Our Three Favourite Walnut Recipes

How many times a day do you eat walnuts? If the answer is less than three, then it’s less than you’ll be eating them after checking out these recipes. If it’s more than three, then well done – and hopefully the recipes will provide some inspiration to continue your walnut appreciation.

Walnuts are high in healthy unsaturated fats, as well as protein and vital nutrients like zinc and phosphorus. They are also high in antioxidants, even standing out within the nut world in this regard. In 2011, researchers at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania found that antioxidants were more abundant in walnuts than in other nuts.

All those healthy attributes would be for nought, however, if walnuts weren’t also delicious. FortuNUTely they are, especially if you cook them like this.

Buckwheat, Cherry & Walnut Granola

Start your day with this energising granola, which mixes walnuts with sour cherries, buckwheat and seeds.

Ingredients (21 Servings)

• 230g buckwheat groats
• 90ml coconut oil
• 40g cocoa powder
• 120ml maple syrup
• Pinch of salt
• 230g oats
• 100g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 30g sunflower seeds
• 30g pumpkin seeds
• 100g sour cherries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
2. Place the buckwheat groats into a large dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast for six to eight minutes, or until the grains are golden.
3. In a small pan melt the coconut oil over a low heat until clear and liquid. Stir in the cocoa powder, maple syrup and salt.
4. Mix the oats, groats, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and sour cherries in a large bowl. Pour over the melted coconut oil mixture and stir well to coat.
5. Spread out in a thin layer on one or two baking trays lined with baking parchment, then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until dried and forming clusters.
6. Leave to cool and store in an airtight jar.

Nutritional Info (Per Serving)

• Energy 220 calories
• Fat 10.1g
• -Saturated Fats 4.5g
• Carbs 24.5g
• -Sugars 6.1g
• Fibre 2.2g
• Protein 3.8g
• Salt 0.01g

Rainbow Veggie Toastie With Walnut Aioli

This sandwich recipe is so impressive that we’ve designed it to make four servings, because if you only make enough for yourself the envious glances you’ll get from those around you will distract you from your lunch.

Ingredients (Four Servings)

For The Lemon Walnut Aioli

• 125g walnuts
• 2tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2tbsp tahini
• 2tbsp mayonnaise
• Juice of 1 lemon

For The Sandwich

• 1 medium courgette, sliced
• 1 small aubergine, sliced
• 1 orange pepper, sliced into strips
• 2 small tomatoes, halved
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices sourdough bread
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• Handful of basil leaves, shredded (optional)

Method

1. Dry-fry the walnuts at a medium to high heat for three to five minutes or until they are golden brown, stirring frequently to ensure they don’t burn.
2. Place all the aioli ingredients into a food processor and blitz into a chunky paste.
3. Toss the courgette, aubergine, pepper, tomatoes, onion, half the olive oil, and salt and pepper in a large bowl to coat the veggies, then grill them to your preference.
4. Brush the bread with the remaining oil and lightly grill on both sides, then rub each slice of bread gently with the peeled garlic clove.
5. Spoon 1tbsp of the lemon walnut aioli over two slices of bread and place a quarter of the grilled vegetables between the slices. Repeat with the remaining bread and veggies.
6. Garnish the sandwiches with the shredded basil leaves to serve.

Nutritional Info (Per Sandwich)

• Energy 670 calories
• Fat 45.9g
• -Saturated Fats 5.4g
• Carbs 47.1g
• -Sugars 11.3g
• Fibre 10.5g
• Protein 16.9g
• Salt 1.8g

Walnut & Pumpkin Open Lasagne

Invite everyone round to experience this dinner with you. Friends, family, neighbours, that guy you always see at the bus stop. First they’ll marvel at the fact you know that such a thing as “open lasagne” exists, then they’ll revel in the incredible taste of this creamy dish.

Ingredients (Four Servings)

• 800g pumpkin
• 3tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 100g walnuts
• 1 small bunch sage
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 sheets of fresh pasta
• 200g chard, chopped
• 3tbsp mascarpone cheese
• ¼tsp nutmeg
• 150g feta cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
2. Peel the pumpkin and chop into 2cm pieces. Drizzle the bottom of a baking tray with 2tbsp olive oil, toss in the pumpkin, and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
4. In the meantime, add the walnuts and sage to a food processor, setting aside a few sage leaves for a garnish, and blitz until roughly chopped.
5. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat, add in the walnuts and garlic, and sauté until well toasted and fragrant.
6. Cook the pasta sheets in plenty of salted boiling water, adding the chard towards the end of the cooking time. Drain the pasta and set aside 150ml of the water.
7. Take half the roasted pumpkin, place it in a small saucepan over a low heat, and mash with the pasta water and mascarpone cheese. Grate in the nutmeg and stir to form a sauce (adding in a splash more water if necessary). Season to taste.
8. Cut each of the cooked lasagne sheets into three or four pieces and layer on plates with the pumpkin sauce, chard and roasted pumpkin cubes.
9. Fry the remaining sage leaves to garnish.
10. Sprinkle with the walnut mixture and crumble over the feta along with the sage to serve.

Nutritional Info (Per Serving)

• Energy 658 calories
• Fat 41.1g
• -Saturated Fats 12.5g
• Carbs 54.5g
• -Sugars 7.1g
• Fibre 6.6g
• Protein 21.1g
• Salt 1.4g

This content is produced just like the main content on our site but paid for by California Walnuts because they like people who like this topic. California Walnuts are rich in Omega-3s. For more info visit californiawalnuts.uk or follow @walnuts_uk on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter