Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts

Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts – a salty Southern favorite, these Instant Pot Boiled Raw Peanuts are a staple Southern snack, an official state snack of South Carolina. They are pressure cooked in a salty delicious brine & gets done within 2 hours which is much quicker than the traditional method.

What is Boiled Peanuts?

Boiled Peanuts is a tasty snack popular in the Southern United States where raw peanuts along with the hull are cooked in a salty brine sometimes also flavored with Cajun spices, old bay or Zatarain’s that makes Cajun Boiled Peanuts.

Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts are tender with a bite still left but not crunchy just like peas, with a salty, spicy, smoky (when cooked with Cajun seasoning) flavor.

Boiled Raw Peanuts taste amazing.

Instant Pot Cajun Boiled Peanuts

We love everything Cajun just like this Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice.

And why not Cajun boiled peanuts when they taste mind-blowing GOOD!

Cooked in a flavored brine containing Cajun and Creole seasoning, paprika, lots of salt and dried red chilies (optional).

These Louisianian flavored pressure cooker boiled peanuts makes an amazing snack when paired with chilled beer or even cold soda.

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Boiled Peanuts

I was first introduced to this Southern style boiled peanuts by my Hubby’s office colleague who happens to be a Southerner.

His eyes glittered when he described the joy of slurping boiled peanuts straight away from the brine soaked hull.

He got a bagful of spicy Cajun Boiled Peanuts for us from Georgia.

And oh Boy! we were hooked. These babies are so damn good, I mean salty, spicy, smoky, tender yet with a bite (Imagine raw peas).

Best enjoyed directly from the brine soaked hull.

Some people say eating boiled peanuts with hands can get a bit messy because the brine drips from the wrists to the elbows.

But, we don’t mind that a bit when the food tastes so damn GOOD!

However, if the dribbles bother you here’s a quick alternative.

Strain the peanuts for a few mins before serving.

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What are the best peanuts for boiling?

Green Peanuts are best for boiling. However, they are not readily available so, raw peanuts that are uncooked and partially dehydrated are a good substitute as well.

Today’s recipe of Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts uses the readily available Raw Peanuts from the regular supermarket.

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Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts Ingredients

• Raw or Green Peanuts: Rinsed well to discard debris and small rocks.
• Salt.
• Extra Flavorings: Cajun Seasoning, Creole seasoning, Paprika & whole dried red chilies (optional).

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What does boiled peanut taste like?

Boiled Peanut tastes salty, tender with a bite, the closest example would be raw green pea. The hull of the boiled peanuts picks up the strong salty taste from the brine and the extraordinary good flavor from the additional seasonings.

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How do you eat Cajun boiled peanuts?

You eat Cajun boiled peanuts by cracking the boiled peanut shell with the help of your teeth or fingers and than slurp the boiled peanuts with the trapped salty, spicy brine in the shell.

You have to discard the shell.

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Raw Vs Green Peanuts

Raw peanuts are uncooked peanuts that are dried or dehydrated. They appear dry and not wet unlike green peanuts.

Whereas, Green Peanuts are farm fresh peanuts that are raw, not dried or dehydrated and still have a wet appearance.

As Green Peanuts are farm fresh, just harvested they are not readily available throughout the year.

Instead, they are limited to their season.

However, Raw peanuts are dried so they have greater shelf life and available in regular grocery stores throughout the year.

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Brine for Boiled Peanuts

You can make a plain and simple Salt water brine for boiled peanuts or add layers of flavor in the brine.

Just like today’s recipe – I made the brine with salt, cajun seasoning, paprika, creole seasoning and whole dried red chilies – Louisianian Style.

You can also dress up the brine with garlic powder, onion powder, old bay, red chili flakes, sliced jalapenos, Zatarain’s etc. The sky is the limit here.

We love the Louisianian Cajun flavor.

The extra chili kick and the salty brine makes these old fashioned boiled peanuts a super-hit in my house.

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Do you have to soak raw peanuts before boiling?

You don’t have to soak raw peanuts before boiling if you do not prefer extremely soft boiled peanuts.

However, few recommend to soak raw peanuts for 8-9 hours or overnight in salt water.

But, I have tested both unsoaked and soaked version in my Instant Pot and could not really figure out any remarkable difference except that the soaked ones turned out a bit more softer with the same cooking time.

So, you can directly dump a well rinsed bag of raw peanuts in the Instant Pot and proceed with the recipe or if you want you may soak them as well.

