Traditional Nut and Seed Preparation Methods
In her book, Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon Morell explains how soaking nuts/seeds in a saltwater solution reduces the naturally occurring enzyme inhibitors and phytates that can cause digestive issues. This process of improving the digestibility of nuts and seeds is called making “crispy nuts,” a reference you will find often in my recipes. Soaking and dehydrating times can be found below.
You can also ferment them in a whey solution and then dehydrate for use. To use this method, place nuts in a bowl and cover with water and ½ cup whey. Soak for 24 hours and dehydrate according to the time listed below, or until dry. Please note that nuts expand over time so make sure they are completely submerged with plenty of extra water at the top.
Raw Pecans & Walnuts – Soak 4 cups pecan or walnuts in warm filtered water with 2 teaspoons sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24 hours). Rinse and place in set at 105-150F for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Raw Almonds – Soak 4 cups almonds in warm water with 1 tablespoon sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24 hours). Rinse, place in dehydrator, sprinkle with salt/honey/other flavorings if desired and dehydrate at 105-150F for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally. (Note: Most almonds that are available have been pasteurized or otherwise treated. If they are no longer raw, soak them according the instructions for cashews.)
Cashews – Because “raw” cashews are not truly raw (heated to 350 degrees while in their shell to neutralize a toxic oil called cardol.), it’s not necessary to dehydrate them at a low temperature to preserve enzymes. Soaking still makes them more digestible, though! Soak 4 cups cashews in warm water with 1 tablespoon sea salt for no more than 6 hours. (Because they are not raw they do not contain valuable enzymes that prevent spoilage, so 6 hours is the max) Rinse, place on a stainless steel cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake at 200-250F until dry, turning occasionally.
Raw Peanuts – Soak 4 cups raw peanuts in warm water with 1 tablespoon sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24 hours). Drain and rinse. Dehydrate at 105-150F for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Raw Pumpkin Seeds – Soak 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds in warm water with 1 tablespoon sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24hours). Drain and rinse (Or don’t rinse. They’re yummy salty!). If desired, sprinkle with flavorings such as salt and honey or chili and lime before placing in dehydrator. Dehydrate at 105-150F for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Raw Sunflower Seeds – Soak 4 cups sunflower seeds in warm filtered water with 2 teaspoons sea salt for 7 hours. Rinse and place in set at 105-150F for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Note: Turning is not necessary in my Excaliubur dehydrator, but it is helpful with other models. Do what works for you.
Kirsten Ayde Garza
Well called me aubrianne, bc I have a bunch of pecans, walnuts and almonds I bought yesterday and was in desperate need of a nut soaking tutorial! Thanks!
Gabriella
Can I use an oven to dehydrate nuts? I don’t have a dehydrator.
Jeanie Mikesell
Yes you can if you’re oven has a “proof” setting. My oven’s proof setting is around 110 degrees perfect for drying nuts and seeds. Check your ovens manual to see if your settings are different
Mommypotamus
You’re welcome! I can tell a huge difference in digestion when using this method. It so easy to do big batches and then store them in the freezer for use anytime!
Terrie
Question: the walnuts, pecans & almonds don’t say raw on the recipe so can I soak my SAMs Club nuts & get a better digested nut?
Aubri
Thanks! I’m assuming walnuts would be done a similar way so I’ll just give ’em a try!
Heather
Oops! Walnuts were supposed to be listed with pecans. Correcting now . . .
Sharolaid
What about Macadamia and Pistachios?
Joseph A. Redd
I sorted Pistachios and added to a cleaned Pepperoncini jar. I put some very hot sauce in with water in a sealed jar with filtered water. I will let it soak over night. I will put this into a pan in my 12″ toaster oven @ 110° F with fan on. I hope this will produce the nut that I like.
Jesse
Hi Heather,
Could you please tell me where you purchased your Excalibur dehydrator, which one and how much it was? Thanks so much!
Heather
I don’t remember where I ordered it from, but it is the 9 tray with timer(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P2J3K0/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=mommypotamus-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001P2J3K0). I love the timer because I don’t have to remember when to turn it off!
Alissa
If making almond butter for a baby, can I reduce the amount of salt they are soaked in? Do I change the oven temperature?
Joanna Moore
thanks! i’ve been doing all my nuts the same, 8 hours soaking and 8 hours dehydrating, so i’ll try the times you’ve suggested and hope to notice a difference! i actually accidentally dehydrated my walnuts the other day for 15 hours by accident and they are VERY crispy!
Heather
You’re welcome, Joanna!
