November 13, 2023

Bacon Rosemary Roasted Nuts

I love having LOTS of appetizers at Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it can be tricky juggling their preparation and serving time when there are other more pressing matters at hand. Like the damn turkey. So I wanted to make something that could be made a bit in advance and be put out and enjoyed at room temperature.

These Bacon Rosemary Roasted Nuts are just that. And bonus: they are absolutely irresistible!

To make these savory-sweet nuts, start by cooking a couple strips of bacon until crisp. I like to do this in my oven, because it’s less messy and the oven is going to be on anyways. But you could certainly do this on the stovetop or microwave. Whatever you’re preferred bacon-cooking method is, go for it!

Meanwhile, toss raw pecans and walnuts with a combination of maple syrup, miso, rosemary and salt. Then add the chopped crisped bacon and roast until toasty and fragrant. That’s it!

When you’re cooking the bacon and roasting the final nut mixture, be sure to keep an eye on your oven. They can go from perfectly cooked to burnt very quickly. So near the end, I take a peek in my oven every 1-2 minutes.

I love the combination of pecans and walnuts for this recipe. But cashews and/or almonds would also be great here. Use what you love! These Bacon Rosemary Roasted Nuts aren’t overly sweet (I wouldn’t describe them as “candied”). The bacon and miso keep them more balanced.

These Bacon Rosemary Roasted Nuts can be prepared several hours before you plan on serving them. I suggest making them the morning of your gathering. But they could be prepared the night before, if necessary.

These Bacon Rosemary Roasted Nuts are great as a snack. But you can also add them to a cheeseboard or use them as a salad topping. You won’t run out of ways to enjoy these!

Cheers,

Liz

Get the Recipe:

Bacon Rosemary Roasted Nuts

At a Glance:

Yield: Makes 2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup raw pecans
• 1 cup raw walnuts

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the bacon slices on the parchment paper and transfer the baking sheet to your pre-heated oven. Cook the bacon until crisp, 10-14 minutes. I check the bacon after 10 minutes, then continue cooking if necessary, checking every 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove the baking sheet from your oven. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-line plate to drain and cool. Reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon fat into a clean bowl. Pour off and discard the remainder. 
4. Add the maple syrup, miso, rosemary and salt to the bowl with the reserved bacon fat. Stir to combine. Then add the pecans and walnuts and toss to coat. Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces and add it to the bowl, tossing to combine.
5. Spread the nut mixture out onto your parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and transfer to your pre-heated oven. Roast for 6-10 minutes, until fragrant and toasty, stirring once or twice during this time. I check the nuts after 6 minutes, then continue roasting if necessary, checking every 1-2 minutes.
6. Remove the baking sheet from your oven. Spread the nut mixture out onto a clean piece of parchment paper to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.