Boiled peanuts may be a Southern porch tradition, but they’ve always felt right at home in my Midwestern kitchen. I first tasted them years ago when a cousin married a fellow from Georgia and he showed up to our family reunion with a big steaming pot of salty, tender peanuts. We all gathered around, a little skeptical at first, cracking shells and licking salt from our fingers, and before long that pot was empty. There’s something so comforting about the slow simmer and the simple ingredients—just peanuts, water, salt, and time—that reminds me of the way my mother used to stretch an afternoon with a pot of beans on the stove. You might want to make these when the weather turns cooler and you’re looking for a snack that brings people together, or when you want something humble and homespun to nibble on during a ball game, a card night, or a long chat at the kitchen table. They’re the kind of food that doesn’t ask for much, but gives you a lot in return.
Boiled peanuts are happiest in good company, served warm in big bowls or paper bags alongside other simple, homey bites. I like to put them out with slices of sharp cheddar, dill pickles, and maybe a plate of summer sausage or smoked ring bologna, the way we might for a casual afternoon visit. They’re wonderful with cold sweet tea or lemonade in the summer, and in the fall they sit nicely next to a pot of chili or a pan of cornbread, giving everyone something salty to snack on between spoonfuls. For a game day spread, tuck them in among deviled eggs, crisp vegetables with dip, and maybe a pan of bar cookies—nothing fancy, just the kind of food that invites folks to linger and talk while they shell and snack.
Simple Southern 4-Ingredient Boiled Peanuts
Servings: 8–10 snack servings
Ingredients
2 pounds raw peanuts in the shell (green or raw, unroasted, unsalted)
1/2 to 3/4 cup kosher salt (start with 1/2 cup and adjust to taste)
4 quarts water (or enough to fully cover peanuts by a couple of inches)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional, helps season soak in)
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