Aubrianne Kluver
Thank you so much! That’s awesome you did that!
mamaof4
Thank you for this clear, concise post! 🙂 I was soaking my cashews too long! So, do you know, are cashews more similar to seeds, as far as oxolates are concerned? We can handle cashews and seeds, but the other nuts make us crazy, as does cocoa. But, we can also handle high oxolate veggies.
Heather
I think cashews and almonds are considered some of the higher oxalate nuts. Go figure 🙂
Erin Elizabeth King
thank you! i’ve been thinking about this all day actually!
Mommypotamus
You’re welcome!
Jenni
So I’ve been reading up on cashews lately, since I have had the fortune event in my house of some of them sprouting!the ‘Living Tree’ site a really interesting write up on it in their FAQ section. It suggests the possibility that although they are heated to temps up to 350 degrees, the heat surrounding the actual nut may not get to those high temps. In other words it is possible that the cashews may still contain ‘live enzymes’ Which would be totally awesome! Of course you can always buy ‘really raw’ cashews if you don’t mind selling one of your children to get them! http://www.livingtreecommunity.com/store2/faqs.asp
Heather
Ha! I’ll take the heated cashews 🙂
Elizabeth Neblett Schneiderman
You completely read my mind! I have been thinking of purchasing a dehydrator and just didn’t know which one is great..not good, great! Which Excalibur do you have? THanks so much!
Cara
Thanks for this! I’ve been researching info on soaking, this makes it so much easier! I recently started making my own almond milk. The first batch was great, the second kept separating – do you think there was something wrong with the almonds?
Heather
Hi Cara! I make coconut milk but not nut milks, so I don’t have any experience with. I’ll ask around and let you know what I learn, though!
Heather
Apparently it’s pretty normal (http://www.facebook.com/mommypotamus/posts/319469571428159?notif_t=feed_comment) Hope that helps!
Mary Jane
Heather, I really enjoyed reading your article! I loved what you said about cashews (my personal favorite nut) and I did not know that you did not have to soak the cashews less time than the other nuts. Thank you for the excellent article. As I write this I have sunflower seeds soaking for a later use. I too am a huge fan of Excalibur dehydrators too.
Heather
So glad you found it helpful, Mary Jane!
Jen
Do you know if pistachios must be soaked?
Heather
Yes. I believe the salt ratio and soaking time is the same as peanuts.
KC
I just came upon your website via Nourished Kitchen. I just started a new batch of crispy nuts this morning. There is really no contest between soaked and unsoaked. Soaked nuts are so much tastier!
Heather
So true! Welcome to our little community, KC!
Rachel
Thanks for this post! Was wanting this info but hadn’t taken the time to research it yet. I don’t have a dehydrator and my oven starts at 170. Is that a problem for walnuts and such? Would they need less time?
Heather
Not a problem at all! Just check them before the recommended times because they will be done early. 🙂
Bethany
Hi! My oven is the same, 170 degrees. I can recalibrate the oven 35 degrees lower than that, and I have tried, but my almonds take days to dry! Even at 200 degrees, days later they are still not crispy. Would 250 or 300 be bad to try? I just don’t have a week to dry my nuts. I may need to craigslist a dehydrator ?
Geri
Some nutritionists (WholeLifeStyleNutrition.com) say to leave the oven door slightly ajar if your oven can’t be set at 150- and specifically say NOT to heat the nuts at over 150.
robin
Just found your site. Love!
I’ve got a million questions, (okay… maybe only a 100), but will start with one regarding soaking and drying nuts. We are now eating gluten free, and I am starting to think I actually need to eliminate ALL grains, (sad face). I use almond meal in many recipes but have not used almond flour. I’m assuming it’s much finer. Is it important to soak and then dry the almonds before grinding? You’ve probably addressed this somewhere else on your blog and I just haven’t found it yet.
Also, couldn’t I dry the soaked nuts in my oven, set to a low temp? My oven has a “Drying” setting which allows me to set it at a low temp and it operates a fan for circulation.
thanks…
I will certainly be back to your site. VERY inspiring and helpful…
robin
Heather
Hi Robin! Yes, I soak and dry my almonds before grinding to improve digestibility. And drying in your oven is a great idea – just check them sooner than the times listed above because they will probably be ready early. Hope that helps – thanks for saying hello!
Heather
And I forgot to add, some almond flour is much more fine than almond meal but I often use them interchangeably (depends on the recipe). Because I prefer mine freshly ground (more nutrient value) I soak and dehydrate my nuts and then grind into meal just before using.
Dana
For anyone who might come along and read this:
Almond meal is simply ground-up almonds. Almond flour is made from blanched (outer skin removed), defatted almonds. It may or may not be ground very fine; Bob’s Red Mill brand is coarser, while Honeyville is finer.
I have no idea if the techniques can be replicated in the home kitchen. Haven’t tried.
Craig
I just dried some almonds overnight in the oven. A good bit of them have black spots on them. Do you know what would cause this? Is that mold? They were raw almonds, got them at local health food store, so they are probably pasteurized.
Heather
It does sound like they are pasteurized, Craig. I don’t have a lot of details for you but it appears to be a common problem with “raw” pasteurized almonds – you can read more about it here: http://paleohacks.com/questions/31328/almond-butter-raw-vs-roasted#axzz1lAKFPEDN
So sorry that happened 🙁
Craig
Thanks for the reply Heather. Now I need to find a source of true raw almonds, if there is such a thing anymore! 🙂
Heather
It’s not easy! I used to buy some from a lady that went to CA once a year to pick them up straight from the farm, but since I ran out I’ve been using the Whole Foods variety without any problem. I know http://www.vitalchoice.com carries them but I’m not sure how they’re priced. If you find a good source please let me know!
Heather
Oh, and Wilderness Family Naturals carries them too, DUH! They’re on my resources page http://villagegreennetwork.com/marketplace?pid=27
Vanessa
I just had this problem with “true” unpasteurized almonds from Terrasoul. Nearly the whole two-pound bag had spots after the overnight soak. I may have soaked them too long…
Catherine
Hi there,
Thanks so much for this great information! After reading the comments here about pasteurization, I did a little research and, according to a very helpful person at Tierra Farm, all U.S. almonds must be pasteurized, but the same rule doesn’t apply to imported almonds, so, for instance, they also sell Spanish almonds, which are truly raw. Apparently many ‘raw’ nuts and seeds are heated to a certain degree, and it varies. For instance, from their store, the walnuts are heated to 110, cashews to 176, macadamias to 122. Truly raw from them are hazelnuts, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds, along with the Spanish almonds. So this begs a question, Heather: does this process work with “raw” seeds and nuts heated below a certain temperature as well as truly raw ones? Thanks so much.
Erin
So, how does one tell if nuts are truly raw? I have been reading up on soaking and drying and am intrigued, but I want to start with the right nuts. I usually buy mine in the baking aisle at the local Kroger grocery store: walnuts, pecans, almonds. Can you do this with sliced almonds, or do they need to be whole? I get cashews in the bulk bins in the natural foods section.
I am really eager to try that banana walnut granola!!! 🙂
Heather
Hi Erin, where I shop they are clearly designated as raw or roasted. Almonds that have been pasteurized can technically be sold as raw so you want to check with the manufacturer on those, but otherwise it’s usually pretty straightforward.
Erin
Thanks so much for answering my question! I am assuming the nuts I buy in the baking aisle are raw even if they don’t say so – they aren’t salted or roasted, I can tell!
Can nuts be soaked that are not whole? Say, sliced or slivered almonds as opposed to whole?
Anne
You need to order directly from a farmer to get your hand on really raw almonds. There is regulations that restrict mass production almonds from being 100% raw. I found a farm in California and have recently ordered almonds and it’s like no almonds I’ve ever had. They are SO crunchy, so fresh. Just a small family owned operation. The price is actually cheaper than Whole Foods even adding in shipping. Please give them a try, let’s keep them in business so we continue to have access to real food. http://chorganicalmonds.com/OurProducts.html
The Dad (farmer) was super nice when I placed my order over the phone. I can’t recommend them enough. Wish I could find all my nuts from small farmers like this.
Kathy
Hi, I have raw, unpasteurized almonds direct from the farmer and I have gotten black mold spots on my soaked almonds many times….I soak them overnight, then rinse them, and if they sit out for a little while the black spots appear. Seems a bit scary because those mold spores must have been hanging around all the while.
Craig
Thanks! Now I don’t have to do my own research 🙂 Actually I found this site that sells unpasteurized almonds imported from Italy:
http://www.shoporganic.com/product/3405/bulk_nuts_seeds
But they don’t carry the Organic seal, so who knows. Looks like Wilderness Family Naturals may be the way to go. Thanks again!
Craig
this website offers unpasteurized almonds from Europe as well. I guess a true test would be to dehydrate them and see if they turn black or not…
http://shop.livingnutz.com/category.sc?categoryId=3
tasha
What can you do if you dont have a dehydrater?
Heather
You can dry them in the oven on its lowest temp for 12-24 hours.
If the temperature is 150 F or below, the enzymes are preserved. If it only goes to 170 (like mine), the end product won’t be raw but you’ll still benefit from a reduction in phytic acid. If this is the case I would go ahead and bake them at 250 to speed up the process. Just spread them in a single layer and check on them often 🙂
Julie
Hi, I have never soaked nuts before and do not own a dehydrator. My oven starts at 170 degrees, you posted that that was okay and then just do them at 250 degress. Can you please elaborate? I’m so confused!
