Stop Dumping Out Used Coffee Grounds When You Could Roast Nuts With Them Instead

Coffee grounds have dozens of potential uses in the kitchen and around the house. If you're still throwing them away, you're missing out on uses ranging from garden compost to a deodorizer in your garage trash can. There are also some tasty ways you can cook with coffee grounds. In fact, one of the lesser-known methods is to use them when roasting nuts.

We spoke with Chef Alex Guarnaschelli of Clara Restaurant about roasting nuts with coffee grounds. "Always great to use coffee many times over," Guarnaschelli says. Since coffee already has a slightly nutty flavor, pairing it with roasted nuts can highlight the earthy, sweet, and bitter notes in both ingredients. Paired with other seasonings, you can enhance any of those elements to suit your needs. Many roasted nut recipes focus on the addition of sweet ingredients, with honey, sugar, and maple syrup frequently appearing in roasted nut recipes. All will pair well with coffee.

Try coating some nuts with an espresso glaze made from maple syrup or corn syrup. Egg whites also work to hold the coffee and other seasonings in place for less sweetness or choose to use sugar instead. Add some warming spices and vanilla to elevate the dish further. Bake the nuts in a 300-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 minutes to get that delicious, toasted crunch with the added layer of bittersweet coffee flavor. Not only would this make a tasty snack on its own, but it would also work as a garnish for salads or steak.

Just because sweet roasted nuts are common, doesn't mean it's your only option. We have some tips for how to roast nuts that include savory applications. These can be applied to coffee as well. In many ways, coffee works like other bold seasonings used on roasted nuts, such as curry, paprika, or chili powder. Savory roasted nuts with coffee add a surprising element of deep flavor and a slight bitterness to fatty or earthy dishes. Their crunch offers textural contrast that can't be overlooked, making dishes feel more well-rounded and infused with a bit of fun.

If your meal appears too one-note, coffee-roasted nuts are an easy way to add bitterness, crunch, and deeper flavor. Since they're such a unique option, they can also go a long way in impressing dinner guests. In terms of what dishes work best, Guarnaschelli offers a handful of recommendations. "BBQ pork dishes. Pulled pork or mushroom tacos. Pasta with earthy mushrooms or bitter greens like radicchio. Salads with goat cheese or feta," she says. "These dishes have richness to cut through or bitterness from the coffee notes to link up with."

Ultimately, you need flavors that won't be overpowered by coffee, which is where pork, mushrooms, radicchio, and even goat cheese come into play. Duck, beef short ribs, brisket, and lamb are all fatty and flavorful enough to balance coffee without being overwhelmed. Instead of the traditional rubs and marinades, coffee-roasted nuts up the ante by adding a textural component while giving the same flavor profiles, and that's something worth trying.