Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (2024)

Hot Boiled Peanuts are a traditional Southern snack perfect for football games and fall drives! This easy version lets the slow cooker do all the hard work!

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (1)

Growing up, as soon as the weather started turning a little bit colder, my Daddy was ready to drive up into the North Georgia mountains for the weekend. Sometimes, my Grandparents would come along with us because he knew that they loved the mountains as much as he did.

Grandmother would make a breakfast for us to take along with us on the trip. Big, delicious biscuits filled with either sausage or bacon or sometimes tenderloin. The idea of stopping by a drive through restaurant never occurred to us. There simply wasn’t one in our small town back then.

She would also bring along a small cooler packed with Coca-Colas in the bottle, some Ginger Ale, grapes and apples, and zip top bags filled with wet washcloths in case anyone got queasy on the curvy roads during our trip. Next came the pillows and quilts and the notebooks she always brought along to record tidbits about the trip or things that she saw along the way. An extra notebook and pencils were included to play games with me and my sister during our trip as well.

Daddy would always be ready to go early in the morning so we could reach the mountains before too late in the day.

I remember rounding one winding road on trip after trip and seeing the roadside stand set up with large, wooden handpainted signs that read, “Boiled Peanuts.” Now, any kind of peanut has always been a favorite of my Mama’s, but boiled peanuts were my Daddy’s all time favorite. I would think we were about to pull in to buy a few styrofoam cups filled with these warm delicious little nibbles when Daddy would say, “No, this isn’t the good boiled peanut spot. Our spot is on a little farther.”

I started thinking about what made Daddy say that the other day and figured out that you can have good boiled peanuts and then you can have GOOD boiled peanuts. There is a difference. This recipe is for the GOOD kind with the perfect balance of salty brininess and well-cooked peanuts, but you don’t have to drive to the North Georgia mountains to get them.

My family’s love for boiled peanuts has now passed along to Little Buddy. When we made these, I taught him how to make them, too.

Here’s how we make them.

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (2)

Start with about 3 pounds of green peanuts and put them in your slow cooker.

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (3)

Pour in salt. Just regular salt is fine.

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (4)

Then pour water over them until they are covered. This took about 6 cups of water for me.

Now, set your slow cooker for 12 hours and just let them go. You may want to check them about halfway during their cooking to make sure you don’t need to add more water.

After the 12 hours of cooking, leave them in the slow cooker in the brine water for another 9-12 hours or so. This makes them the GOOD kind in my family’s book.

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (5)

To serve your peanuts, dip out a serving and strain away the brine. Place them into a cup or bowl and serve with plenty of napkins.

Boiled peanuts are great for tailgating, game day festivities, or Fall camping trips! Start your peanuts well in advance to make sure they are done in time for the big game. Then, just serve them straight from your slow cooker to keep them warm!

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (6)

Here’s my Boiled Peanuts Recipe. I hope your family loves it as much as mine does!

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (7)

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Boiled Peanuts Recipe

Robyn Stone

5 from 3 votes

Boiled Peanuts are a favorite southern treat! Get this delicious, easy boiled peanuts recipe that you’ll love!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 day day

Total Time: 1 day day 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds green peanuts
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 6 cups water

Instructions

  • Rinse peanuts until the water runs clear.

  • Place into slow cooker. Add in salt and pour in water.

  • Cook for 12 hours on high setting, checking occasionally to add more water if needed.

  • Turn slow cooker to warm setting and allow to sit in slow cooker for another 9-12 hours.

  • Serve straight from the slow cooker to keep warm, straining off brine and pouring into cups or bowls.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 2364mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (8)

Originally published September 2011.

Categorized as:All Recipes, Appetizers, Camping, Cooking, Game Day Recipes, Recipes, Simple Recipes, Snacks, Southern Favorites

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

Read more about Robyn

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Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to soak raw peanuts before boiling? ›

Use a large dinner plate to help submerge the floating peanuts. Soak peanuts 8 hours or overnight. (This step saves a little time boiling, but if you don't have the luxury of soaking time, you can skip it.)

How much salt to use when boiling peanuts? ›

Put one cup of salt per gallon of water in a big pot. Add the Cajun seasoning, if desired.