Erin
I don’t have raw sunflower seeds, but I do have almost 15 lbs of roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds. Would I soak and dry them the same way?
Heather
Unfortunately, the naturally occurring enzymes from the seeds are no longer active if they’ve been roasted so they are vulnerable to spoilage if put in water. I don’t recommend soaking them. Sorry!
Ashley
Do you know if nuts and seeds really have to be dried? Is there anything gained nutritionally be drying or does it just make them more store-able. I’m thinking for making nut milks it’d just be so much easier to soak it once rather than soak, dry, soak again.
Heather
It just preserves them for later use. If you want to make nut milk just go ahead and soak once 🙂
Heather
Now that I think of it, if you’re not going to use the meaty part of the almond maybe you don’t need to soak at all. Most of the phytates are in the almond skin, so unless you’re drying the pulp to use in baked goods and such I’m not sure if there’s a benefit to you. Sorry, I don’t have much experience with nut milks 🙁
Ashley
I’ve always left the skin on for almonds, too difficult to get off.
Generally nut milks are soaked anyway to soften them before pureeing in the blender with fresh water, otherwise the milk would be all gritty (which it is a little bit anyway unless you coarsely grind the nuts before soaking). Adding salt to the soak just makes sense.
Thank you for your answer. I won’t worry about the drying part for milks. You have not idea how ridiculously happy I am to not have to do that! lol =)
Erica
Just a tip – Raw almonds need to be in cold storage (freezer) for long term storage. I bought 50lbs last year and double bagged them in the freezer. Then I soak large quantities of almonds (1-2 gallon bags worth) all at once and then drain them, pat them dry and flash freeze them. That way they’re ready and available at a moment’s notice to make almond milk with. If I want to make almond butter with them I bring the frozen nuts in and spread them on dehydrator trays, and run the dehydrator for 24ish hours. They’re ready to make the almond butter the next day. Hoppe that helps!
Shawna Murphy
I noticed earlier that you mentioned placing nuts in the freezer. How long would dehydrated nuts be good for left out?
Heather
Hmmm . . . I honestly don’t know! Sorry Shawna!
Elena
Is dehydration a must?
We usually use nuts right after soaking, since we don’t have a dehydrator.
Thank you!
Heather
Its only a must if you want to preserve them for later. You can also dry them in the oven at a low temp if you need to!
LaTesha
Hi! I accidentally left a bag of cashews (sea salt, because “raw” is hard to find) soaking in my fridge for a week. Is it okay to still puree them?
Heather
Hi LaTesha! Unfortunately t I haven’t read anything that mentions that kind of scenario. I’m just not sure, sorry!
ANH
FYI – 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon, so in the case of Cashews, 1T/4c nuts is the same thing.. Thanks for the recipe!
Gretchen
Do flax seeds and chia seeds need to be soaked like sunflower and pumpkin seeds? Also, do all nuts and seeds need to be stored in the fridge or freezer once soaked and dried? I thought only walnuts did? Thank you kindly for your help.
Kristy Kelley
Hi! I was wondering if I could use a regular oven do dehydrate my nuts? Thanks for all the directions, I really appreciate it.
Kristy
Heather
Hi Kristy! I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not. My oven doesn’t go below 170F so it would inactivate the enzymes if I used that method, but other than that I think it would work fine if you checked on them often. Here’s a post from Organic Spark that you may find helpful http://www.organicspark.com/portfolio/technique-dehydrated-nuts/
Kristy Kelley
Thanks so much for explaining and the link to Organic Spark was helpful too! One more question, is it a requirement to use filtered water? We plan on getting a home filtration system but haven’t gotten it yet. Just wasn’t sure if regular water would mess up the process and if I should buy special water from the grocery store. Thanks!
Heather
Not a requirement, but it is recommended since tap water contains lots of yucky chemicals that will stay in the nuts after soaking. Also, chlorine and fluoride could damage the enzymes that help us digest them better. I wrote a series on water filtration you may find helpful as you shop around 🙂 https://mommypotamus.com/the-water-post-intro-and-fluoride/
Kristy Kelley
I just read your post on water and THANK YOU for that. I am really glad you recommend (and reviewed so thoroughly) the Berkey Filter System. That is the one we’ve been looking to purchase (it is going to be my Christmas gift!) 🙂 I have one more question, sorry – I promise this is the last one. What size do you use for your house. We are a family of 4 with a small-med size kitchen. Thanks again!
