5 Mouth Watering Pecan Recipes
Welcome back to one of our very favorite pecan recipe blog posts. You know every once an in a while we like to surprise you with some truly amazing pecan recipes that will leave your mouth watering in anticipation. In today’s installment of our ongoing series, we will have a look at a pecan recipe from each of these interesting categories. So, what categories did we choose? Let’s take a closer look:
1. Savory Toasted Pecan Snacks
2. Sugary Candied Pecan Snacks
3. Pecans in Baked Goods
4. Pecans in Salads
5. Savory Dishes with Pecans
Alright, are you ready to dive right in? Let’s start with our first category: Savory Toasted Pecan Snacks
1. Savory Toasted Pecan Recipes
The recipe we are going to highlight in this category is one of our absolute favorites. We had several to choose from, but the one we chose will transport you to SE Asia as you snack on Asian-inspired toasted pecans. These Asian-Spiced Pecans are everything you want in a healthy snack – sweet, crunchy, salty, spicy, and incredibly addicting!
Even better, this Asian-Spiced Pecans recipe is super easy because it requires only 5 basic ingredients, about 15 minutes to make, and one pan. You’ll have a delicious pecan snack recipe ready for you and/or your guests before you know it!
Ingredients
2 cups whole pecans
1 egg white, whisked
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha seasoning
Cooking spray
Instructions
Step One
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl add the pecans. Mix the egg whites with the pecans and add in the sugar, cinnamon, and sriracha seasoning until the pecans are thoroughly coated.
Step Two
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread the pecans evenly onto the baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, dry, and crispy. (Every oven cooks differently so check for doneness.) Serve while warm.
Now, does that recipe sound amazing or what? And you don’t even have to be a lover of Asian cuisine to find this pecan snack recipe quite delicious. Alright, so one down, what do we have coming up next on our journey through some awesome pecan recipes?
2. Sugary Toasted Pecan Recipes
We’ve looked at other recipes for candied nuts before, but they all seem to use so much sugar – whether honey, syrup, brown sugar, or other sweeteners. That’s why we wanted to take a moment to focus on a pecan recipe that won’t have you overloaded with sugar. In fact, this recipe uses only 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, so it doesn’t shoot your sugar levels through the roof. It’s exactly as sweet as it needs to be though – your sweet tooth won’t feel like it is missing out. And while this is not a paleo recipe, the moderate sugar content makes it a perfectly acceptable treat once in a while. Feel free to indulge yourself in this awesome recipe.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups pecans
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Step One
Melt your coconut oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Step Two
Mix in the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cayenne pepper. When the mixture is bubbling, add pecans.
Step Three
Stir the pecans well so they're completely coated in the maple syrup mixture. Then, cook for about 5 minutes being careful that they don't burn.
Step Four
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix it well so that the nuts are evenly coated with spices.
Step Five
Transfer the pecans onto a piece of wax paper or parchment paper and then allow them to cool before serving them. Then, enjoy!
This delicious pecan snack is perfect for you, your family, or your guests. Once ready, simply transfer them into a bowl and set them out for everyone to eat. We promise you, they’ll be gone before you know it!
3. Pecans in Baked Goods
Now, this is a category you’ve heard of plenty of times. It’s one we are all well aware of, and that’s pecans in baked goods and sweet treats. In fact, it’s such an obvious category, that’s why we did not want to start first with it. Still, there are some amazing recipes within this category. That’s why, with so many options, we struggled to find one that was unique and a bit unexpected. After all, pecans in baked goods are nothing new. So, what did we pick? How about apple pecan cake with a caramel glaze? We just love it and we know this apple pecan cake with caramel glaze will get you in the mood for dessert. The glaze on this cake oozes with caramel goodness. The scrumptious apple flavor, with delicious pecans mixed throughout, will definitely satisfy your taste buds! The apple cake recipe is a family favorite.
Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
2 cups sugar
4 Eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla
3 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, approximately 3-4 apples, peeled, chopped into small pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped small
Caramel Glaze
3/4 cups butter or 1 1/2 sticks
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Step One
Preheat oven to 325°.
