Cue the Glen Campbell because we’re in the throes of those summer Southern Nights! That’s right, this time Jeffrey passes the lens to everyone’s favorite husky-voiced magnolia, Richard!
Southern Boiled Peanuts aren’t your ordinary peanuts. These are a lovely, salty treat packed with flavor, are soft to the chew and are just fun to eat. You can make them spicy, zesty, mild – anyway you want it really.
And they’d normally take between 2.5-3 hours to boil on the stove, but thanks to the Instant Pot, we can do this in half the time making this the perfect example of how the IP can really cook many things so much more conveniently than traditional methods (and not heating up your kitchen at the same time)!
They’re literally one of the easiest things you’ll make in the Instant Pot and you’ll be sitting on the front porch appreciating life just a little more as you suck the brine off each one before sucking out those little treasures.
Here’s How We Made It:
First off, this is a seasonal treat as they are really only commonly found in the warmer months (late spring/summer/early fall) of the year.
Take a bunch of green peanuts (this mean they have been pre-soaked and are dampened, not the actual color of the peanuts). You can find them at farmer’s markets in the south or at many Asian markets throughout the world. If you can;t find green peanuts, use raw but the cooking time will be much longer.
Rinse the peanuts well (they won’t smell amazing at first since they are so fresh and are grown in the dirt).
Then, transfer them to the Instant Pot and add salt, cajun seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes (if you want it spicy)…
…and Zatartain’s (if you want a real nice zest – but only use a little!)
Add enough water to cover all the peanuts and mix all the seasonings up well.
You’ll also want to use a steaming basket if possible to force the peanuts down when they cook as many will want to float. Cook those babies up now on high pressure.
When done, you can either eat them hot OR cold (I feel like this is a 50-50 split on how people like to eat them, but we prefer them cold) and suck the peanut to get some of that delicious brine off.
Then crack the shell with your teeth and eat the peanuts out. They should be soft and mushy and have that delicious salty and spicy flavor!
A GREAT snack for anytime of the day to have a little of the south in your mouth!
Instant Pot Southern Boiled Peanuts
Southern Boiled Peanuts were first introduced to me by my Southern partner, Richard. They're not your typical ballgame or roadhouse peanuts, though. Rather, they're soft, chewy, briny and savory. A real treat!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of green peanuts (not green in color, but meaning they are right out-of-the-ground fresh and dried. You can find them in the Summer season at any farmer’s market in the south or any Asian, Indian or International market in other regions. You can use raw peanuts too, but cooking time will be slightly longer. But whatever you do, DO NOT use regular salted/roasted shelled peanuts!)
- A “scant” 1/2 cup of salt (just under 1/2 cup)
- 1 tbsp of Zatarain’s Liquid Crab Boil
- 1 tbsp of crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you want it spicier or none if you don’t want it spicy)
- 1 tbsp of Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Dump the peanuts in a strainer and pluck off any long stems. Rinse thoroughly
- Add the peanuts to the Instant Pot, and cover with all other ingredients plus enough water to cover the peanuts. When they start to rise (since they float), you have enough.
- Use a steamer to put on top of the peanuts and gently press down to keep them in place (this step isn’t necessary but we did it)
- Hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 45 minutes and allow a natural release OR for 60 minutes and do a quick release. Either method is fine. IF you are using raw peanuts instead of green peanuts, make sure you soak them overnight and then cook for 80 minutes and allow a natural release
- When done, transport to a large container with a bunch of the liquid it cooked in and refrigerate for a few hours as these taste best cold
- Enjoy!
Jeffrey's Tips
Green Peanuts are pretty seasonal and are only really available in the summer months, so make sure you get them during this time of year! They are pretty cheap in cost!
These go great with a seafood dish like my ever popular Shrimp Boil!
Lisa Patterson
We cook these with just 1/2cup kosher salt nothing else they are so good too.
Ernie
Southern boiled peanuts don’t need all these exta seasonings. Salt is all you need.
Gordon Haas
In Hawaii, boiled peanuts are usually made with Alaea Hawaiian Salt and Chinese Five Spice. Sometimes people use soy sauce (“Shoyu” in Hawaii) and/or monosodium glutamate. Here’s a recipe from Rich Lum, a Hawaii resident who’s an Instant Pot master: https://www.copymethat.com/r/Yb8sx1bNW/instant-pot-5-spice-boiled-peanuts-by-ri/
Wayne Appleby
The longer you let them cool in your liquid the more seasonings they will absorb.
Elizabeth
I just made boiled peanuts the other day… I didn’t make them in the instant pot but I did make them in the crockpot. It was my first time. I think I might have got the wrong kind. They didn’t taste like they did when I was young. The ones I bought were from the international market. They were labeled Green Peanuts but they weren’t red inside when I was done cooking them. They were all white. Did I get the wrong kind? I’m going to try to buy them from a different market next time. I live in Ohio so it’s very hard to find them. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Martha Hardwick
My would travel from Kentucky south to the Carolinas every summer to see family and to vacation at North Myrtle Beach. This was in the early to mid 70’s and all along the highways we would encounter carts along the roads boiling and selling peanuts. As a kid, this was always a treat since we couldn’t get this in Kentucky. We’d eat these warm, not cold. The carts would scoop up the peanuts from the boiling pot and place them in a paper bag. My brother and I would fight over the salty peanuts. It’s an acquired taste, but it brings good memories from my childhood.
Cindy
Thank You very much for sharing your recipe. I had never had boiled peanuts until I was in my late 20’s when my husband took me down south where some of his family and friends lived. And, Oh My after trying just one, I was hooked. It was like the Lays commercials, you can’t eat just one, lol. Now that I’m back up north I sure do miss these. And I’m so happy that I found your recipe. Thanks again.
Jeffrey
Thank Richard – he inspired this one!