Heather
I honestly can’t remember which size ours is, but I think it’s the second to largest one. We bought a smaller one but found we had to refill it too often. My mom was shopping for one so she took ours and we bought a larger one 🙂
Juliane
I soak mainly almonds, brazil nuts, and peanuts, but the flavor of the peanuts isn’t great. The time I accidentally dried them too hot (in the oven) they got a little roasted and everyone loved them. Is there any reason I shouldn’t roast them if no one wants to eat them raw. Also does anyone have information on Brazil nuts? I live in Bolivia and this is the cheapest most common nut after peanuts. The other nuts are all imported and three to four times as expensive. Is brazil nut flour an option?
Lael Sheber
I just read this post via the Urban Poser site. Can you cook the nuts in the oven? If so, how would I go about it?
Thanks so much!
Stephanie
Hi, just found this post–and your website–doing a google search on soaking nuts and seeds. I hope you get to see my comment and I would really appreciate it if you have a few seconds to answer a couple questions I have. I apologize if this was answer in a previous comment, I didn’t have the time to read them all.
I have recently learned about soaking, but I can’t seem to find an explanation why can’t seeds, nuts, etc., be roasted after but rather they need to be dehydrated. And won’t roasting do the same as soaking, since heating them will denatured the enzymes? Thanks!
Heather
Hi Stephanie! Roasting causes chemical changes in many (if not all) nuts that releases acrylamide, a carcinogen. I bake with nuts occasionally and don’t worry about it, but I prefer for health reasons to eat most of my nuts after they have been dehydrated at low temps
Beth
If I’m planning to roast pumpkin seeds, there’s no point in soaking and dehydrating them at a low temp first, is there?
Thanks!
Anna
Hi, I recently found a recipe for making nut butter which requires soaking and dehydrating. I was wondering if you can do without dehydrating but just drying the nuts, since I don’t have the specific gadget to dehydrate. Thank you for your time.
Heather
Yes, you can dry them at the lowest setting in your oven 🙂
Stephanie
Thanks for the info! Just a quick question, can I still make homemade almond butter from the dehydrated almonds? Before knowing about soaking nuts I used roast them then pureed into butter, will I get the same consistency from dehydrated nuts or do I need to roast after dehydrating? Thanks!
Dana
I can find, at my local co-op, a local brand of almond butter that was made from soaked and dehydrated almonds. IT IS AMAZING. It doesn’t stiffen up in the fridge, it barely separates at all and it tastes better (though some of that may be the sea salt). Short answer: yes, you most certainly can. 🙂
Sista Voyage
Just in time!!! I am about to soak some sunflower/pumpkin seeds and walnuts/pecans for the first time after reading about phytic acid concerns. I needed to know the time frame to leave them in water. I don’t have a dehydrator (yet), so I will be using my oven to dry them out a bit.
tania
I need some help. Do i have any other alternative since i dont have a dehydrator or an oven?
Heather
I don’t, sorry!
Candance
Great post, thank you! Once I have soaked and dried the nuts, how long do you think they will last in an air tight container in the pantry?
Heather
I think it probably depends on how cool/dry the pantry is. I keep mine in the freezer for maximum freshness 🙂
Candance Holmes
Thank you! I will have to start putting my dried nuts in the freezer as it gets quite warm in my pantry (great for water kefir and fermenting though!)
Jenessa
I am planning on soaking my almonds and then grinding them up in a food processor to add to an almond salad I am making. Is it okay if I do this and skip the dehydration process? Thanks!
Natalia
Hi, Heather, great post and website. Just was wondering about pine nuts and macadamias? Do they need to be soaked and dehydrated or not ? Also am assuming hazelnuts are similar to pecans? Thank you so much, Natalia
Natalia
Oh and brazil nuts of course….
colleen
If I’m doing pumpkin seeds (fresh from the pumpkin) do I need to dry and hull them first? Or would soaking help loosen the hull making them easier.
Hope
I have basically the same question as Colleen, do I remove the hull before soaking and/or dehydrating or after? And is there a good method of removing it as this will be my first try. Thanks!
Adam
Hi im very curious about this one. After I soaked and dried the nuts is it best to keep it in the freezer for maximum freshness OR the fridge? Also IF its the freezer do you still get all the live nutrients even when frozen? Thanks!
Also how long would it last if it was in the freezer?
Had to do the post again because I forgot to check the notify email thing or else I would lose this page
Heather
Because the moisture level in the fridge tends to be high I think storing them there might actually accelerate storage, but the freezer is good 🙂
Adam
Thank you for the quick reply!!
One more thing, any idea how long the soaked and dried nuts will last in the freezer and do you freeze it in a glass jar?
thank you ^^
Melissa Lindner
How should you store the nuts and what is the shelf life?
Leda
Hi are these temperatures celsius or fahrenheit?
Heather
Fahrenheit. Thanks for asking – I’ll update the post!
