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Peanuts

Beans, lentils & pulses · Peanuts

Peanuts

Groundnuts: legumes that grow underground in papery pods, eaten roasted, boiled or ground into sauces and butter.

Also called: groundnuts, monkey nuts, raw peanuts, mungfali

89 recipes with it

Photo: Ivar Leidus, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Peanuts are legumes, not true nuts: the pods develop underground, each holding two or three seeds wrapped in a thin red-brown skin. This record is raw peanuts, which taste beany and are roasted, boiled or fried before most uses. They are larger and oilier than most beans and behave like nuts in cooking.

Arachis hypogaea

How it’s used

  • Boiled in salted water in the shell as a snack
  • Ground into West African groundnut soup and stews
  • Fried and crushed for satay sauce and kare-kare
  • Roasted with spices for snacks and chikki

Characteristics

Taste
Raw peanuts are mild and beany; roasting makes them sweet and nutty.
Texture
Crisp and oily.
When cooked
Burns easily when toasted: stir often and remove when golden.
Sold as
whole, ground, paste
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying, Suitable for boiling

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep in an airtight container in a cool place or the fridge; the oil turns rancid with time and heat. Discard any that look mouldy, shrivelled or taste bitter.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Peanuts.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Peanut is a major allergen and reactions can be severe; peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts, but are often processed alongside tree nuts, so cross-contact is common.
  • Mouldy or damaged peanuts can carry aflatoxins; discard any that look or taste off.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
567 kcal
Protein
25.8 g
Carbohydrate
16.13 g
Fat
49.24 g
Fibre
8.5 g
Sugars
4.72 g

USDA FoodData Central: Peanuts, all types, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Cashews — In stir-fries and sauces; sweeter and creamier, and a tree-nut allergen.
  • Sunflower seeds — Nut-free crunch for allergy-friendly versions; smaller and milder.

Related ingredients

Recipes with peanuts

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