How long boiled peanuts last?

Boiled peanuts lasts for 7 days in the fridge when stored in air tight containers.

Instant Pot boiled peanuts also freezes very well for several months when drained well and than stored in freezer safe bags.

How to make Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts?

Step #1 Prep the Raw or Green Peanuts

Rinse the raw or green peanuts very well before boiling them. They might contain debris and dirt.

Step #2 Pressure cook Peanuts

Add the rinsed raw or green peanuts in the steel pot of the Instant Pot. Add all the flavoring ingredients like Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt and dried red chilies.

Pour enough water.

Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Seal the Valve.

Pressure cook on HIGH for 90 minutes followed by a natural pressure release.

Drain the pressure cooked boiled peanuts and serve with chilled beer. Enjoy!

Boiled Peanuts – Foodies Terminal Tips

• For every 2 pounds raw peanuts use 1/3 to 1/2 cup salt.
• Pressure cook raw peanuts in Instant Pot for not less than 90 minutes. This will give you tender boiled peanuts with a bite. Imagine raw peas.
• Flavor the salty brine with Cajun Seasoning, old bay, or Zatrain’s. If you love chili kick add a good dose of red chili flakes and paprika.
• For best results drain the excess brine from the boiled peanuts with the help of a colander and than serve.

Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts – FAQs

How do you know when boiled peanuts are done?

You will know when boiled peanuts are done with a simple taste test – pick out 2-3 boiled peanuts, crack open and taste the nuts. If the nuts are tender with a bite or soft and salty that means that they are done.

How much salt does it take to boil peanuts?

You need 1/2 cup salt to boil 2 pounds raw peanuts.

How do you fix salty boiled peanuts?

Fix salty boiled peanuts by replacing some amount of the salty brine with same amount of normal water.

Are boiled peanuts healthy?

Yes, boiled peanuts are healthy, packed with Vitamins, nutrients and are a good source of monounsaturated fats.

The process of boiling peanuts loads them with 4 times more antioxidants than raw or roasted peanuts. The antioxidant is comes from boiling the hulls.

Do you eat boiled peanuts hot or cold?

You can eat boiled peanuts both hot or cold. Drain the boiled peanuts and serve immediately to relish gas station style hot boiled peanuts or else chill them in the fridge and than enjoy.

Are raw peanuts the same as green peanuts?

No, raw peanuts are not the same as green peanuts.

Raw peanuts are uncooked dehydrated peanuts without any moisture. Whereas, green peanuts are fresh harvested peanuts that are not dehydrated.

Do you eat the shell on boiled peanuts?

No, you don’t eat the shell on boiled peanuts. You eat the nuts and discard the shell.

How long do you soak peanuts before boiling?

You soak peanuts for 8-9 hours or overnight before boiling. However, you may skip soaking them and boil them as such.

Do you drain boiled peanuts?

Yes, you must drain the boiled peanuts. There’s always a wee bit of salty, spicy and tasty brine left trapped inside the shells for you to enjoy it with the nuts.

A little SLUUUURRRPPPPP and you’ll be in boiled peanut heaven 😀

Do boiled peanuts go bad?

Yes, boiled peanuts go bad when left outside for more than 24 hours. The moisture content of the boiled peanuts tends to spoil them quickly if not refrigerated or stored in the freezer.

How long does it take to boil dried peanuts?

It takes around 2 hours to boil raw dried peanuts in the Instant Pot. However, it takes 8-9 hours to boil raw dried peanuts on the stove top following the traditional method of cooking.

How do you freeze cooked boiled peanuts?

You can freeze cooked boiled peanuts after draining the excess brine completely and than storing the boiled peanuts in freezer safe, air tight and moisture proof bags. They last for several months in the freezer.

How do you reheat boiled peanuts?

You can reheat boiled peanuts either in the microwave oven or on the stove top. Place the boiled peanuts in the microwave safe bowl, cover and reheat until warm.

For stove top method, add the boiled peanuts into a saucepan, pour water, add salt and bring it to a rolling boil. Drain and serve.

Why are my boiled peanuts slimy?

Boiled peanuts sometimes turn slimy if left outside for more than 24 hours. The excess moisture content turns the peanuts slimy.

Where did boiled peanuts originate from?

Boiled peanuts have originated and spread out from South Carolina, United States of America across Virginia, Georgia and Florida.

Love Easy Instant Pot Recipes? Don’t miss these from Foodies Terminal.

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