Cashew Flavors Explained: How Flavor Gets Into a Cashew

Plain cashews taste mild, creamy and just slightly sweet. That gentle flavor is exactly why they take seasoning so well: nothing in the nut fights with the spice. Every flavored cashew starts from that same quiet base, and what you taste on top is added by the maker.

Before any seasoning goes on, roasting changes the nut. Heat browns the surface, brings out a toasty, buttery taste and gives the crunch. Roast too little and the nut tastes flat, and too long and it turns bitter. We explain the basics in how Sri Lankan cashews are roasted.

Burnt cashews don't need a seasoning mix. They're peeled cashews roasted past the usual golden stage, so the surface darkens and chars in places, which gives a bold, smoky taste with a slightly bitter edge. You can see the dark marks on the nuts in the pouch on the right in the photo above. If you like it bold, try our Burnt Cashew Nut.

Salt and pepper is the classic. Salt and ground pepper are tossed with the nuts while they're still warm, and the heat helps them cling. It adds savory depth and a little bite without hiding the cashew. Try our Classic Roasted Salt & Pepper Cashews.

In Sri Lankan cooking, "devilled" describes a hot, tangy, savory style usually built around chilli and garlic. Devilled cashews borrow that idea and give the nut a spiced coating, which is where the reddish-orange color comes from. Try our Deviled Cashew.

Garlic cashews get their taste from garlic, most often in dried powder or granule form, which can be dusted on the nuts so the flavor sticks evenly. It's savory and punchy but milder than a chilli coating. Try our Garlic Cashew.

There are a few common ways to flavor a cashew, and makers each have their own recipe. Dry seasoning is tossed onto warm, freshly roasted nuts, sometimes with a little oil so the powder clings. A coating can be applied before roasting, so the flavor bakes onto the surface as the nut cooks. Some makers also soak nuts in a salted liquid and then dry them.

The seasoning mostly sits on the outside of the nut, which is why flavored cashews can leave a little powder on your fingers and at the bottom of the pouch.

Every extra ingredient and every extra step costs something, so flavored cashews usually cost a little more than plain roasted. Our kaju price guide explains how the other factors affect the price.

Pick bold and smoky for burnt, savory and classic for salt and pepper, hot and tangy for devilled, and punchy but milder for garlic. If you can't decide, mix a few in a hamper with our hamper builder.

Check each product page for exactly what's in it, especially if you have allergies, and keep your cashews airtight so the seasoning stays fresh. Our storage guide has tips, and you can browse all our flavors.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like our guides to what devilled cashews are, raw vs roasted cashews and what burnt cashews are.