Rosemary-Roasted Pecans

For high-protein, low-carb snacking, nothing beats roasted nuts, especially these rosemary-roasted pecans, which are dead simple to prepare, easy to make ahead, and great for on-the-go eating.

Nuts are my family’s main snack, and we eat tons of them right out the bag: bittersweet walnuts, classic roasted peanuts, extra-crunchy Marcona almonds, bacony smoked almonds, decadent macadamia nuts, and fun-to-shell sunflower seeds (I know they aren’t nuts, but still).

For high-protein, low-carb snacking, there is pretty much no better choice, when consumed in reasonable quantities. Nuts are filling and full of nutrients, and if you roast and salt them (or buy them roasted and salted), they offer all of that same crunchy satisfaction as chip-based snacks, which makes them a great food to eat for people with diabetes. Keep in mind that nuts vary in carb content. Macadamia nuts and Brazil nuts are super-low-carb, with 3 or fewer grams of carbs in a 1/8 cup serving. Hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, and almonds are still a great choice, with 6 grams of carbs or less in a 1/8 cup serving. And pistachios and cashews are higher up there, with 8 and 9 grams of carbs, respectively, in a 1/8 cup serving.

Pecans fall into the super-low-carb camp. These rosemary-roasted pecans are special, and incredibly easy considering how special they are. They’re great make-ahead snacks, of course – perfect for popping into a school bag or briefcase – but they’re crazy good when they’re still warm from the oven, so plan to eat some then, too.

Recipe Details: Rosemary-Roasted Pecans

From Catherine Newman

Active time: 5 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Makes: 8 1-ounce servings

Total carbohydrates: 4 grams per 1-ounce serving

Recipe Note

There’s a lot of flexibility to this recipe. If you don’t like spicy things, omit the cayenne pepper; you can also substitute 2 teaspoons dried rosemary in place of the fresh, 1/4 teaspoon table salt if you don’t have kosher salt, and walnut halves if you prefer them to pecan halves.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

• 8 ounces raw pecan halves

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy cleanup.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the butter, cayenne (if using), and rosemary, then add the pecans and stir to coat.

3. Arrange the pecans on the baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until they’re very fragrant and a shade darker (they’ll crisp as they cool).

4. Store the cooled nuts in an airtight container at room temperature.

Photo credit: Catherine Newman