Lynda
Can you tell me if i can still soak pecans that come pre-packaged? i bought some at the regular grocery store and they just say “pecans” in the ingredients so i guess that means they are probably not raw? Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Heather
Hi Lynda, unfortunately you’d have to check with the company that sells the pecans to know for sure.
Gretta
Thanks for posting this. I’m planning on starting my 22 month old on the GAPS diet, once I can wrap my head around it. I recently read (Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford) that most all commercially shelled nuts are rancid. Do you know if there’s a way or place to buy shelled non-rancid nuts?
Thanks!
Anna
What would you recommend for people who do not have a dehydrator? How long would you have to in an oven?
Amanda @ Mommypotamus Support
Anna, Preheat the oven to 150˚. Place in the oven for 12-24 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove. Cool completely before storage.
Carrie
My oven’s lowest setting is 170 degrees ( F ). How do I adjust this to achieve the right temp for dehydrating walnuts?
Sean
Hello! Great site! I was wondering if it is necessary to dehydrate the already sprouted almonds before making almond butter? I understand that if you don’t dehydrate the almonds they have a shorter shelf life. But what if I don’t dehydrate them, then make them into butter, and then keep the butter in the fridge, will it last longer? I cannot find the answer to this anywhere…
Heather
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t the consistency would be what you’d expect and it would definitely spoil faster. If it were me I’d dry them.
Sharifa
Hi,I was always under the impression that raw,unsalted,untasted nuts were the healthiest.Thanks for all the info.
Alice
I mistakenly bought lots of almond flour (bulk buy) – is there a way to remove the phytic acids in them after they’ve grinded – or is it too late?
If I make them into a yoghurt – will that remove the phytic acid?
I don’t want to throw away my almond flour! Cost me over £100! But at the same time don’t want to hurt my already stressed out and sensitive body (lots of health issues including digestive). I also don’t want to give it to others because I don’t want to hurt other people.
Please advise!
Thanks
Shannon
How long does it take for the cashews to dry in the oven once they have been soaked?
Heather
It will depend on the oven settings, but typically at least 6-8 hours I believe.
Toni
Just something to also consider…many dehydrators, including Excalibur, use toxic plastic components (not necessarily the trays)…advertising can be misleading, be vigilant consumers. Plastic should never, ever be heated. Use a stainless steel cookie sheet at low heat in your oven, or find a dehydrator with all stainless steel components. Some stainless steel units have chrome-plated stainless steel trays…and chrome is also toxic. Many of us are food conscious, it takes some extra attention to assure that we’re not undermining our efforts at optimal health during the prep phase. Here’s a helpful link: http://thesoftlanding.com/safer-food-dehydrator-shopping-guide/
Kristina
Thanks for the input Toni! I am in the market for a dehydrator and you have helped me make sure I’m not harming my nuts! Haha…
Debbie
Has anyone tried soaking, dehydrating and then lightly roasting peanuts to make into peanut butter for that desirable roasted peanut butter flavor?
Or do they come out tasting slightly roasted after being dehydrated the maximum time?
Cin
Heather…a great article. I have read through all the responses and no one actually touches on Brazil Nuts.
How long to soak these and how long to dry them? Thanks!
Penny
I didn’t see the amount of time to soak cashews so I actually soaked them overnight, probably about 9 hrs. How can I tell if they are spoiled? Should I eat them? I have already dehydrated them in an oven.
Kristina
Hi there,
I have been making Sally Fallon’s crispy nuts and a variation of her almond butter for a few years – always doing the ‘drying’ in my oven at 150… Recently, people have gotten wind that I make my own almond butter and are wanting to buy it from me! As a stay at home mom / part time marketing consultant from home – any extra income is a good thing. However the oven drying takes a FULL 24 hours. I stumbled onto your website looking for a dehydrator for nuts and see you use the Excalibur brand. Does it take 24 hours to dry them in the dehydrator as well, or is it faster? And what size do you have – and how many cups of nuts can you dry at a time? Thank you for any insight!
shaunne
With sunflower seeds, almonds etc etc. it always says not to dehydrate about 150. My oven will not go below 170 so it’s my only option. I’m saving for a dehydrator at some point. Am I doing more harm then good?
Drew Todd
Hi Heather
Thanks for this great advice on nut soaking. A few questions:
1. Is it ok to soak sunflower seeds longer than 7 hours or is the max for these 7 hrs?
2. We usually soak all our nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds) in the same bowl of filtered water with 2 tsp pink himalayan salt for about 16 hours. Is this ok or should each nut variety been done separately?
3. About to purchase a 4 tray Excalibur dehydrator which will make this all much easier! 🙂
Many thanks.
