Air Fryer Roasted Cashews

Looking for a quick and healthy festive snack? These Air Fryer Roasted Cashews with aromatic curry leaf powder are perfectly crunchy, spicy, and ready in under 20 minutes! They make for a delicious Diwali snack or an edible gift idea that everyone will love.

I am a big fan of edible gifts. I’ve shared a few ideas, like hot chocolate jars and candies for the holiday season and Diwali. Back home, we usually share the Diwali snacks and savories we make with friends and family. But after moving to the US, I realized that gifting nuts is also quite common during festivities. So why not roasted cashews?

I used my air fryer to roast a small batch — about 2 cups — and it worked beautifully. You can also use the oven if you’re making larger batches; I’ve included the timing details below. I spiced up these cashews with my homemade curry leaf powder, using just enough to blend nicely without overpowering their natural flavor. You can always add more based on your preference.

Ingredients required

• Whole cashews – Use fresh, good-quality whole cashews for this recipe. Broken or halved ones don’t roast evenly and aren’t as appealing.
• Oil – I used 2 teaspoons of peanut oil for this batch.
• Spices – Along with salt, I used curry leaf powder, ground pepper, and red chili powder.

Check the recipe card below for exact measurements.

How to make roasted cashews

• Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C), if required, and line the basket.
• Add the cashews to a bowl, drizzle with 1 tsp oil, and mix well. Transfer the oil-coated cashews to the air fryer basket in a single layer.
• Air fry at 350°F for 4 minutes, shaking the basket at the 2-minute mark to ensure even roasting.
• Remove the cashews from the basket and return them to the bowl. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil along with all the spices, and toss well to coat. You can also warm 1 tsp of oil, mix in the spices, and then pour that over the cashews.
• Transfer the spiced cashews back to the air fryer basket and air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 4 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
  • You can roast for up to 6 minutes at this temperature, but my batch was done in 4 minutes. I wouldn’t roast beyond 6 minutes after adding the spices.

Recipe Notes

• Adjust the spices to suit your taste.
• When air-frying, watch closely during the last minute — cashews can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly. They’ll crisp up further as they cool.
• Instead of curry leaf powder, try spices of your choice — chaat masala, black salt, or dried mint leaves for a minty flavor. The options are endless.
• To roast in the oven:
  • Preheat to 325°F (165°C) and roast for 6 minutes, shaking halfway.
  • Add the spices and bake for another 4 minutes at the same temperature, shaking halfway.
• You can make a similar dish with almonds, but increase the cooking time by about 4 minutes:
  • Roast almonds at 350°F (175°C) for 6 minutes first, then add the spices, reduce the temperature, and cook for 6–8 minutes.

More air fryer recipes

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5 from 9 votes

Air Fryer Roasted Cashews

Make crispy, aromatic air fryer roasted cashews with curry leaf powder in under 20 minutes. Perfect for Diwali snacking or edible festive gifts.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time8 minutes mins

Total Time13 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 8

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Ingredients

Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;

• ▢ 2 cups whole cashews
• ▢ 2 tsp oil divided
• ▢ 1 tsp curry leaf powder
• ▢ ¾ tsp salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp red chili powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C), if required, and line the basket.
• Add the cashews to a bowl, drizzle with 1 tsp oil, and mix well. Transfer the oil-coated cashews to the air fryer basket in a single layer.
• Air fry at 350°F for 4 minutes, shaking the basket at the 2-minute mark to ensure even roasting.
• Remove the cashews from the basket and return them to the bowl. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil along with all the spices, and toss well to coat. You can also warm 1 tsp of oil, mix in the spices, and then pour that over the cashews.
• Transfer the spiced cashews back to the air fryer basket and air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 4 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. You can roast for up to 6 minutes at this temperature, but my batch was done in 4 minutes. I wouldn’t roast beyond 6 minutes after adding the spices.

Video

Notes

• Adjust the spices to suit your taste.
• When air-frying, watch closely during the last minute — cashews can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly. They’ll crisp up further as they cool.
• Instead of curry leaf powder, try spices of your choice — chaat masala, black salt, or dried mint leaves for a minty flavor. The options are endless.
• To roast in the oven: Preheat to 325°F (165°C) and roast for 6 minutes, shaking halfway. Add the spices and bake for another 4 minutes at the same temperature, shaking halfway.
• You can make a similar dish with almonds, but increase the cooking time by about 4 minutes: Roast almonds at 350°F (175°C) for 6 minutes first, then add the spices, reduce the temperature, and cook for 6–8 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 2mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

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