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Two white bowls filled with Stove Top Boiled Peanuts, garnished with fresh parsley, are surrounded by raw peanuts on a gray surface.

Stove Top Boiled Peanuts

Stove Top Boiled Peanuts are my go-to whenever I need a crowd-pleasing snack that feeds a lot of people without breaking the budget. They're incredibly soft and tender with salty, briny flavor soaked all the way through. They're perfect for tailgates, game days, and summer cookouts where you want something easy everyone can grab by the handful. They stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American, southern
Keyword: Stove Top Boiled Peanuts
Servings: 8
Calories: 646kcal
Author: Mandy Applegate

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds raw peanuts in shell
  • ¼ cup salt
  • Water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Sort through your peanuts and remove any empty shells, pieces, or bad peanuts. Rinse the peanuts and soak for 30 minutes in cold water.
    2 pounds raw peanuts in shell
  • Drain the peanuts and add them to a 5-quart or larger boiling pot.
  • Sprinkle the salt over the top of the peanuts and then pour water over the peanuts until the liquid is about an inch over the top of the peanuts.
    ¼ cup salt, Water
  • Set to medium-high heat and let the peanuts boil for 3 ½ hours or until the desired softness has been reached. You will need to add more water intermittently throughout the boiling process, to ensure the water does not get too low. If the water gets too low, the peanuts could burn.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Here's a quick intro to help you get the best results with your boiled peanuts:
  • Try green peanuts for convenience: Green peanuts (fresh, raw peanuts) cook in about 1 ½ to 2 hours instead of 3 ½ hours because they have more moisture and haven't been dried yet, giving you that unique texture faster: look for them at farmers' markets or roadside stands during harvest season.
  • Use raw peanuts only: This recipe requires raw peanuts in the shell, not roasted. Roasted peanuts won't absorb the brine and won't get soft, no matter how long you boil them.
  • Add spices for extra flavor: Boost the saltiness and savory depth by adding red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, or Cajun seasoning to the water along with the salt for a more complex flavor profile.
  • Keep the water level up: Check your pot every 30 minutes and add more water as needed. If the water drops below the peanuts, they can burn and turn bitter.
  • Test for desired softness level: Start checking your peanuts around the 3-hour mark by pulling one out and tasting it. Cooking time varies based on how fresh your raw peanuts are and personal preference for texture.
  • Flash-freeze for storage: Spread boiled peanuts on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to containers so they don't stick together into a single frozen clump.

Nutrition

Calories: 646kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Sodium: 3562mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 11g | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 4mg
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