Kind regards.
Drew
Larry
Hi, This is all totally new to me. Could someone please tell me if it is OK roast almonds (2 cups) in a non-stick 13X9 cake pan? Also, how about dehydrating them too in the same pan. I do not have a stainless cookie sheet. Need to buy one?
Thanks,
Larry
Heather
Hi Larry, there are different opinions on whether it is healthy to roast almonds. I think once in awhile is fine. Regarding your cookie sheet, stainless steel is optimal but you can use whatever you have. If you’re concerned about the non-stick coating coming into contact with your food you might consider lining the sheet with parchment paper.
Larry
Thank you. My concern was for the high sides of the cake pans as opposed to the small short sides on a sheet. It seems to be doing OK though. Lovin’ my new food! I eat 23 of them each day. Super crispy ones. But for the cost, I would likely be eating at least a pound each day. 🙂 Thank you very much for your site & info.
Drew Todd
Hi Heather
Thanks for this great advice on nut soaking. A few questions:
Is it ok to soak sunflower seeds longer than 7 hours or is the max for these 7 hrs? The article above says 7 hours for Sunflower Seeds but does not have the ‘up to 24hrs’ so does this mean they must not go over 7 – we are wondering if this is a typo?
Many thanks.
ila
i thought enzymes died at 150F dry heat?
why put the heat that high if trying to preserve them, isn’t it better to say 125F max?
Liz
Hi, I just ran into mold on my almonds. I soaked them close to a full 24hrs then drained and rinsed and spread on stainless steel sheet pan in 150degree oven overnight. This morning: mold! Or what looks like it. Help! Can I rinse them and dry them again?
emily
I’m having the same problem!! 🙁 Soaked ’em, then rinsed, then set them in the oven to dry and they’re moldy! Black spots and white fuzzy stuff. Is it possible to salvage them or are all those almonds trash? What a waste of $$. I really wanted activated almonds…
Heather
Hi Emily, it sounds like you may have a batch of non-raw almonds on hand. If they have been pasteurized or otherwise treated their enzymes aren’t intact. The enzymes are what prevent spoilage, I’m afraid. It is possible to improve the digestibility of non-raw almonds, but you want to reduce the soaking time to no more than six hours. I’m so sorry that happened to you. 🙁
Larry
So, would that apply to all Ca. almonds, which is where most of them in the US come from? They have some kind of law there that requires some kind of treatment if the nuts are to be sold at retail, if I remember rightly.
I soak mine 24 hrs. too, then right into a dehydrator. So far, no problems. I use Spicy World nuts from Amazon. Four pound bags. And keep them in the freezer from the time I get them except, of course, for the soaking & dehydrating. I freeze all I will not be using in 1 week or so.
Larry
Should have added that they are roasted after dehydration. Sorry.
Cari
Hi. I was soaking some almonds and didn’t have time to rinse and set them to dry when I should have. It was a warm day and we were gone all day. Now they smell a bit rotten. Are they salvageable?
lexee
hi mommypotamus!
love your blog. just wanted to check if the cashews should be soaked with 3 teaspoons of salt, instead of 3 tablespoons. just seemed like a lot more than the others! thanks 🙂
Heather
Oh my goodness, thank you for catching that! It should have said either three teaspoons or one tablespoon (which is, of course, the same amount), only I seem to have bungled it. Yes, just one tablespoon! Just updated the post.
Nancy
Yikes. I missed the salt part, as I had been told by my naturopath just to soak my nuts. Then I remembered that I had read something about soaking nuts and found this article again. I have pecans soaking right now and there are some stringy white things falling off of them and sinking to the bottom of my bowl. Do you suppose they have gone bad?
dennis
I purchased an inexpensive dehydrator. To dehydrate sunflower seeds I had to buy an aftermarket screen to cut into shape for the tray. I do soak my seeds/nuts prior to drying them. I went to a hardware store and got some plastic window screen. Also, why have you used the “7 hour” time to dehydrate??
Dennis
dennis
I reread your comments. Thank You. I misread the information. Is it OK to soak 12 hours or essentially overnight?? I will get some sea salt.
Amy
I am wondering why mine don’t turn out “crispy”. My son and husband complain that the soaking makes them too soft and that there is no crunch. Could you please tell me what I am doing wrong? Also, in order to keep the healthy enzymes (part of why we get raw nuts), you shouldn’t get the heat up past 120 degrees, it should probably be more like 105-110 since they are in that heat for a long period of time. Thanks!
Patti
Do you know for how long these will last? Also, do you refrigerate or freeze them?
Thanks!!
Wendy
Hi! I’m wondering, what rule of thumb do you use when deciding how much salt to use when soaking nuts & seeds that aren’t included in your list? Thanks!