What happens when you overcook boiled peanuts? ›

Boiled peanuts that are overcooked or left out for too long can become slimy. Make sure to cook until tender (not mushy), and refrigerate any leftovers after serving.

How do you know when boiled peanuts are done? ›

Once the peanuts have boiled for three hours (one hour for green peanuts), sample them to check their texture and salinity. Remove a peanut, and when it is cool enough to handle, crack open its shell and taste the kernel, slurping some brine with it. If the peanut crunches, it should be cooked further.

How many hours to boil peanuts? ›

Cover the pot and bring the contents to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 4-6 hours, or until peanuts are tender. (Open the shell and taste to test, but be careful of the heat!) Once the peanuts are tender, turn the heat off and transfer the peanuts to a large clean bowl.

Why put vinegar in boiled peanuts? ›

Made from sugar, fermented apples, and yeast, the vinegar adds a sweet, tangy flavor to the peanuts. The acid provides balance to the savory spices that have already been added, transforming the peanuts into a well-rounded, flavorful snack with depth.

What if boiled peanuts are not salty enough? ›

If peanuts aren't salty enough, add more salt to pot, 1/4 cup at a time. When peanuts are cooked, remove pot from heat, and let peanuts cool in pot 1 hour. Drain peanuts and eat, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 7 days.

Can you cook boiled peanuts too long? ›

It is very hard to overcook boiled peanuts. When in doubt, give them a little longer.

What makes boiled peanuts good? ›

The process of boiling peanuts draws antioxidants from their shells. The boiled peanuts have four times the antioxidants of raw or roasted peanuts. Boiled peanuts have also been studied as a potential way to treat people with peanut allergies since boiling peanuts denatures proteins that trigger allergic reactions.

What happens if you eat too many boiled peanuts? ›

Too much peanuts intake at one time may even lead to stomach discomfort. Constipation, diarrhoea and bloating are common issues associated with excessive peanuts intake. So, it is recommended to take peanuts in moderate quantities if you are already suffering from stomach related issues.

Why are my boiled peanuts mushy? ›

Only overcooked boiled peanuts are mushy and hard to remove from the shells. Properly boiled peanuts are easy to remove from the shell.

Can you eat boiled peanuts straight out of the can? ›

Q: Do you have to cook Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts? ANSWER: Of course not. They're already cooked (boiled) and ready to savor right out of the can. But you can heat them if you'd like.

Why are my boiled peanuts bland? ›

It's worth noting that you should not be alarmed at the apparent blandness of the peanuts as you taste test them. In my experience, the salt only seems to work its way into the nuts during the last 10% of the cook time or so.

How much salt for 3 lbs of boiled peanuts per? ›

Many online boiled peanuts recipes advise using more salt than you need. The concentration of salt in the water is the important factor rather than the pounds of peanuts in the water. Our boiled peanuts recipe suggests 1/2 cup of salt per Gallon of water. Some like more, some less.

Do you eat the whole peanut in boiled peanuts? ›

There's nothing wrong with eating peanut shells, but some might argue that you're better off getting your roughage from leafy greens. We suggest pulling those shells apart and sucking out the kernels (along with all of their delicious, briny liquor) for the best boiled peanut experience.

Should raw peanuts be soaked before eating? ›

Soaking enhances digestibility and nutritional benefits. When we soak peanuts, it helps in breaking down phytic acid and reduce enzyme inhibitors. Soaked peanuts can be consumed in a variety of ways. You can add them in your breakfast meal or even dinner.

Should peanuts be soaked or Unsoaked? ›

Soaked peanuts generally offer greater nutritional value compared to dry peanuts. Soaking helps break down the phytic acid, an antinutrient found in peanuts and other legumes, which can interfere with the absorption of certain minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium.

How to clean raw peanuts before boiling? ›

Wash raw peanuts thoroughly in cool water; then soak in cool clean water for about 30 minutes before cooking. 2. Put peanuts in a pot and cover completely with water. Figure 1 cup of salt per gallon of water - or salt to taste.

How do you soak peanuts quickly? ›

Add salt and cover the peanuts with filtered water.

The important thing is to completely cover the peanuts so they can fully soak. It's fine to leave the salt out of the soaking solution if you're planning on a really quick soak where the peanuts don't actually sprout.

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