Walnuts are a versatile nut that can be incorporated into many dishes. Their rich, nutty flavor pairs well with both sweet and savory ingredients. Walnuts are a great source of healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Adding walnuts to your diet can provide many health benefits like lowering cholesterol and reducing inflammation. When cooking with walnuts, there are lots of delicious options for meals, snacks, salads, desserts and more! Here are some of the top foods that go well with walnuts.
What are some breakfast ideas with walnuts?
Walnuts make a great addition to many classic breakfast dishes:
- Oatmeal – Chopped walnuts add crunch and nutty flavor. They also boost the nutrition of oatmeal with healthy fats and protein.
- Yogurt parfaits – Layer vanilla or Greek yogurt with chopped walnuts, fresh fruit and granola.
- Pancakes and waffles – Add chopped or entire walnuts to the batter before cooking.
- Smoothies – Blend walnuts into your favorite smoothie recipe for extra nutrition.
- Toast toppings – Spread peanut butter or avocado on toast and top with chopped walnuts.
- Breakfast tacos – Sautee veggies, scramble eggs and sprinkle walnuts on top.
- Overnight oats – Mix oats, chia seeds, milk and chopped walnuts. Refrigerate overnight.
- Yogurt bowls – Top Greek yogurt with walnuts, fruit, chia seeds, granola and honey.
- Cereal – Sprinkle walnuts onto hot or cold cereal for crunch.
Walnuts make breakfast filling and provide lasting energy. Their crunch and flavor takes simple staples from boring to delicious.
What walnut lunch and dinner recipes can I make?
Walnuts are very versatile for making flavorful lunches and dinners including:
- Salads – Walnuts pair perfectly with leafy greens, cheese, chicken, fruits and vinaigrette dressing. Toss them on any salad for extra crunch.
- Pasta – For a simple yet delicious pasta, sauté chopped walnuts in olive oil with garlic. Toss with cooked pasta noodles, parmesan and parsley.
- Pesto – Make homemade pesto with basil, olive oil, garlic and lots of chopped walnuts. Toss with pasta or spread on sandwiches and chicken.
- Fish – Coat fish fillets with chopped walnuts and breadcrumbs. Pan fry in olive oil for a fast, flavorful dinner.
- Bruschetta – Top toasted bread with chopped tomato, basil, olive oil, cheese and walnuts.
- Tacos – Add texture by sprinkling walnuts onto tacos alongside usual favorites like avocado, cheese and beans.
- Stir fries – Toss chopped walnuts into any veggie or meat stir fry dish.
- Chicken wraps – Fill tortillas with chicken, cheese, greens and chopped walnuts.
- Soups – Garnish bowls of soup with chopped walnuts. Works great with butternut squash and tomato soup.
- Burgers – Top veggie or beef burgers with cheddar, tomato, onion, lettuce and chopped walnuts.
Walnuts add delicious crunch and nutty flavor to so many everyday lunches and dinners!
What are some side dish ideas with walnuts?
Walnuts are a fantastic addition to these tasty side dishes:
- Roasted veggies – Toss walnuts with roasted broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes or cauliflower.
- Waldorf salad – Mix chopped apples, celery, walnuts, grapes and dressing for a classic.
- Green beans – Sauté green beans with olive oil, garlic and walnuts.
- Roasted chickpeas – Toss drained chickpeas with olive oil, spices and walnuts. Roast until crispy.
- Cauliflower rice – Sauté cauliflower rice in olive oil then stir in chopped walnuts at the end.
- Stuffing – For Thanksgiving, add sausage, veggies, herbs and walnuts to cubed bread for savory stuffing.
- Fruit compote – Simmer chopped fruit like apples or pears with cinnamon and top with toasted walnuts.
- Tabbouleh – Mix bulgur wheat, tomato, parsley, mint, lemon and walnuts for this Mediterranean salad.
- Cranberry sauce – Stir chopped walnuts into homemade or canned cranberry sauce.
Walnuts give great texture and flavor to vegetable dishes, salads, grains and more.
What desserts can I make with walnuts?
Walnuts are perfect for making delicious desserts including:
- Cookies – Chocolate chip, oatmeal and sugar cookies are even better with walnuts mixed into the dough.
- Fudge – Mix chocolate and sweetened condensed milk then fold in chopped walnuts.
- Cakes – Add texture by folding chopped walnuts into cake batter or frosting.
- Baklava – Layer phyllo dough with chopped walnuts and honey for this rich Greek pastry.
- Brownies – Mix gooey fudge brownies and top with walnut halves before baking.
- Pies – Sprinkle chopped walnuts over apple, pear, peach, pumpkin or pecan pie.
- Banana bread – Mix chopped walnuts into the banana bread batter before baking.
- Granola bars – Bind rolled oats, nuts, dried fruit and honey then mix in walnuts.
- Trail mix – Combine nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, dried fruit and lots of walnut pieces.
- Ice cream – Top bowls of vanilla ice cream with chopped walnuts and chocolate sauce.
The crunch and flavor of walnuts take desserts up a notch. From cookies to pies to bars, walnuts make all kinds of sweets irresistible.
What are quick and easy walnut snack ideas?
Walnuts are great for making simple snacks including:
- Apple slices with walnut butter
- Celery sticks filled with walnut butter and raisins
- Roasted walnuts
- Walnuts with dates
- Walnuts with dried fruit like raisins, apricots or cherries
- Plain walnuts for snacking
- Walnuts on yogurt or cottage cheese
- Walnuts mixed into granola
- Overnight oats with walnuts
- Walnuts mixed with pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Keep a bag of walnuts on hand for easy snacking anytime. Their protein and healthy fats help provide lasting energy.
Are there any beverages that pair well with walnuts?
Walnuts complement the flavors of these delicious drinks:
- Smoothies – Blend walnuts into fruit smoothies for extra nutrition and creaminess.
- Milk – For “walnut milk”, blend walnuts with water then strain out the solids.
- Coffee drinks – Top coffees and lattes with toasted walnuts.
- Hot chocolate – Add nutty flavor by floating toasted walnuts on top.
- Chai tea lattes – Complement spiced tea with walnut flavor.
- Wine and cocktails – Use walnut liqueur in cocktails. Sprinkle toasted walnuts onto sangria.
- Homemade lemonade – Muddle fresh mint and walnuts into lemonade for a twist.
- Iced tea – Float a few toasted walnuts in peach, raspberry or other fruity iced tea.
Walnuts pair wonderfully with warm and cold drinks from coffee to cocktails. Try adding them to drinks for a nutty accent.
What are some health benefits of walnuts?
Walnuts provide many important health benefits:
- Good source of omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation
- May lower risk of heart disease by improving blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- May support brain health and cognition due to high levels of antioxidants
- High in protein to help build muscle and feel full
- Provide important vitamins and minerals like manganese, copper, phosphorus, iron, and B vitamins
- Contain fiber that aids digestion and gut health
- Rich in antioxidants that neutralize harmful free radicals and prevent cell damage
- May have anti-cancer effects, particularly against breast and prostate cancers
- The compounds in walnuts may support metabolic health by improving blood sugar control
Incorporating walnuts into a healthy diet is an easy way to boost nutrition and take advantage of their many health perks. Even just a handful of walnuts a day may provide benefits.
Quick tips for cooking with walnuts
Here are some top tips for using walnuts:
- Store walnuts in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer to prevent them from going rancid
- Soak or toast walnuts to intensify their flavor
- Toast walnuts at 350°F for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and slightly browned
- Add walnuts at the end of cooking for best texture and crunch
- Chop, crush or process walnuts to release their oils and creamy texture in recipes
- Fold chopped or entire walnut halves into bread doughs, cookie doughs and cake batters
- Top oatmeal, yogurt, salads, pasta and desserts with walnut pieces
- Blend walnuts into dressings, sauces and dips like pesto for flavor
- For meat-free meals, pulse walnuts in a food processor to use as a taco “meat” or burger base
- Swap walnut oil for olive or vegetable oil in recipes
With their versatility and nutrition, walnuts are a handy staple to keep in your pantry. Enjoy their crunchy texture and nutty flavor in both sweet and savory dishes.
Conclusion
Walnuts are a nutritional powerhouse that can easily be incorporated into a wide variety of dishes. Their flavor pairs wonderfully with fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, desserts and beverages. Walnuts make a great addition to breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and more. Best of all, walnuts provide many health benefits due to their stellar nutrient profile. Incorporating walnuts into your eating plan is a simple way to take your recipes to the next level while improving your overall diet quality. With their crunch, creamy texture and nutty taste, walnuts are one of the most versatile ingredients to always keep on hand.
