How To Soak And Dehydrate Nuts (Nourishing Traditions Method)
Traditional Nut and Seed Preparation Methods
In her book, Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon explains how soaking nuts/seeds in a saltwater solution reduces the naturally occurring enzyme inhibitors and phytates in nuts and seeds. This is called making “crispy nuts,” a reference you will find often in my recipes. Soaking and dehydrating times can be found below. You can also ferment them in a whey solution and then dehydrate for use. To use this method, place nuts in a bowl and cover with water and ½ cup whey. Soak for 24 hours and dehydrate according to the time listed below, or until dry. Please note that nuts expand over time so make sure they are completely submerged with plenty of extra water at the top.
Pecans & Walnuts – Soak 4 cups pecan or walnuts in warm filtered water with 2 teaspoons sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24 hours). Rinse and place in set at 105-150 degrees for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Almonds – Soak 4 cups almonds in warm water with 1 tablespoon sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24 hours). Rinse, place in dehydrator, sprinkle with salt/honey/other flavorings if desired and dehydrate at 105-150 degrees for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Cashews – Because “raw” cashews are not truly raw (heated to 350 degrees while in their shell to neutralize a toxic oil called cardol.), it’s not necessary to dehydrate them at a low temperature to preserve enzymes. Soaking still makes them more digestible, though! Soak 4 cups cashews in warm water with 3 teaspoons sea salt for no more than 6 hours. (Because they are not raw they do not contain valuable enzymes that prevent spoilage, so 6 hours is the max)Rinse, place on a stainless steel cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake at 200-250 degrees for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Peanuts – Soak 4 cups raw peanuts in warm water with 1 tablespoon sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24 hours). Drain and rinse. Dehydrate at 105-150 degrees for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Pumpkin Seeds – Soak 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds in warm water with 1 tablespoon sea salt for 7 hours or longer (up to 24hours). Drain and rinse (Or don’t rinse. They’re yummy salty!). If desired, sprinkle with flavorings such as salt and honey or chili and lime before placing in dehydrator. Dehydrate at 105-150 degrees for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Sunflower Seeds – Soak 4 cups sunflower seeds in warm filtered water with 2 teaspoons sea salt for 7 hours. Rinse and place in set at 105-150 degrees for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.
Note: Turning is not necessary in my Excaliubur dehydrator, but it is helpful with other models. Do what works for you.
Kirsten Ayde Garza via FB
Well called me aubrianne, bc I have a bunch of pecans, walnuts and almonds I bought yesterday and was in desperate need of a nut soaking tutorial! Thanks!
Mommypotamus via FB
You’re welcome! I can tell a huge difference in digestion when using this method. It so easy to do big batches and then store them in the freezer for use anytime!
Aubri
Thanks! I’m assuming walnuts would be done a similar way so I’ll just give ‘em a try!
Aubri´s last [type] ..No Lawn Mower
Heather
Oops! Walnuts were supposed to be listed with pecans. Correcting now . . .
Jesse
Hi Heather,
Could you please tell me where you purchased your Excalibur dehydrator, which one and how much it was? Thanks so much!
Heather
I don’t remember where I ordered it from, but it is the 9 tray with timer(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P2J3K0/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=mommypotamus-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001P2J3K0). I love the timer because I don’t have to remember when to turn it off!
Joanna Moore
thanks! i’ve been doing all my nuts the same, 8 hours soaking and 8 hours dehydrating, so i’ll try the times you’ve suggested and hope to notice a difference! i actually accidentally dehydrated my walnuts the other day for 15 hours by accident and they are VERY crispy!
Heather
You’re welcome, Joanna!
Aubrianne Kluver via FB
Thank you so much! That’s awesome you did that!
mamaof4
Thank you for this clear, concise post!
I was soaking my cashews too long! So, do you know, are cashews more similar to seeds, as far as oxolates are concerned? We can handle cashews and seeds, but the other nuts make us crazy, as does cocoa. But, we can also handle high oxolate veggies.
