Walnuts are not really that hard naturally, but it is possible to soften them.
As you read through the article, you will get to know how to soften walnuts using different methods.
In addition to that, I have also covered some additional information about soaking walnuts.
So, make sure to read the entire article to get the most out of it.
5 Ways To Soften Walnuts
Soaking in water
The simplest way to soften walnuts is to soak them in water. Take the required amount of walnuts and then put them in a bowl filled with water. Then leave the bowl closed with a lid for 6 to 8 hours.
When you leave walnuts in water for that long, they get incredibly soft without being mawkish.
This way, you can chew them quickly, and at the same time, you can add them to recipes that require them to be soft and chewy.
Mixing with snack bar
You can also soften walnuts by adding them to any snack bar that comes with dried fruits and grains.
Start by putting the nuts in the snack bar and blend them with other ingredients. Use a sweetener liquid like honey to soften them and add it to your dessert.
Adding to ice cream
You can also put walnuts in ice cream to make them soft. When you take the ice cream, you will feel little crunches in it. This is what walnut can add to a dessert.
Roasting the walnuts
Another way to soften walnuts is to roast or toast them and place them in the oven. However, you must add little water to it before you put them in the oven.
Besides, you can also add maple syrup to add more taste to the walnuts and serve for consumption.
Turning into butter
Most people also prefer to turn walnuts into butter, and an easy way to do this is to grind them.
Almost all hard nuts can be turned into nut butter.
After you grind the walnuts, they turn out to be creamy and soft, which will be the outcome if you add little oil to it when you grind.
Related Questions:
How long should you soak walnuts?
Well, the longer you soak, the better.
You should soak the walnuts in water for about 20 minutes or more, time doesn’t really matter, but the minimum time is 20 minutes.
Just note that the harder the nut, the longer you will have to soak.
If you do not have enough time on your schedule, just make sure to soak for 20 to 30 minutes at the least. That should be good enough.
On the other hand, if you have a lot of time on your schedule, you should soak them overnight in a suitable container.
It is not advisable to soak them in a plastic container as plastic can contaminate the water and get in your food.
Follow these simple steps below when you want to soak walnuts.
- Get a container that has an airtight lid
- Place your nuts in them and fill them with warm water or saltwater
- Close the lid tightly so that air will not enter
- Safely keep the container in a cool place and leave it overnight.
NOTE: Some people put the containers in the refrigerator; it is not bad.
How to quick-soak walnuts?
There is a faster way to soften walnuts if you do not have enough time to spare.
The best way is to use hot water, but I would like to let you know that there are no nutritional benefits attached to using this method, although the digestive enzymes in the walnuts can be killed if the heat applied is too high.
Follow the below steps to quick-soak walnuts.
- Put the walnuts in a glass container
- Boil clean water up to 80 degrees Celsius
- Pour the water into the glass container filled with walnuts and leave for about 10 minutes
- Once 10 minutes elapses, drain the water and rinse the walnuts.
Should you soak walnuts before cooking?
It is not a necessity. However, soaking walnuts before cooking has its benefits. One of the benefits of soaking walnuts is to break down the bonds of the phytic acid present in it. This process of breaking phytic acid bonds helps in easy digestion.
Also, if you are someone who likes to eat softened walnuts, you should soak them before cooking.
Can soaking walnuts remove bitterness?
Naturally, the thin skins of walnuts are bitter as they also contain bioflavonoids.
Regular walnuts are not as bitter as black walnuts. Soaking a walnut will not remove its bitterness or change the taste.
When people say that walnuts are tastier when you soak them, it merely means that they are easier to eat and chew when they are soft.
The only time the taste can change a little is when you soak the nuts in salt water as you will be able to taste small traces of salt if you eat them later.
Can you soak walnuts and almonds together?
There is nothing wrong with soaking walnuts and almonds together.
If you plan to make a meal with both nuts, you can soak them together. Even in case you are not using them together in a meal, still, they can be soaked together, and it will not affect the taste of either of them.
Do you need to dehydrate walnuts after soaking?
Dehydrating walnuts after they are soaked is another crucial step.
It would be best if you considered carrying out this step whenever you soak walnuts.
Dehydrating the walnuts will make them raw and bring back the crispy state they were once in. Also, even after dehydration, they will still be filled with enzymes.
Here are easy steps to follow when you want to dehydrate.
- Bring out the soaked nuts from the container and spread them on the mesh sheet of the dehydrator
- Please put on the dehydrator and place it at 110 degrees Fahrenheit. This is enough to dry what you have
- After drying, leave the nuts to cool until they are at room temperature
- Get a plastic bag or a container to store the dehydrated walnut
