Whether it is raw, salted and roasted, peanuts offer a hint crunch or creamy taste in every bite. Furthermore, they pair well with a variety of meals and drinks.
Peanuts have a rich and unique flavor that can be served as an easy snack, condiment or complementary ingredient for both entrees and desserts. Depending on the recipe, peanuts have a sweet and buttery taste that accompanies a variety of flavor combinations.
What to eat with peanuts? Peanuts pair well with dark or milk chocolate and bananas for quick snack. It offers diversity by serving whole, grinding for peanut butter spread or chopped and toast to serve in cuisines like Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese or mixed into curries, noodles, desserts, and sauces.
Peanuts complement well with dried fruits and other nuts, as a result they are an all time favorite ingredient in trail mix and granola bars. And it can mingle well with savory and salty flavor such as stir-fry, lettuce wrap, salad, and soup.
There are many recipes to add peanuts into rather than just eating them by the handful. Peanuts can be eaten raw, fried, boiled, ground or powdered to provide adequate protein, healthy fats, and other essential nutrients.
Although peanuts are actually a legume and not a true nut, their protein structure relates to other tree nuts. Therefore, they are often categorized in the nut category instead of the legume and pea category that they truly belong.
When served in the right food pairing with other ingredients, peanuts can add lots of taste and texture to each dish. Answered below are frequently asked questions about what pairs perfectly with peanuts. Read through to find out!
What goes with peanuts?
Salads, noodles and desserts pair very well with peanuts, specifically adding a sprinkle of chopped peanuts on top gives it a visually appealing as a garnish with an added crunch. The salad also gets an aromatic earthy flavor, which leaves one asking for more.
Topping ice cream with crushed peanuts also gives it a pretty color and unique flavor. As a result, peanuts give every meal a sweet, rich and buttery taste.
Whether it is for sweet or savory dishes, here are some of the ingredient ideas that goes well with peanuts:
- Herbs: basil, cilantro, parsley, tarragon, turmeric, rosemary
- Meat: beef, chicken, pork
- Vegetables: bell peppers, chili peppers, garlic, onions,
- Condiments: caramel, butter, curry paste, fish sauce, honey, salt, soy sauce, vanilla, red wine vinegar
- Chocolate: milk, dark
- Drinks: coffee, coconut milk
- Oil: peanut, vegetable, olive
- Seafood: shrimp
- Sugar: brown, white
What flavors go well with peanuts?
Peanuts go well with both sweet and spicy flavors. Add a little lemon zest while roasting peanuts and notice the difference in taste and aroma.
Celery and extra virgin oil can be added to raw peanuts to enrich the flavor and complement the peanut aroma.
If you are looking for classic flavor combination to consider for your next recipe, consider trying these blends:
- peanuts + cinnamon + banana + coconut oil
- peanuts + orange + chipotle powder
- peanuts + rosemary + sea salt
- peanuts + chocolate + oats + raisins
- peanuts + curry powder + honey + cayenne pepper + olive oil
What fruit goes with peanuts?
Pairing freshly picked berries or dried fruits with peanuts gives an excellent idea for an afternoon snack. Since fruits are lovely, adding spicy, salty or nutty peanuts helps to balance the sweetness and create a unique flavor.
In general, peanut butter pairs well with bananas and apples by providing a refreshing and soothing taste to the fruits. But in terms of peanuts as whole, here are fruits that pair well with whole or spreadable, creamy or crunchy, and raw or roasted peanuts.
- apples
- bananas
- lemon
- lime
- pears
- raisins
- raspberries
- strawberries
What spice goes well with peanuts?
If you are looking to make spiced peanuts, understanding how the spices pair together will help you to enjoy the flavor combinations in every bite. Because of its subtle and generic nutty flavor, peanuts can accompany sweet, spicy, and salty flavors.
Here are unique spice combination ideas that you can coat peanuts with for a quick snack:
- garlic + rosemary + pepper
- cumin + coriander + ground black pepper + brown sugar + salt
- honey + chili powder + garlic powder + white sugar
- smoked paprika + ancho chile + lime juice
- Chinese five spice + sea salt + garlic powder
What wine goes with peanuts?
Peanuts serve as a quicker and classy pairing with both sweet and spicy wines. Whether the peanuts are coated with flavoring, used as a garnish or simply added to the main dish, the meal can be easily enjoyable with the right glass of wine.
In general, it is recommended to avoid red wine when pairing peanuts in a dish or peanut based sauces.
The best wine that pairs well with peanuts are:
- Chardonnay: Chardonnay has a sweet and buttery taste that pairs perfectly well with toffee peanuts. Toffee peanuts have the right amount of spicy flavor to complements the classic white wine.
- Gewürztraminer: Known as an aromatic wine grape varietal used in white wine. Due to its late harvesting season, the wine smells and tastes like lychee fruit, and sometimes you may get a hint of tropical fruit taste such as pineapple and apricot.
- Riesling: Riesling is a rather sweet wine. To make the taste more unique, pair your glass of Riesling with spicy peanuts for a bold combination.
Eat With Peanuts: Conclusion
Peanuts have a rich, buttery taste and aromatic flavor that pairs well with a variety of meals and drinks. Adding it to meals enriches the flavor and compliments the taste and texture in the meal.
Peanuts can be added to noodles, salads, soups, stir-fry and ice cream. In addition, the bold flavors pair with some wine selections.
Whether it is raw or roasted, it taste good with chocolate and bananas to give nutty and sweet taste. Peanuts is well known in sweets or baked goods, but it also serves well in savory dishes such as in Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese cuisine for curry, noodles, salads, dessert, and sauces to garnish with.
From herbs to meats, there are variety or ingredients that pair well with peanuts. The subtle nutty and earthy taste mingles together beautifully.
Generally, any dish that has peanuts or peanut sauce, a glass of wine brings the experience to the next level. The recommended wines are Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Riesling, so try to avoid red wine when serving peanuts due to an overwhelming conflict in the increased tannins.
There are many ways to serve peanuts including in trail mix with dried fruits or adding to wraps, salads and soup. Furthermore, a simple coating with spices create sweet, spicy, and salty peanuts to enjoy for an easy snack.