Step Two
In a large mixing bowl, add oil, sugar, and eggs, and mix until nice and creamy.
Step Three
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to a large bowl. Mix well.
Step Four
Add vanilla, and mix well.
Step Five
Stir in apples and pecans.
Step Six
Pour into a generously greased and floured tube pan (you can use two loaf pans in place of a tube pan).
Step Seven
Bake at 325° for approximately 1 hour. Check using a toothpick at about 50 minutes, and if it comes out clean, then your cake is done. If using the loaf pans, make sure to check it at about 50 minutes as well. Once done, ENJOY!
What an INCREDIBLE sounding cake, are we right? Next time you have a family to feed, consider this one. From kids to adults, everyone will be happy!
4. Pecans in Salads
Here is another one we are all very familiar with. Putting pecans in salads is really nothing new. Candied pecans are an excellent addition to salads no matter where in the world you are from. Normally, people put apples and cranberries in salads with pecans. As with other categories, that is why we wanted to try something different and put the pecans in something more unexpected. How about a raspberry pecan chicken salad to brighten up your day? You could also add a little zip to this sweet-savory chicken salad with Chinese five-spice powder. This powder tastes a bit like pumpkin pie spice. You can also sprinkle some on roasted carrots for an awesome meal.
Ingredients
1 carton (6 ounces) of orange yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup fresh raspberries
12 slices multigrain bread
Instructions
Step One
To toast nuts, cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Step Two
In a large bowl, mix yogurt, mayonnaise, and five-spice powder. Stir in chicken, green onions, celery, and pecans. Gently stir in raspberries. Serve on bread.
Wow, what an easy recipe, right? We love recipes that don’t take much to make. It keeps them inexpensive and saves you time you could otherwise be using for other important daily tasks. And now, let’s move on to our final recipe, one that comes with some unexpected options. It’s time for our savory pecan recipe!
5. Pork Chops with Orange Pecan Pesto
Savory pecan recipes are our favorites because they are so unexpected. Would you ever have conceived of a pan-seared, bone-in pork chop with an orange parsley sauce and pecans? Probably not! You start with some gorgeous bone-in pork chops. The bones give it a lot more flavor and keeps it juicy. Consider using your cast iron skillet to give it a golden, gorgeous crust. Then finish cooking it in the oven.
Meanwhile, while it’s roasting in the oven, it’s time to put together an amazing orange parsley sauce. And yes, AMAZING in all caps. Quite frankly, we’re obsessed with it. Are you ready for one of the most amazing pork dinners you’ve ever had? Read on!
Ingredients
Orange Parsley Sauce
1 cup packed parsley leaves, some stems ok
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted pecans
1/2 cup olive oil
Zest from 1 orange
Juice from 1 orange, about 1/4 cup
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pork Chops
2 10-oz bone-in pork chops
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Orange Parsley Sauce
Step One
In a food processor, combine the pecans, parsley, garlic, orange zest, orange juice, olive oil and salt. Blend until combined.
Step Two
Add more orange juice if a thinner consistency is desired.
Step Three
Taste it for salt and add more if necessary.
Step Four
Scrape the sauce into a small bowl and set aside.
Pork Chops
Step One
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees with the oven rack in the middle. Heat a cast iron skillet (or heavy bottom oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat.
Step Two
Pat the pork chops dry, and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Rub the seasoning into the pork to evenly distribute it.
Step Three
Add the olive oil to the cast iron skillet, and add the pork chops. You want to get a good crusty sear. The pork chops should sizzle as soon as you add them. Cook for about 3-5 minutes on the first side. Flip when golden and sear the other sides and the edges for 2-3 minutes.
Step Four
Transfer the cast iron skillet to the oven to finish cooking if needed. Cook the pork chops until they reach an internal temperature of 145°.
Step Five
Remove the pork chops from the oven, and transfer them to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm, topped with a generous amount of orange pecan sauce.
How about THAT for an amazing dish! Have you enjoyed today’s rundown of amazing pecan dishes? If there is one thing that should be obvious by now, it’s that pecans go with anything. The sky is the limit. What will you make with them?