Air Fryer Roasted Cashew is a delicious 10 min snack recipe made with raw cashew nuts and Indian Spices. Stays fresh for over a week and can be packed for treks, travels etc. Can be served as appetizer for parties and potlucks with mocktails or iced tea.
These Air Fryer Roasted Cashew or Masala Kaju are an absolute flavor bomb and it hardly takes 10 mins to put together. Raw or unsalted cashews are coated with Indian spices and roasted or air fried with a touch of ghee or clarified butter.
It is incredibly easy to roast nuts using an air fryer. They come out perfect every single time! If you like a mix of nuts, seeds and dried berries, do check our post on Healthy Homemade Trail Mix.
We love roasted and crunchy cashews with a glass of iced tea, Berry Smoothie or mocktails.
Spicy Masala Kaju will be a hit with your guests. Just serve these with cocktails or lemonade.
You can mix and match with different flavors or seasonings. I experiment with a lot of flavors as the husband and I carry a pack of these to work.
If you have recently purchased an air fryer and wondering where to begin, this recipe is a good start. I have included plenty of tips to ensure this is a no-fail recipe.
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Ingredients, Substitutes and Variations
Raw / Unsalted Cashew
Spices – Turmeric, Kashmiri Red Chili (substitute with paprika) and Chaat Masala Powder.
Variations - Indian Spices - Amchur or Dry Mango Powder, curry powder or garam masala powder, ground cumin or coriander and tandoori masala.
Other than Indian Spices - Peri peri seasoning, a combination of salt and pepper, cajun seasoning, zaatar spice, sumac, Italian mix or pizza seasoning.
Ghee or Clarified Butter - Nuts and Ghee make a great combination. It elevates taste and richness.
Substitute ghee with olive oil, coconut oil or any vegan butter of your choice, preferably unsalted.
How to Store Nuts
Nuts have the tendency to turn rancid as time passes. They are highly susceptible to weather changes. Humidity and extreme heat affects freshness and shelf life.
I store dry fruits in freezer packed in zip lock bags. This ensures uniform temperature and increases shelf life of the nuts as well.
If you regularly consume nuts and stock them in bulk, freezing is quite useful.
Instructions to make Air Fryer Roasted Cashew Nuts
Into a bowl, add the raw cashews, spices, salt to taste and ghee.
Mix well until the spices coat cashews.
Preheat the Air fryer.
Transfer the cashews into a baking dish (that easily fits inside the air fryer) and air fry at 180 degree Celsius for 5 – 7 mins. Open the basket 1-2 times to check.
Use oven mittens or tongs to remove the baking dish from the air fryer. Place it aside to cool.
Store in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dry place. Stays fresh for a week or more.
Tips
Always pre-heat the air fryer for 2-3 minutes for best results.
It is not necessary to transfer the cashews to a baking dish for air frying. They can be added directly into the air fryer basket. Baking dish helps in easy clean up.
Use any cake tin or baking dish that fits inside the air fryer. You should be able to open and close the air fryer basket easily.
Cook time specified in recipes may vary depending on air fryer model you use. Always keep an eye and don’t forget to open the basket and check at regular intervals.
After air frying, the cashews might not appear or taste crunchy. Wait till the cashews cool down completely.
Serving Suggestions
Perfect snack for game nights, potlucks and parties. Serve with beverages of your choice.
Masala Kaju is a popular bar snack in India. Also served at cocktail and card parties during Diwali.
If you love outdoors, hiking or trekking, pack roasted cashews in your back pack for instant energy. Small zip lock pouches are light-weight and will ensure the roasted nuts stay crunchy for over a week.
Roasted nuts make excellent edible gifts for family and friends. Pack them in re-usable glass jars for the holiday season.
Other Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Okra or Kurkuri Bhindi
Crispy Onions in Air Fryer (topping/garnish for Biryani, Pulao)
This blog post first appeared on Masalachilli in November 2018. I have re-published it with step-wise recipe, tips and photographs.
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Air Fryer Roasted Cashew Nuts | Masala Kaju
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- 1 6" round baking tin or cake tin (height 2")
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- spoons, tongs or mitten
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cashew Nuts Raw, unsalted
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri Red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder
- 2 teaspoon Ghee or Clarified Butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Into a bowl, add the raw cashews, spices, salt to taste and ghee.
- Mix well until the spices coat cashews. Note - You may also use your hand to rub the spices for best results.
- Preheat the Air fryer at 180 Degree Celsius for 2-3 mins.
- Transfer the cashews into a baking dish (that easily fits inside the air fryer) and air fry at 180 degree Celsius for 5 – 7 mins. Open the basket in between to check.
- Use oven mittens or tongs to remove the baking dish from the air fryer. Place it aside to cool.
- Once cool, store the cashew nuts in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dry place. Stays fresh for a week or more.
Notes
- Raw / Unsalted Cashew
- Ghee or Clarified Butter - Nuts and Ghee make a great combination. It elevates taste as well. However, you can use coconut oil or vegan butter, as a substitute.
- Always pre-heat the air fryer for 2-3 minutes for best results.
- It is not necessary to transfer the cashews to a baking dish for air frying. They can be added directly into the air fryer basket. Baking dish helps in easy clean up. I have used 6" round baking tin or cake tin (height 2") that fits easily in my Phillips Air Fryer Basket.
- Cook time specified in recipes may vary depending on air fryer model you use. Always keep an eye and don’t forget to open the basket and check at regular intervals.
- After air frying, the cashews might not appear or taste crunchy. Wait till the cashews cool down completely.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan
Tempting enough! Feel like grabbing a handful of these. <3
And as always, lovely clicks.
Thank you Jyoti and I wish I could feed you some of these beauties.
That can be a straight Diwali treat 🙂
It is a Diwali treat! Thank you
That's a great healthy alternative!
Indeed Nisha, thanks
Hey Vidya, belated Birthday wishes????
thanks dear.
Tempting Masala Kaju Vidya ... Healthy and addictive. My hubby loves such spiced Cashews, will try this way .
Same here Ruchi, my husband loves Masala Kaju and now I can happily make it for me without worrying about the excess oil.Thanks dear.
Healthy snack.
I agree! Thanks Deepti.
Yum yum ...I wish I could grab a handful
Thanks and sorry to have tempted you so much .. ha ha
Oh, wow! These air-fried masala cashews look so tempting! I'd love to grab a handful of these right away. 🙂
Such a cute story behind the hubby's buying you an air-fryer. 😀 And the one about the french fries that disappeared too. 😛
I've been considering investing in an air-fryer for some time now. Do you think it is worth it? Any particular brand you recommend?
Absolutely tempting and I would certainly recommend buying one if you are health conscious but want to enjoy few fried foods every now and then. The fryer uses less oil, gives good results. You need to experiment the timings etc and within couple of days, you will be comfortable. I have bought a Philips Air fryer.
These are the BEST cashews I've ever had in my life. I'm a huge cashew fan, so I couldn't wait to make these. They're very zingy and spicy, which I love.
These were so easy to make. My family loves cashews so this recipe was right up our alley!
Oh wow, what a blend of spices. Sounds delicious. I have to make this recipe asap. I love roasted nuts.
These are fantastic! Love the spice. Can't stop eating them 😉
I have a giant bag of cashews I need to use and I was trying to make them a little more exciting haha. This recipe was perfect! Thank you!