I made fried peanuts, the traditional Filipino way—with salt and lots of fried garlic for extra flavor and crunch. They are very addictive and are super easy to make.
In the Philippines, this street food is eaten as a snack, appetizer, or pulutan (a term for food consumed with alcoholic beverages). They are pan-fried with garlic, salted, or sugar-coated. Street vendors sell them in shallow baskets lined with banana leaves or old newspapers.
Peanuts are not only great for snacking or making peanut butter. In Filipino cuisine, they are used in Kare Kare with Beef Shank (in Peanut Stew), Fresh Lumpia, or Palitaw (Rice Cake).
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Ingredients you’ll need
Notes and substitutions
- Peanuts: Buy raw, shelled peanuts. I prefer the smaller ones for snacking—they're crunchier and more satisfying.
- Oil: Choose a cooking oil with a neutral taste and a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Optional Ingredients: For added flavor, you can add labuyo or Thai chili, white pepper, chili powder, or five-spice powder.
How to make this recipe
(1)Rinse 8 ounces of raw peanuts under running water to remove excess dirt. Let them air-dry for about 10 minutes on a rimmed baking sheet or large tray. (2)Slice 8 garlic cloves thinly.
(3)In a wok or skillet, submerge the peanuts in about a cup of cold neutral-flavored oil and set it to medium-low heat. Stir them constantly to prevent them from burning.
(4)When the oil starts bubbling, add the garlic. (5)The garlic should brown in 3 to 5 minutes; the peanuts will be ready at that point.
Peanuts cook differently depending on their size and oil temperature. When you start them in cold oil, they take between 6 and 10 minutes to cook.
Once the peanuts and garlic turn lightly brown, turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook them further. It's okay to undercook them a bit, but overcooking will make them bitter.
Remove peanuts and garlic from the oil and spread them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while still warm. The peanuts will become crunchy as they cool.
If stored in an airtight container, they will keep for up to a month at room temperature, longer in the refrigerator. Humidity and moisture will make them go rancid faster.
Frequently asked questions and tips
It's easy to burn peanuts in hot oil. When you start them in cold oil, you have more control by slowly cooking them until they are lightly browned.
Peanuts may be one of those foods that are better when fried. They're tastier that way, but roasting isn't bad either.
Roasting is easy and can save you extra calories and fats. You can dry roast them without the oil on a pan over the stove, though they won't brown evenly. You can also do it in the oven for better results.
Peanuts are a good source of protein, fats, and fiber. Like other nuts, peanut (although technically a legume) is good for you and apparently for the heart, too.
As with everything else, your personal consumption should be in moderation.
No, unless a recipe calls for it. I like to keep the skin for convenience and added nutrition.
If you have to remove the skin, shake them vigorously in a container with a lid to loosen up the skin. You can also rub them between paper towels; the friction will loosen the skin.
Other appetizers and sides you may like
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📖 Recipe
Adobong Mani (Fried Peanuts)
Equipment
- Wok or Skillet
- Skimmer, Slotted Spoon, or Strainer
- Baking Sheet (optional)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces raw, shelled peanuts, about 2 cups
- 1 cup neutral-flavored oil
- 8 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the raw peanuts under running water to remove excess dirt. Let them air-dry for about 10 minutes on a rimmed baking sheet or large tray.
- In a wok, submerge the peanuts in cold neutral-flavored oil and set it to medium-low heat. Stir them constantly to prevent them from burning.
- When the oil starts bubbling, add the garlic. The garlic should brown in 3 to 5 minutes; the peanuts will be ready at that point.Peanuts cook differently depending on their size and oil temperature. When you start them in cold oil, they take between 6 and 10 minutes to cook.
- Once the peanuts and garlic turn lightly brown, turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook them further. It's okay to undercook them a bit, but overcooking will make them bitter.
- Remove peanuts and garlic from the oil and spread them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
- Sprinkle the peanuts with salt while still warm. They will become crunchy as they cool.
Video
Notes
- Optional ingredients: For added flavor, you can add labuyo or Thai chili, white pepper, chili powder, or five-spice powder.
UniqornK
Recipe works well. I used more garlic and seasoned with Nori Sea Salt! Delicious! Thanks, Nora.
Nora Rey
Hi there! Thanks for trying it out - I'm so happy you liked it! Yes, more garlic is always a good idea. =)
Bim
Thank you Nora for the tips. I usually heat the oil first then add the peanuts.