Roasted Marcona Almonds with Olive Oil and Fresh Herbs Recipe

Do you know all those Marcona almonds you find in stores that are roasted with sunflower or canola oil? What a waste of Marcona almonds! I finally ordered one pound of blanched Marcona almonds and decided to make my own roasted Marcona almonds recipe. The result is deliciously addictive.

What are Marcona almonds?

Marcona almonds are a special type of almonds coming from Spain. If you want, they are the gourmet version of humble almonds. It’s for good reason they are called ‘the queen of almonds’. They are bigger in size, and they have that intense, delicious almond flavor (almost like an almond extract) that you won’t get with regular almonds.

Marcona almonds are more popular in the Mediterranean space and Europe, but in the US is harder to find them. Some stores like Whole Foods carry them as a snack, but they are already roasted with sunflower or canola oil (I know, what a waste!!). When you find them blanched, grab as much as you can and store them in the freezer. Ensure they are fresh and stored properly; they can easily go rancid.

Where to buy Marcona almonds

You obviously need naked, blanched Marcona almonds, which are almost impossible to find in stores, at least where I am in Dallas. So I finally ordered one pound from Nuts.com (this is not a sponsored post).

I also had lots of fresh herbs at home, so it was the perfect moment to try this treat. Sprinkle with a good quality salt for the best result and nutritional value, like Redmond sea salt.

Shopping list

• 1 heaping cup of blanched (naked) Marcona almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• a few sprigs of fresh herbs: rosemary, oregano, thyme
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

How to make Marcona almonds

• Preheat the oven to 300F.
• Transfer the almonds to a baking sheet (I use stainless steel, so no parchment paper).
• Add the oils, herbs, and salt and toss well until the almonds get coated with the oil, salt and rubbed with the fresh herbs.
• Roast for 10 minutes. Take out and toss them well again, and put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them in case your oven runs hotter.
• Take them out, toss them some more and let them on the sheet pan to cool. At this point, the herbs should be dried out and easily breakable, and the almonds are still a little chewy, but they’ll get crunchy when they cool down. At this point, you can also add more salt if you want a saltier bite.
• When they are cool, transfer them to a serving bowl or an air-tight container, making sure you get as much of the herbs (discarding the sticks) and store them in the fridge.

How to store them

One word about eating and storing the roasted Marcona almonds. Let them cool completely before you enjoy them, and they’ll get crunchy. Also, they are the crunchiest and most delicious when kept in the fridge, in an air-tight glass container.

You can enjoy them as a snack (careful, they are addictive!) or you can add them to salads or to appetizer boards. I promise you, is the most delicious thing you will ever eat.

I hope you love them as much as I do.

And finally, for more almond recipes and ideas, I recommend these guides:

• Are Almonds Plant Paradox Compliant
• How to Pick the Best Olive Oil (Helpful Tips from Dr. Steven Gundry)

*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you.

Print Recipe

Roasted Marcona Almonds with Olive Oil and Fresh Herbs

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Claudia Curici – Serves: 1 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 15 minutes

A healthy, delicious snack that you or your guests will love.

Ingredients

• 1 heaping cup blanched (naked) Marcona almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• few sprigs of fresh herbs: rosemary, oregano, thyme
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 300F.

2

Transfer the almonds to a baking sheet (I use stainless steel, so no parchment paper).

3

Add the oils, herbs, and salt and toss well until the almonds get coated with the oil, and salt and rubbed with the fresh herbs.

4

Roast for 10 minutes. Take out and toss them well again, and put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them in case your oven runs hotter.

5

Take them out, toss them some more and let them on the sheet pan to cool. At this point, the herbs should be dried out and easily breakable, and the almonds are still a little chewy, but they'll get crunchy when they cool down. At this point, you can also add more salt if you want a saltier bite.

6

When they are cool, transfer them to a serving bowl or an air-tight container, making sure you get as much of the herbs (discarding the sticks) and store them in the fridge.

Notes

They are the best when eaten from the fridge, cold.