Pauline
Good article, I am now in the habit of soaking nuts and seeds. I love making LSA and soak the sunflower seeds and raw almonds before making it.
Amy
What happens if the cashews are soaked longer? I didn’t know max time was 6 hours and I just soaked a bunch in salt water :/
Mary Hayes
Can you roast the nuts in a crock pot after you soak them? We love these nuts, but it does monopolize the oven.
Toni Nuechterlein
Do you really need to dehydrate them after soaking? What is the purpose of that step, other than the change in texture?
Sharifa
Hi, I need to please know the times for Brazil bursts. I’ve gone through all the comments and I can’t find anything regarding Brazil nuts. The question has been asked already but no one has answered it yet.
Julie
Okay so, I have read through all the posts and no one has asked this. I never knew that you needed to soak and then dehydrate so I’ve always just purchased and then put them directly in the freezer. Can you still soak, dehydrate then refreeze???
Dennis
I soaked pumpkin seeds for 48 hours. Your thoughts. I just got too busy. I did change the water several times.
Alistair
How long would I need to soak beech nuts? I’ve found an abundant source of of them and I know you can eat them after they’ve been roasted but was wanting to do this method above.
Cheryl Stevenson
THE RECIPE DOESN’T SAY WHETHER IN THE SHELL OR OUT. OR BOTH READ AS MUCH AS I COULD DO AND DID NOT SEE ANYONE ASK OR ANYTHING THAT CHANGED THE RECIPE.
DOING IN THE CHELL RIGHT NOW.
ANSWER?
Heather
They should be shelled.
Joanna
I was given some dry roasted almonds. Is it possible to soak and dehydrate them AFTER roasting and still get good results? Thank you!
Misty
Hi! My husband made some crispy almonds and they had black spots on them the next day. We had to take them out of the oven and forgot to put them back in. So they were sitting out not completely dry. My husband thinks it may just be a reaction with salt and not mold, he is adamant that they are fine but I don’t want to eat them if it’s not safe. Have you had that happen before?
sam
Do we need to change water.if we soak walnut fr 7 hr and its written we can soak till 24 hrs .so do we need to change water after 7 hrs.
juhi
Hello! Can I consume nuts directly in morning post soaking without dehydrating it. Is dehydration a mandatory step?
Heather
Yes, you could.
Serena Gaefke
Hi! I’m just wondering what the salt does. I regularly soak almonds or other nuts but I’ve not used salt before. What is the purpose of that please? Thanks!
Victoria
Hi There,
I love the idea of soaking nuts and seeds to ensure maximum nutrient retention!
My only concern is practicality – soaking every now and then seems great – Melbourne’s summer is hot and dry (perfect conditions to sun dry) but our winters are cold and wet.
I feel guilty to turn on my oven to a low heat for 12 hours minimum per session and I don’t own a dehydrator.
I wonder whether roasting for a few hours would be a feasible alternative???
Ashley
Is it ok, after soaking the nuts and seeds and rinsing them, to put them in the fridge until the next day so I can rotate the trays while dehydrating them?
Emily
Hi there, thanks for this information! A couple questions:
1) This article is the only place I’ve seen that says not to soak non-raw almonds for longer than 6 hours. It looks like you’re saying that if you soak them for more than 6 hours, they might spoil? Just want to get a better understand of why not to soak them for any longer if you have any more information that would be helpful!
2) Just wondering if you know if you can soak, sprout, and then dehydrate. Would there be any benefit to sprouting nuts before dehydrating them or would dehydrating take away any of the benefits of sprouting?
Thank you!
Heather
1. Yes, soaking for longer can cause them to spoil.
2. Yes, you can soak, sprout and dehydrate. There may be some benefit, but I’ve found that I don’t want to bother with rinsing them often during the sprouting process so i just soak them.
abel
how long to keep Pecan, Brazil, walnut and pumkin in container after soaked and dehydrated
Heather
I’m not sure how long they would stay good at room temperature. I keep mine in the freezer and they stay fresh for months.
Les
Hi, I’m wondering why the different nuts need different amounts of salt….? Also, can you do a mixture of salt and whey? I want to do 6 cups of pumpkin seeds – I have lots of whey I want to use for something, but was thinking to 1 tbsp. salt and 1 cup whey — or is it not an exact science….
Heather
Nuts contain different amounts of phytic acid and need more or less salt based on the amount. I am not sure how to use whey to improve digestibility with this method, sorry.
Susan
What if you soaked the peanuts in the skin as far as enzyme inhibitors and phytates? Should I take skin off and soak for longer? I know for taste, it’s not good when mixed with other nuts – the skin transfers its taste onto other nuts. Lesson learned.