Heather
I think cashews and almonds are considered some of the higher oxalate nuts. Go figure
Erin Elizabeth King via FB
thank you! i’ve been thinking about this all day actually!
Mommypotamus via FB
You’re welcome!
Jenni
So I’ve been reading up on cashews lately, since I have had the fortune event in my house of some of them sprouting!the ‘Living Tree’ site a really interesting write up on it in their FAQ section. It suggests the possibility that although they are heated to temps up to 350 degrees, the heat surrounding the actual nut may not get to those high temps. In other words it is possible that the cashews may still contain ‘live enzymes’ Which would be totally awesome! Of course you can always buy ‘really raw’ cashews if you don’t mind selling one of your children to get them! http://www.livingtreecommunity.com/store2/faqs.asp
Jenni´s last [type] ..The Confessions Of A Valentine Junkie
Heather
Ha! I’ll take the heated cashews
Elizabeth Neblett Schneiderman via FB
You completely read my mind! I have been thinking of purchasing a dehydrator and just didn’t know which one is great..not good, great! Which Excalibur do you have? THanks so much!
Cara
Thanks for this! I’ve been researching info on soaking, this makes it so much easier! I recently started making my own almond milk. The first batch was great, the second kept separating – do you think there was something wrong with the almonds?
Heather
Hi Cara! I make coconut milk but not nut milks, so I don’t have any experience with. I’ll ask around and let you know what I learn, though!
Heather
Apparently it’s pretty normal (http://www.facebook.com/mommypotamus/posts/319469571428159?notif_t=feed_comment) Hope that helps!
Mary Jane
Heather, I really enjoyed reading your article! I loved what you said about cashews (my personal favorite nut) and I did not know that you did not have to soak the cashews less time than the other nuts. Thank you for the excellent article. As I write this I have sunflower seeds soaking for a later use. I too am a huge fan of Excalibur dehydrators too.
Mary Jane´s last [type] ..Breakfast Smoothie Recipes
Heather
So glad you found it helpful, Mary Jane!
Jen
Do you know if pistachios must be soaked?
Heather
Yes. I believe the salt ratio and soaking time is the same as peanuts.
KC
I just came upon your website via Nourished Kitchen. I just started a new batch of crispy nuts this morning. There is really no contest between soaked and unsoaked. Soaked nuts are so much tastier!
Heather
So true! Welcome to our little community, KC!
Rachel
Thanks for this post! Was wanting this info but hadn’t taken the time to research it yet. I don’t have a dehydrator and my oven starts at 170. Is that a problem for walnuts and such? Would they need less time?
Heather
Not a problem at all! Just check them before the recommended times because they will be done early.
robin
Just found your site. Love!
I’ve got a million questions, (okay… maybe only a 100), but will start with one regarding soaking and drying nuts. We are now eating gluten free, and I am starting to think I actually need to eliminate ALL grains, (sad face). I use almond meal in many recipes but have not used almond flour. I’m assuming it’s much finer. Is it important to soak and then dry the almonds before grinding? You’ve probably addressed this somewhere else on your blog and I just haven’t found it yet.
Also, couldn’t I dry the soaked nuts in my oven, set to a low temp? My oven has a “Drying” setting which allows me to set it at a low temp and it operates a fan for circulation.
thanks…
I will certainly be back to your site. VERY inspiring and helpful…
robin
Heather
Hi Robin! Yes, I soak and dry my almonds before grinding to improve digestibility. And drying in your oven is a great idea – just check them sooner than the times listed above because they will probably be ready early. Hope that helps – thanks for saying hello!
Heather
And I forgot to add, some almond flour is much more fine than almond meal but I often use them interchangeably (depends on the recipe). Because I prefer mine freshly ground (more nutrient value) I soak and dehydrate my nuts and then grind into meal just before using.
Craig
I just dried some almonds overnight in the oven. A good bit of them have black spots on them. Do you know what would cause this? Is that mold? They were raw almonds, got them at local health food store, so they are probably pasteurized.
