Southern boiled peanuts are a protein-packed snack. With only three ingredients, this recipe is easy to make; it just requires time. If you have never tried one before, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise.
If you love Southern food, you'll want to try our pimento cheese spread and our cowboy caviar.
About
What are boiled peanuts?
Boiled peanuts are a popular snack in the Southern U. S. They are soft, salty, and packed full of protein. To make them, green peanuts are boiled in salty water for hours until the shells and peanuts get soft. They have a different taste than dry roasted. In peanut-growing states, you can buy them from roadside stands, gas stations, and grocery stores during the peanut growing season (August to October).
Who invented boiled peanuts?
No one knows for sure who invented boiled peanuts, but history tells us that Civil War soldiers boiled them in Georgia during General Sherman's march to the sea. In the 1920's, peanuts became more common, and boiling them with salt caught on as an economical and nutritious snack in the Southern states.
What are green peanuts?
A green peanut really isn't green. It is a freshly harvested peanut that hasn't been dehydrated. They have a higher water content and hold more moisture, so they can spoil quickly.
Ingredients
The ingredients for our Southern boiled peanuts are easy to find during the summer and early fall in the Southern states.
- Legumes: We used green (unripe) freshly picked peanuts from the grocery store. This is a seasonal produce item. If you live in an area that doesn't grow them, you can buy green peanuts online during the peanut growing season (August to October).
- Spices: We used regular table salt, but you can use kosher or sea salt. Other spices like Cajun seasoning is optional for a slightly different flavor.
- Liquid: We used tap water.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Want it spicy? Try adding sliced jalapeno or habaneros, tabasco, red pepper flakes, crab boil packets, or cayenne pepper.
- Want it cajun? Try adding Tabasco and cajun seasoning.
- Want it picklely? Use pickle brine and water (2:1), coined pickles, jalapenos, green olives, creole seasoning or Old Bay.
How to Make Boiled Peanuts
Gather the three ingredients: 3 pounds of freshly picked green peanuts, a cup of salt, and water.
- Put the fresh green peanuts in a colander and rinse them in the sink two or three times to get all the dirt off them. Place them in a large Dutch oven and cover with cold tap water. Press them down with your hand to get them submerged. (image 1)
- Add ¾ cup of salt and stir with a big spoon. You can use any kind of salt: table, kosher or sea salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. (image 2)
- Once it has simmered for 1 hour, shut the heat off and let the pot sit on the element with the lid on for 8-10 hours, or overnight. (image 3)
- After the pot has been sitting on the turned-off element for 8-10 hours, drain them in a colander in the kitchen sink and rinse with cold water. Put them back in the Dutch oven and cover with more tap water. (image 4)
- Add ¼ cup of salt and stir until it's well mixed. Cover the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat then simmer for two hours. Remember to stir them occasionally, and add water when needed, as the water will evaporate when it's simmering on top of the stove. (image 5)
- After two hours of simmering, check for doneness. Fish out two or three from different areas in the pot. Crack the hull with your fingers and taste the legume. If they aren't soft enough, cover and let simmer for another hour. If they aren't salty enough add 2 tablespoons of salt and stir and simmer for another hour. Serve hot or cold and enjoy! (image 6)
When are boiled peanuts done cooking?
Here are some ways to tell!
- The outer shell should be softened when you squeeze it.
- When you crack the hull open with your fingers, the peanuts inside should have swollen in size.
- There also should be brine inside the peanut shell, and the peanut should be soft when you chew it. When you taste it, it should be salty enough for your taste preferences.
Recipe FAQs
Boiled peanuts have the same health benefits as roasted, except that boiled have 4 times more antioxidants. Boiling draws the antioxidants from the peanut shells.
They are also good sources of omega-3, and are high in vitamin E, fiber, and good fats. They are also high in protein, and are low in carbs.
Above all, they taste amazing and make you feel full, so they are an excellent choice for snack food.
Crack open the shell with your fingers and pick the peanut out. There's no need to be fancy when serving this snack to guests; this is casual country food.
If you have a small boiled peanut that is too hard to crack open with your fingers, place it in your mouth and crack it open with your teeth; just don't eat the shell. Have napkins ready because they can squirt brine when the shells are cracked.
