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts

Eating this damp salty snack is a passion. Oh I really mean it. If you ask me the right way to eat boiled peanuts is to pop open the whole peanut through your mouth.

While you crack open it you have slurp out the salty liquid and extract the nut with your hands or teeth directly leaving out the outer brown shell.

Young peanuts have very soft shell unlike the fully grown peanut and some people bit the whole peanut (mostly the young ones) and even eat the whole thing, the nut, the shell and all.

If you prefer a little more civilized method of eating peanuts then use your fingers. Pinch that peanut and gently squeeze the shell until it pops open. Let the juices run down – beware of messy, dripping fingers and elbows. Pull apart the shell into two, pick the legume and eat it, discard shell.

Instant Pot boiled peanuts are hands down the most nutritious snack.

How Much Salt for Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts is Right Amount

For 5 pound fresh green peanuts, use around 1 cup salt. Rock salt (sea salt) is best for instant pot boiled peanuts. Don’t worry about the amount of salt.

Water that will be added to boil peanuts is going to soak up most of the salt, your peanuts are not going to be over powered with salt. Also remember, boiled peanuts are supposed to taste salty!

How to Store Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts

If you are using instant pot to boil peanuts, you can leave the boiled peanuts along with water it was boiled inside the pot and keep warm for 24 hours. I did test this out and it works.

Peanuts stay nice and warm and you can open lid, remove required quantity of peanuts from the pot and eat it right away.

Refrigerated peanuts are good for about 7 to 10 days.

If you want to store much longer, pop peanuts in zip lock bag and pop it in freezer. It stays good for several months.

If you want to store raw green peanuts, just put it in dry container, cover and store in cool, dark place.

How to Reheat Boiled Peanuts

Reheat refrigerated or frozen peanuts in a pot with water and little salt. Heat it for up to 10 minutes in rolling boil.

Reheating can be done in a microwave too. Place frozen or refrigerated peanuts in microwave safe container. Cover it and microwave for a minute on high power. Test by holding one peanut and if they are not hot, continue microwaving until finger test tells you it’s hot enough.

Seasoning Ideas for Boiled Peanuts

Go ahead and choose your favorite from as simple as salt and water to spiced up boiled peanuts. There are some quirky flavor ideas mentioned below, in case you are adventures do dry them.

Shelled peanuts + water + rock salt

Shelled peanuts + water + rock salt + pepper flakes

Shelled peanuts + water + rock salt + Cajun seasoning + garlic powder

Shelled peanuts + water + rock salt + onion powder + garlic powder + Creole seasoning + red pepper flakes

Shelled peanuts + water + rock salt + onion powder + whole garlic cloves + beer

Shelled peanuts + water + rock salt + granulated garlic + ground sumac + chipotle powder + smoked paprika

Serving Suggestions-

Boiled peanuts seasoned with salt can be eaten as it is and still taste amazingly delicious! Let me tell you, I do love boiled peanuts as it is, but then there are days when I want to dress it up and give it a whole new dimension.

After you boil, you peel the shells out and remove the boiled peanuts from inside. Collect all the boiled peanuts.

Now let’s dress those boiled peanuts.

Serving suggestion 1 – Spicy Boiled Peanut Salad

For this you need a few more ingredients

For about 0.5 pounds boiled peanuts (brown shell removed)

1 small red onions, finely chopped

1 small carrot, grated

1 tomato, finely chopped

Few finely chopped pieces of raw mango (optional)

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon lime juice

Handful of finely chopped cilantro

In a bowl put all above mentioned ingredients and toss well.

Serve immediately. It’s fresh, spicy and super delicious!

Serving suggestion 2 –  South Indian Style Peanut Salad

0.5 pounds boiled peanuts (brown shell removed)

1 teaspoon oil

5-6 curry leaves (you’ll find it in South Indian stores)

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

5 tablespoon fresh grated coconut (coconut flesh)

3 dried red chilies

It’s a South Indian dish. It needs curry leaves and mustard seeds.

Heat oil in small pan. Once oil turns hot, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add curry leaves next and dried red chilies into the oil. It’s gonna crisp up.

Remove pan from heat. Add it into a bowl. Add boiled peanuts fresh grated coconut and toss well.

It’s so fresh, with earthy coconut taste to it.

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