Wok Fried Peanuts / How to Fry Peanuts

You’ll see these fried peanuts often in Cantonese restaurants, served in small dishes around a Lazy Susan along with pots of tea. They’re the perfect little appetizer while you wait for your meal to arrive. 

Wok fried peanuts are an ideal snack to keep around. They’re crunchy, high in protein, and filling! At our house, however, we can never keep them around. Sarah will eat them until they’re gone! (Sarah here…currently editing this post: can confirm my mother’s statement is true.)

In China, snacking on these little fried peanuts along with a cold beer is an after work past-time. For the price of 3 US dollars, a couple of buddies can enjoy a plate of these peanuts and wash them down with a couple of Yanjing or Qingdao beers. Ahhh….very nice!

They’re also great to have around for many other dishes, like our Dan Dan Noodles and Lao Gan Ma Noodles. Not to mention, fried peanuts also go really well with congee, pao fan, and Asian salads and cold dishes, like Koushui Chicken.

Note: This post was originally published on August 20, 2013. We have since updated it with improved, clearer instructions, new photos, and nutrition information. Enjoy! 

Growing Up In China: Peanut Memories

When I was growing up in China, these peanuts would show up around Chinese New Year. Some form of peanut was common in many families’ Chinese New Year feasts.

I guess “feast” is a relative term. Basically, the New Year meal was always better than our everyday meals, so to a kid like myself at the time, what many of us would now consider a modest meal definitely looked like a feast. These roasted peanuts were always there, and they never disappointed me.

When I was little and living with my grandmother in Shanghai, there was an old man who lived next door to us. During the summer months, he would eat his dinners outside on a bench, at a small wooden table set for one person.

There were usually at least four small plates of yummy dishes (小菜) prepared by his wife, and these roasted peanuts were on the table every day. This is how I knew that they had some money, because peanuts were expensive then, and we couldn’t really afford them.

He would be out there each day at the same time. Drinking his beer, enjoying his wife’s cooking, talking to neighbors, and slowly eating those peanuts one by one. I would steal looks at them, trying hard not to reach out and grab one! 

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS WHEN FRYING PEANUTS

Peanut comes in different sizes, so your frying time should vary accordingly. I made a small batch, but you can double or triple the recipe. Just know that while the size of the peanuts matter, the cooking time doesn’t really change when you do a larger batch, as long as you use enough oil to cover the peanuts.

Remember to look for these indications with all your senses:

• First, you’ll see small bubbles in the oil, and a little bit of hot steam coming out the oil as the moisture in the peanuts is cooked off.
• Pay attention to the color of the peanuts. The pink shell should be a shade darker after frying. If the pink color deepens too much, it just means that the peanuts are over-fried.
• Smell the peanuts as you put your nose over the wok for that familiar roasted peanut smell.
• If you are hearing any popping noises coming from the peanuts, that means the peanuts are done and should be removed from the oil immediately, as they will continue to cook while they are hot.  
• Taste the peanuts during frying to see if they are done. Hot peanuts will not be crunchy yet, but you can definitely taste the doneness. They will become crunchy after cooling.

I prefer slightly undercooked peanuts. I know that’s weird, but I think it was from my childhood days picking raw peanuts in the field after the peanut harvest was done. While picking and eating, I developed a taste for raw peanuts. Do feel free to adjust the cooking time to suit your own taste buds.

Recipe Notes

Here are a few more important things to know before diving into this recipe: 

• I’ve read that mixing a few drops of white vinegar into the hot peanuts can keep fried peanuts from getting stale. It works pretty well, but you will be able to taste a faint vinegar-y flavor. Alternatively, you can just keep the peanuts in an airtight container. We find they don’t usually last long enough to go stale anyway! 
• Nuts don’t do well in humid conditions and can go rancid quicker, so bear that in mind when deciding how big a batch to make. 
• Again, roasted and fried nuts only become crunchy after they are completely cooled, so bear this in mind. Do not over-fry them just because they are still a little soft when hot. You may burn them!

All that said, these fried peanuts are very easy to make. Sarah can eat them continuously until they’re all gone. (Yes, we get it Ma! I’m a pig for peanuts. – Sarah)

I have only a little bit more self-control than her—I can eat a lot in one sitting too. They’re very addictive, so consider yourself warned!   

Wok Fried Peanuts: Recipe Instructions 

Place the peanuts in a strainer or colander, and rinse under water. Shake off any excess water and drain well.

Spread them out in a single layer to air-dry for at least 30 minutes. 

In a clean wok or a wide, deep pot, add the air-dried peanuts and enough oil to just cover the peanuts. Then turn on the heat to medium low. Gently and slowly push the peanuts around to heat them evenly and prevent burning. 

You must use cold oil and low heat to start, and use low heat throughout the whole frying process. Don’t rush the process, or the peanuts will quickly burn.

As the oil heats up slowly, you will first see small bubbles in the oil, then some steam coming as the moisture in the peanuts cooks off.  You may also hear small popping noises (like much quieter popcorn).

Keep slowly pushing the peanuts around in the oil. You’re done once the pink shell on the peanuts turn a shade darker (like a light mahogany brown) and the popping sounds stop. Frying time should be around 7 to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the peanuts.

Because the peanuts burn easily, towards the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time, it’s a good idea to turn off the heat and let the peanuts continue to cook in the hot oil without the risk of burning.  

Turn off the heat and quickly strain the peanuts out of the oil. Spread them out single layer on a baking sheet or plate to cool them quickly. 

Another quick cool-down method is to put the peanuts in a large stainless steel bowl and roll them around to disperse the heat quickly, so the peanuts can turn crunchy faster.

Toss with salt (this step is optional), and serve!

Put any leftover peanuts into an airtight container right away, as nuts don’t do well in humidity.

Be sure to strain the oil and save it. It will have a light peanut flavor and is great for cooking.