Easy to Make Recipe for Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts

If you’re looking for an easy southern snack, give these Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts a go! Trade out your crunchy peanuts for deliciously soft and salty peanuts. Ready in a fraction of the time compared to a stove top!

Have you ever eaten boiled peanuts?! If not then you are missing out on a delicious snack!

For those of you who may not know, boiled peanuts are a classic southern snack that is usually found at farmers markets, side of the road stands, fairs, festivals, and local convenience stores. They are made (just how it sounds) by boiling the peanuts in salty water for several hours. Then, after you have completed the boiling process, your peanuts end up tasting more salty and have a softer texture! – It’s truly a Southern delicacy that you need to try!! – LOL

The best part is that you can customize the boiled peanuts with your favorite seasonings to give them a spicy flavor! For example, you could add cajun seasoning if you wanted to take this great snack up a notch.

With that in mind, for today’s recipe, I will be going the salty snack route and will be sharing how to make plain boiled peanuts. You can jump down to the recipe card by clicking the button above or you can see scroll down to see our step-by-step process with photos. Regardless of what you do, I highly recommend that you read the Tips Section because I share some helpful information about storing the peanuts, your instant pot, and more!

**FTC Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission on purchases, at no additional cost to you!**

BEFORE WE MAKE INSTANT POT BOILED PEANUTS, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE INSTANT POT:

If you know me then you know I love delicious food, desserts, snacks, and cocktails that can be made in a short amount of time. This is because I don’t want to spend all my time in the kitchen – especially during the Summer! The great thing about boiled peanuts is that you can make them in a variety of ways depending on how much time you have and what appliances you have. For instance, boiled peanuts can be made on the stove, in a crock pot / slow cooker (we’ve got a recipe for that too!) or (my favorite) an instant pot!

In the market for an Instant Pot? We have had this one for EIGHT YEARS and use it at least once a week and it has worked like a dream. And it is less than $100!

An instant pot is great for boiled peanuts because it’s an easy way to simplify the cooking process while still getting the best flavor. Plus, your cooking time is greatly reduced! For example, if you use the traditional method of a crock pot, you might be cooking for 5-7 hours. However, with today’s recipe, you will only be cooking for 1 hour and 20 minutes in your instant pot! This is the fastest way I have found to boil peanuts without sacrificing their salty flavor.

I share this all as food for thought because if you have never made boiled peanuts before, I think using an instant pot is the easiest way to test out this snack to see if you even like it (which I know you will)! Also, if you are making these tasty peanuts for football season or game day, an instant pot is much a quicker way to make the recipe at the last minute!

INGREDIENTS:

INGREDIENTS:

2 Pounds Raw Peanuts in Shell (you find these at your local grocery store)
¼ Cup Salt
8 Cups Water, divided
OPTIONAL: any spice of your choosing! You can add items like garlic powder, red pepper flakes, onion powder, old bay, and creole seasoning. Two of our favorites are Tony Chachere’s and JO Seasoning (which is a local Maryland company – we put this on EVERYTHING)!!! If you DO add spices, check to see if they contain salt. If so you may want to cut down on the amount of salt you begin with.

ITEMS NEEDED:

TIME / YIELDS:

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Rest Time: 30 Minutes
Yields: 2 Pounds of Peanuts

IMPORTANT PEANUT NOTE:

If you are new to boiled peanuts, then you may not know that boiled peanuts can be made with either raw peanuts or fresh green peanuts. The difference between the two is that raw peanuts are air-dried to reduce their moisture content, which makes them have a longer shelf life. Green peanuts, on the other hand, don’t have any of their moisture removed which makes their shelf life much shorter.

When it comes to today’s recipe, all the steps are designed for raw peanuts NOT green peanuts. So, when you are the grocery store, make sure you get raw peanuts in the shell!

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BOILED PEANUTS:

1. Remove any bad peanuts, pieces of shell, etc., and rinse the peanuts. Then soak them in cold water for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes have passed, drain the peanuts.

2. Place the peanuts in the instant pot and sprinkle the ¼ Cup Salt over the top.

salt being added to raw peanuts in instant pot

3. Add 4 cups of water to the instant pot and secure the lid.

water being added to raw peanuts in instant pot

4. Cook on high for 40 minutes.

5. Do a manual release and try one of the peanuts, once safe. You’re tasting the peanut for personal preference to see how close it is to your desired softness and saltiness.

6. Stir the peanuts well. You want the peanuts from the bottom to be on the top and vice versa. Add 4 cups more water to the peanuts in the instant pot.

If you would like more salt, add more to the instant pot at this point.

7. If the peanut you tested is not too far off from your softness preference, you’ll want to cook on high for another 20 minutes. However, if you like them a lot softer than the tester peanut, cook on high for another 40 minutes. We did them for another 40 minutes and they were perfectly soft.

boiled peanuts being made in instant pot

8. Manual release, drain the excess water, and enjoy!

TIPS SECTION:

Remember those important tips I was telling you about at the beginning of the post? Well, here they are!

To store your boiled peanuts, place them in an airtight container and place them in the fridge for up to 1 week. Do not store them in any water, they must be drained. I do not suggest freezing.
Everyone’s softness level is different when it comes to boiled peanuts. This is why it’s important to test a peanut part way through, to ensure you’re getting the texture that just makes your taste buds sing.
¼ cup salt per 2 pounds of peanuts is a great starting point. However, each person is different when it comes to the saltiness they prefer. So, be sure to adjust the salt as preferred (usually people add more, not less, than ¼ cup).
Do not forget to add that extra water and stir at the halfway point. This ensures all the peanuts are cooked evenly and keeps your instant pot from throwing any codes.

HOW TO SERVE INSTANT POT BOILED PEANUTS:

This salty treat is one that you will want to make again and again! However, you may be wondering what occasion boiled peanuts are best for and how to serve them once you are done cooking.

Well, the truth is that boiled peanuts can be served on several different occasions in a variety of ways. In regards to occasions, boiled peanuts are great for family gatherings, cookouts, tailgates, sporting events or even as a snack on a road trip. When it comes to serving them, my suggestion would be to think about the occasion you are making the boiled peanuts for, then choose the best serving method for that occasion.

For example, if you are having a family gathering or cookout, you could keep the peanuts in the instant pot (with the water drained) or transfer them to a large decorative bowl. On the other hand, if you are going to a sporting event or tailgating, you could transfer the peanuts into a brown paper bag or a simple plastic container to make them easier to travel with.

Besides the ways listed above, you can also serve boiled peanuts in a mason jar or in a plastic food basket lined with a paper towel/paper.

Regardless of how you serve them, it really won’t matter, because they will all be gone in no time at all!