Cajun Boiled Peanuts are protein-packed, spicy, and flavorful snacks with a unique taste that you will fall in love with again and again.
I still remember the first time I had cajun boiled peanuts, which were sold at a gas station on our way to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We enjoyed our entire travel journey with nothing but cajun peanuts.
I have already shared the traditional ways of making salty boiled peanuts and all three ways of cooking them - stovetop, instant pot, and pressure cooker.
This is just another version of boiled peanuts with the addition of homemade cajun spice mix. Everything else, the cooking time, and the cooking method remain the same.
These cajun peanuts are an excellent accompaniment for your cocktail or mocktail party. Many people I know just enjoy their beer with spicy peanut chaat (raja masala) in India, or cajun boiled peanuts in the USA.
Green peanuts vs. Raw peanuts What is the difference?
Green peanuts are fresh peanuts right from the farm. They take less time to cook. But you have to refrigerate it, and it cannot be kept at the kitchen counter for more than a day.
Raw peanuts are dried and can be stored at room temperature unused for a week or two. The cooking time is more than that of green peanuts.
But note that the taste of both types of peanuts remains the same. They are soft and creamy and addictive 🙂
Ingredients for Cajun Boiled Peanuts
4 cups Peanuts or Groundnuts with shell
2 tablespoon Salt
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning or creole seasoning
HOW TO MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS?
Nicely wash the shelled peanuts to remove any dirt. Drain the water.
Add enough water to cover the peanuts, salt, and cajun seasoning, and cook the peanuts using your preferred method – pressure cooker, instant pot, stovetop (stockpot), or slow cooker crockpot. All the methods will give the same result except for the time it takes to cook.
The fastest way for me is definitely the pressure cooker method.
HOW TO MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS IN A PRESSURE COOKER?
Cooking peanuts in a pressure cooker is the easiest and fastest method and my most preferred method. By pressure cooker, I mean the one that is available in India. Some of the common pressure cooker brands are Butterfly, Prestige, Pigeon, etc.
Pressure cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. The total cook time is between 15 to 20 minutes.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS ON A STOVETOP?
Place a large pot (stockpot) on the stovetop. Add washed peanuts, salt, and cajun seasoning and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook on medium-low flame for 3 hours or until the peanuts are cooked through.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS ON A SLOW COOKER CROCKPOT?
Once you have added washed and drained peanuts (i.e., with the shell on) to your crockpot, add water, cajun seasoning, and salt, and cook on high for 10 to 12 hours or until peanuts are cooked through.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS IN AN INSTANT POT?
Add the washed and drained shelled peanuts, salt, cajun spice mix, and enough water to cover the peanuts and mix. See that you do not exceed the maximum water level allowed on your IP. Place the steamer rack to help the peanuts weigh down. Cover the lid and see that the valve is in a sealing position.
Set the pressure cooker for 75 minutes. After that, let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes and release any remaining pressure.
Remember, after the peanuts are boiled, the peanuts should be soft and creamy like canned beans and not be hard/firm. If they are hard/firm, you will have to boil the peanuts for more time.
HOW TO EAT BOILED PEANUTS WITH SHELLS?
Drain the briny liquid using a strainer. Open the shell by pressing them with the help of your fingers and enjoy the soft and creamy goodness inside.
Tips that I have already shared here.
- Always add enough water to cover the peanuts. While using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, check the maximum water level denoted on them and adjust the amount of peanuts accordingly.
- Adjust salt and cajun spice mix to taste.
- The time to cook will vary depending on how old the peanuts are - Fresh green peanuts or raw dry shelled peanuts. The fresh ones cook faster.
- Once you drain and open the shell, I recommend eating boiled peanuts early as they slowly start drying out.
How long will the boiled cajun peanuts last?
If you keep them in briny liquid, the boiled cajun peanuts will last for three days, and if you drain off the liquid, you can refrigerate it in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks.
Video recipe for Cajun Boiled Peanuts
Detailed recipe for Cajun Boiled Peanuts
CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS | HOW TO BOIL CAJUN PEANUTS
Ingredients
- 4 cups Peanuts or Groundnuts with shell
- 2 tablespoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning or creole seasoning
Instructions
- Nicely wash the shelled peanuts to remove any dirt. Drain the water.
- Add enough water to cover the peanuts, salt, and cajun seasoning, and cook the peanuts using your preferred method – pressure cooker, instant pot, stovetop (stockpot), or slow cooker crockpot. All the methods will give the same result except for the time it takes to cook.
- The fastest way for me is definitely the pressure cooker method.
HOW TO MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS IN A PRESSURE COOKER?
- Cooking peanuts in a pressure cooker is the easiest and fastest method and my most preferred method. By pressure cooker, I mean the one that is available in India. Some of the common pressure cooker brands are Butterfly, Prestige, Pigeon, etc.
- Pressure cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. The total cook time is between 15 to 20 minutes. Check out the video here.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS ON A STOVETOP?
- Place a large pot (stockpot) on the stovetop. Add washed peanuts, salt, and cajun seasoning and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook on medium-low flame for 3 hours or until the peanuts are cooked through.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS ON A SLOW COOKER CROCKPOT?
- Once you have added washed and drained peanuts (i.e., with the shell on) to your crockpot, add water, cajun seasoning, and salt, and cook on high for 10 to 12 hours or until peanuts are cooked through.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS IN AN INSTANT POT?
- Add the washed and drained shelled peanuts, salt, cajun spice mix, and enough water to cover the peanuts and mix. See that you do not exceed the maximum water level allowed on your IP. Place the steamer rack to help the peanuts weigh down. Cover the lid and see that the valve is in a sealing position.
- Set the pressure cooker for 75 minutes. After that, let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes and release any remaining pressure.
- Remember, after the peanuts are boiled, the peanuts should be soft and creamy like canned beans and not be hard/firm. If they are hard/firm, you will have to boil the peanuts for more time.
HOW TO EAT BOILED PEANUTS WITH SHELLS?
- Drain the briny liquid using a strainer. Open the shell by pressing them with the help of your fingers and enjoy the soft and creamy goodness inside.
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Jill
I tried these in my slow cooker and they were fantastic! Thank you for this recipe!