Heather
It does sound like they are pasteurized, Craig. I don’t have a lot of details for you but it appears to be a common problem with “raw” pasteurized almonds – you can read more about it here: http://paleohacks.com/questions/31328/almond-butter-raw-vs-roasted#axzz1lAKFPEDN
So sorry that happened
Craig
Thanks for the reply Heather. Now I need to find a source of true raw almonds, if there is such a thing anymore!
Heather
It’s not easy! I used to buy some from a lady that went to CA once a year to pick them up straight from the farm, but since I ran out I’ve been using the Whole Foods variety without any problem. I know http://www.vitalchoice.com carries them but I’m not sure how they’re priced. If you find a good source please let me know!
Heather
Oh, and Wilderness Family Naturals carries them too, DUH! They’re on my resources page http://villagegreennetwork.com/marketplace?pid=27
Craig
Thanks! Now I don’t have to do my own research
Actually I found this site that sells unpasteurized almonds imported from Italy:
http://www.shoporganic.com/product/3405/bulk_nuts_seeds
But they don’t carry the Organic seal, so who knows. Looks like Wilderness Family Naturals may be the way to go. Thanks again!
Craig
this website offers unpasteurized almonds from Europe as well. I guess a true test would be to dehydrate them and see if they turn black or not…
http://shop.livingnutz.com/category.sc?categoryId=3
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tasha
What can you do if you dont have a dehydrater?
Heather
You can dry them in the oven on its lowest temp for 12-24 hours.
If the temperature is 150 F or below, the enzymes are preserved. If it only goes to 170 (like mine), the end product won’t be raw but you’ll still benefit from a reduction in phytic acid. If this is the case I would go ahead and bake them at 250 to speed up the process. Just spread them in a single layer and check on them often
Erin
I don’t have raw sunflower seeds, but I do have almost 15 lbs of roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds. Would I soak and dry them the same way?
Heather
Unfortunately, the naturally occurring enzymes from the seeds are no longer active if they’ve been roasted so they are vulnerable to spoilage if put in water. I don’t recommend soaking them. Sorry!
Ashley
Do you know if nuts and seeds really have to be dried? Is there anything gained nutritionally be drying or does it just make them more store-able. I’m thinking for making nut milks it’d just be so much easier to soak it once rather than soak, dry, soak again.
Heather
It just preserves them for later use. If you want to make nut milk just go ahead and soak once
Heather
Now that I think of it, if you’re not going to use the meaty part of the almond maybe you don’t need to soak at all. Most of the phytates are in the almond skin, so unless you’re drying the pulp to use in baked goods and such I’m not sure if there’s a benefit to you. Sorry, I don’t have much experience with nut milks
Ashley
I’ve always left the skin on for almonds, too difficult to get off.
Generally nut milks are soaked anyway to soften them before pureeing in the blender with fresh water, otherwise the milk would be all gritty (which it is a little bit anyway unless you coarsely grind the nuts before soaking). Adding salt to the soak just makes sense.
Thank you for your answer. I won’t worry about the drying part for milks. You have not idea how ridiculously happy I am to not have to do that! lol =)
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Shawna Murphy
I noticed earlier that you mentioned placing nuts in the freezer. How long would dehydrated nuts be good for left out?
Heather
Hmmm . . . I honestly don’t know! Sorry Shawna!
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Elena
Is dehydration a must?
We usually use nuts right after soaking, since we don’t have a dehydrator.
Thank you!
Heather
Its only a must if you want to preserve them for later. You can also dry them in the oven at a low temp if you need to!
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LaTesha
Hi! I accidentally left a bag of cashews (sea salt, because “raw” is hard to find) soaking in my fridge for a week. Is it okay to still puree them?
Heather
Hi LaTesha! Unfortunately t I haven’t read anything that mentions that kind of scenario. I’m just not sure, sorry!