Many people consider this snack tastes best when served hot, straight from the pot. To do this, dip a large slotted spoon into the pot so the brine gets strained and only the peanuts remain.
Serve in small bowls with napkins. Provide another bowl for the empty peanut shells. If you're eating them outside, you can throw the shells into a paper bag for easy disposal.
You'll know when they are done because the shells will be darker and softer, and the meat of the peanut will be soft.
When you do your taste test, take out a few from different areas of the pot. The ones on top are usually less salty then the ones in the middle.
They should have a pleasant balance of saltiness to umami. If they are not salty enough, just add a bit more salt, turn off the heat, and let it sit longer. If they are too salty for your liking, drain them and soak them in cold water for an hour.
After boiling them in a mixture of water and salt, the shell softens and the brine gets inside. This can cause the peanuts to swell and sometimes stick to the shell. If this happens, use your fingernail or a small spoon to get the peanut out.
Make Ahead: You can make this complete recipe ahead of your event.
Leftovers: Boiled peanuts can last 24 hours at room temperature. If you have any leftovers, it is best to cover them and put in the fridge. They will last 7 to 10 days if stored properly.
Reheating: Put them in a saucepan with water and bring them to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Crack one open, and if necessary, add one tablespoon of salt and stir. When ready to eat, drain and enjoy.
Freezing: Drain the peanuts, allow them to cool, then freeze in zip-top freezer bags or another airtight container. They should last up to 6 months.
Serve
If you're looking for other appetizers to serve with this recipe, try our recipes for sloppy joe sliders, dill pickle dip, refrigerator dill pickles, buttermilk ranch dressing, and cowboy caviar.
Expert Tips
- Want the quickest cooking times? Use fresh green peanuts instead of raw dry peanuts.
- Not salty enough? Don't add more salt until the brine is inside the shell, then add 2 tablespoons of salt, stir and simmer another hour.
- Too salty when soft? Drain. Rinse. Let soak in cold water and place in fridge.
- Use salt it helps keep yeast and mold from developing in the boiled peanut pot.
- Want to keep them submerged? Use an aluminum pie plate with a sterilized rock on top.
Other Southern Recipes
Recipe
Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of fresh raw peanuts
- 1 cup salt
- Water for boiling
Instructions
Day 1
- Thoroughly rinse the fresh raw peanuts in a colander, about two or three times.
- Place them in a large pot and cover them with tap water. Add ¾ cup of salt and stir.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil, then simmer for one hour.
- Shut off the stove element. Keep the lid on tight and don't move the pot. Let it sit there overnight or for 10 hours.
Day 2
- Drain them in a colander, then return them to the same pot and cover them with tap water. Add ¼ cup of salt and stir.
- Bring them to a boil, then simmer for two hours.
- Take out two to four from different areas in the pot and place on a small plate. Once cool, crack them open and taste. If they are not soft enough, cook for one hour longer. If they are not salty enough, add 2 tablespoons of salt, stir well, and cook for one hour longer.
- When done, drain and place them in a very large bowl covered in cool water.
- Serve immediately, or store covered in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- Use fresh green peanuts instead of raw dry peanuts for the quickest cooking times.
- Don't add more salt until the brine is inside the shell, then add 2 tablespoons of salt, stir and simmer another hour. This will prevent them from being too salty.
- Drain, rinse, and soak cooked peanuts that are still too salty.
- Keep yeast and mold from developing in the boiled peanut pot by using salt.
- Use an aluminum pie plate with a sterilized rock on top to keep them submerged.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Bridgette
OMG you are a life savor. I could never get my peanuts the right consistency until I tried this recipe. Thank you!
Emma Fajcz
Bridgette, we are so glad you enjoyed your boiled peanuts using our recipe, and thank you for leaving a 5 star review.
Beth
Boiled peanuts are a great snack for any time. They have a unique taste, and this recipe is delectable! 🥜👍🏻 I am pleased with how easy they are to shell!
Emma
Boiled peanuts are such a great snack! 🥜
Alex
I like the salty flavor of the boiled peanuts. I really like how soft they are!
Emma
Boiled peanuts are one of the best salty Southern snacks! So good. 🥜