Rich and buttery flavor, macadamia nuts can be roasted or salted to draw out the natural sweetness and creamy texture. For a buttery-flavored yet crunchy texture snack, try roasted macadamia nuts.
Because these nuts are grown in tropical climates, they pair wonderfully with citrus fruits, coffee, and coconut. Whether it is whole, split or chopped, macadamia nuts can be served in various dish.
What to eat with macadamia nuts? Macadamia nuts can be eaten in desserts or salads to add crunchy texture and nutty flavor. From fruits to meats, vegetables, cheese and herbs, there are many ingredients that complement well with macadamia nuts.
In addition, it is mostly known as a fool-proof pairing with dark or white chocolate. Furthermore, pairing with bourbon, brandy, and rum can enhance any dessert with macadamia nuts to the next level.
Macadamia nuts are generally found in Hawaiian cuisine. Other than sweet desserts, it pairs well with seafood such as scallop or fish cakes because it does not overwhelm the taste.
Other than seafood, if you are wondering what are the best fruits, spices, and flavors to pair with macadamia nuts, read through for more insight.
What goes well with macadamia?
Macadamias are pretty versatile and form the perfect duo with almost everything. They are fantastic with fish and shellfish, especially when forming a crust or rice recipes.
For leftover macadamias, try tossing them in pancakes or salads to add texture and taste instead of leaving them out to spoil.
Whether it is served with meat or added to salads, here are ingredient options that go well with macadamia nuts.
- Vegetables: beets, green beans, asparagus, carrots, parsnips, kale, snap peas
- Alcohol: bourbon, brandy, rum
- Condiments: caramel, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla
- Nuts: cashew
- Meats: chicken, crab, scallops
- Chocolate: dark, white
- Dairy: cream
- Fish: cod, halibut, mahi mahi
- Herbs: mint, oregano, parsley, basil
- Cheese: goat
What fruit goes well with macadamia?
To contrast creamy crunch of macadamia nuts, try pairing them with the delicate texture and taste of fruits. Adding stone, tropical, dried, citrus fruits or berries not only improves the taste, but also face-lift the nuts to make them even more appealing.
For roasted macadamia, pairing with these fruits will do the trick by adding some sweetness that compliments the crunch.
- Stone fruits: apricots, dates, peaches
- Tropical fruits: bananas, guava, mango, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple
- Dried fruits: figs, prunes, dates
- Berries: raspberries
- Citrus fruits: grapefruits, kumquats, lime, lemon, orange
What spice goes with macadamia nuts?
Adding spices to macadamia nuts improves their taste and flavor combination as a snack or as garnishing the finished plate. These aromatic and pungent spices make a great addition to kick up the flavor a notch.
- ginger
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- cinnamon
- coriander
- cumin
- curry
- black pepper
What pairs well with macadamia nuts?
Macadamia nuts can be sprinkled in salads to add crunch, texture, and nutty flavor that mixes well with croutons and bacon. They are also added to pesto and other sauces to impart a buttery flavor.
Not only in cookies, chopped macadamia nuts can be served in thick soups for extra flavor and added crunch.
The most popular pairing that goes well with macadamia nuts are:
- coconut
- pineapples
- white chocolate
- eggs
- brown sugar
- butter
What flavors go well with macadamia
Typically, macadamia nuts pair well with tropical flavors such as coconut and pineapple. They can also be paired with raspberry, chocolate, and mango flavors.
Here are classic flavor combination that you can accomplish with macadamia nuts:
- macadamia nuts + bananas + caramel + cream
- macadamia nuts + beets + goat cheese
- macadamia nuts + coconut + lime
- macadamia nuts + lemon + tomato + garlic + cayenne pepper
- macadamia nuts + parmesan cheese + olive oil + basil
Eat with Macadamia Nuts: Conclusion
Everybody loves crunchy texture and buttery flavors in their foods and snacks, and macadamia nuts offers this and much more. Macadamia nuts are fairly versatile, so you don’t have to worry about whether they’ll be a hit or miss when paired with your favorite dish or snack.
They taste good on their own, but they’ll taste even better when integrated into soups, fruits, salads, or when coated in a bunch of spices.
Typically added in sweet dessert to give a crisp and nutty taste. However, they can be used to coat fish by replacing panko or breadcrumbs.
When it comes to sweet fruits, macadamia pairs wonderfully with most tropical fruits, but do not limit the options and also try stone, dried, citrus fruits, and berries.
Simply tossing these nuts with spices can make a great snacks to enjoy. Cover with smoked paprika, cinnamon and brown sugar or curry powder to enjoy every bite.
From vegetables to alcohol, nuts, meats, fish, cheese, and herbs, there are many ingredients that go well with macadamia nuts. Just try adding them to your favorite dishes and see what works best for you.