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ANH
FYI – 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon, so in the case of Cashews, 1T/4c nuts is the same thing.. Thanks for the recipe!
Gretchen
Do flax seeds and chia seeds need to be soaked like sunflower and pumpkin seeds? Also, do all nuts and seeds need to be stored in the fridge or freezer once soaked and dried? I thought only walnuts did? Thank you kindly for your help.
Kristy Kelley
Hi! I was wondering if I could use a regular oven do dehydrate my nuts? Thanks for all the directions, I really appreciate it.
Kristy
Heather
Hi Kristy! I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not. My oven doesn’t go below 170F so it would inactivate the enzymes if I used that method, but other than that I think it would work fine if you checked on them often. Here’s a post from Organic Spark that you may find helpful http://www.organicspark.com/portfolio/technique-dehydrated-nuts/
Kristy Kelley
Thanks so much for explaining and the link to Organic Spark was helpful too! One more question, is it a requirement to use filtered water? We plan on getting a home filtration system but haven’t gotten it yet. Just wasn’t sure if regular water would mess up the process and if I should buy special water from the grocery store. Thanks!
Heather
Not a requirement, but it is recommended since tap water contains lots of yucky chemicals that will stay in the nuts after soaking. Also, chlorine and fluoride could damage the enzymes that help us digest them better. I wrote a series on water filtration you may find helpful as you shop around
http://www.mommypotamus.com/the-water-post-intro-and-fluoride/
Kristy Kelley
I just read your post on water and THANK YOU for that. I am really glad you recommend (and reviewed so thoroughly) the Berkey Filter System. That is the one we’ve been looking to purchase (it is going to be my Christmas gift!)
I have one more question, sorry – I promise this is the last one. What size do you use for your house. We are a family of 4 with a small-med size kitchen. Thanks again!
Heather
I honestly can’t remember which size ours is, but I think it’s the second to largest one. We bought a smaller one but found we had to refill it too often. My mom was shopping for one so she took ours and we bought a larger one
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I soak mainly almonds, brazil nuts, and peanuts, but the flavor of the peanuts isn’t great. The time I accidentally dried them too hot (in the oven) they got a little roasted and everyone loved them. Is there any reason I shouldn’t roast them if no one wants to eat them raw. Also does anyone have information on Brazil nuts? I live in Bolivia and this is the cheapest most common nut after peanuts. The other nuts are all imported and three to four times as expensive. Is brazil nut flour an option?
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Lael Sheber
I just read this post via the Urban Poser site. Can you cook the nuts in the oven? If so, how would I go about it?
Thanks so much!
Stephanie
Hi, just found this post–and your website–doing a google search on soaking nuts and seeds. I hope you get to see my comment and I would really appreciate it if you have a few seconds to answer a couple questions I have. I apologize if this was answer in a previous comment, I didn’t have the time to read them all.
I have recently learned about soaking, but I can’t seem to find an explanation why can’t seeds, nuts, etc., be roasted after but rather they need to be dehydrated. And won’t roasting do the same as soaking, since heating them will denatured the enzymes? Thanks!
Heather
Hi Stephanie! Roasting causes chemical changes in many (if not all) nuts that releases acrylamide, a carcinogen. I bake with nuts occasionally and don’t worry about it, but I prefer for health reasons to eat most of my nuts after they have been dehydrated at low temps
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Beth
If I’m planning to roast pumpkin seeds, there’s no point in soaking and dehydrating them at a low temp first, is there?
Thanks!
Anna
Hi, I recently found a recipe for making nut butter which requires soaking and dehydrating. I was wondering if you can do without dehydrating but just drying the nuts, since I don’t have the specific gadget to dehydrate. Thank you for your time.
Heather
Yes, you can dry them at the lowest setting in your oven
Stephanie
Thanks for the info! Just a quick question, can I still make homemade almond butter from the dehydrated almonds? Before knowing about soaking nuts I used roast them then pureed into butter, will I get the same consistency from dehydrated nuts or do I need to roast after dehydrating? Thanks!
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