These air fryer masala peanuts are coated with red lentil flour, warming spices, and a small amount of oil before being cooked until crisp. Soaking the peanuts briefly helps the flour and seasoning stick without making a wet batter.
Most masala peanut recipes use chickpea flour and rice flour. This version uses red lentil flour for a crisp, slightly textured coating. Serve the peanuts as a tea-time snack, add them to a festive snack platter, or pack them once completely cool.
For more easy nut snacks, try these air fryer roasted almonds and air fryer roasted cashews.
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Why Make Masala Peanuts in the Air Fryer?
The air fryer makes the lentil coating crisp using much less oil than deep frying. It is also convenient for making a small batch without heating a large pan of oil. Shaking the basket during cooking helps separate the peanuts and cooks the coating evenly.
Quick Summary: Soak and drain the peanuts, coat them with lentil flour and spices, then air fry at 170°C or 340°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- Raw peanuts with skin
- Red lentil flour
- Red chili powder
- Chaat masala
- Turmeric powder
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Oil
- Water, for soaking
Red Lentil Flour
Red lentil flour forms the crisp coating around the peanuts. You can use packaged lentil flour or grind dry red lentils into a fine powder in a spice grinder. Sift homemade flour before using it to remove any coarse pieces.
Spices
Red chili powder adds heat, while chaat masala adds a salty and tangy flavor. Adjust both to suit your taste. Turmeric is optional but adds color to the coating.
How to Make Air Fryer Masala Peanuts
Soak the peanuts
Place the raw peanuts in a bowl, cover with water, soak for 15 minutes.
Drain the peanuts
Drain the soaked peanuts well, shake off excess water, keep their surface slightly damp.
Add the lentil flour and spices
Transfer the damp peanuts to a bowl, add red lentil flour, chili powder, chaat masala, turmeric, salt, and baking soda.
Coat the peanuts
Add the oil, toss until the peanuts are evenly coated, separate any large clumps with your fingers.
Pro Tip: The drained peanuts should be damp but not dripping. Too much water creates a heavy coating that takes longer to become crisp.
Add the peanuts to the air fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 170°C or 340°F, spread the coated peanuts in the basket, spray lightly with oil.
Air fry until crisp
Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, shake and separate the peanuts every 3 to 4 minutes, spray with oil once more if the coating looks dry.
Remove the peanuts when the coating is dry and crisp. They will become crunchier as they cool, so avoid cooking them until very dark.
Tips for Crispy Masala Peanuts
- Drain the peanuts thoroughly after soaking.
- Keep the flour coating thin rather than making a wet batter.
- Spread the peanuts loosely so hot air can circulate around them.
- Shake the basket regularly and break apart large clusters.
- Cool the peanuts completely before checking their final texture.
- Cook in two batches when using a small air fryer basket.
Variations
Extra spicy: Increase the red chili powder or add a small amount of cayenne pepper.
Tangy masala peanuts: Add a little dry mango powder along with the chaat masala.
Mild version: Reduce the chili powder and use smoked paprika for color with less heat.
Garlic flavor: Add garlic powder to the dry seasoning. Avoid fresh garlic paste because extra moisture can make the coating softer.
Substitutions
Replace red lentil flour with chickpea flour. For a crisper chickpea-flour coating, replace 1 tablespoon of the chickpea flour with rice flour.
Use a neutral cooking oil, avocado oil, or another oil suitable for air frying. Replace chaat masala with dry mango powder and a little ground cumin when needed.
Air Fryer Masala Peanuts Time and Temperature
Cook the coated peanuts at 170°C or 340°F for approximately 8 to 10 minutes after preheating. The exact cooking time depends on the air fryer, the amount of surface moisture, and the thickness of the coating.
In a Ninja Foodi or another powerful air fryer, begin checking at 7 to 8 minutes. Shake the basket frequently because peanuts near the edges may brown faster.
Storage
Let the air fryer masala peanuts cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Store them at room temperature and keep the container away from moisture.
If the peanuts soften, air fry them at 160°C or 320°F for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool completely before serving or storing them again.
Related recipes
Air Fryer Masala Peanuts recipes
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Mixing bowl
- strainer
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw peanuts with skin
- ¼ cup red lentil flour
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder optional
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 small pinch baking soda
- 4 teaspoons oil divided
- Water for soaking
Instructions
- Cover the raw peanuts with water and leave them to soak for 15 minutes.
- Pour the peanuts into a strainer. Drain thoroughly without drying their surface completely.
- Place the damp peanuts in a mixing bowl. Add the red lentil flour, chili powder, chaat masala, turmeric, salt, and baking soda.
- Add 3 teaspoons of oil and toss until the flour mixture coats the peanuts. Separate large clumps.
- Preheat the air fryer to 170°C or 340°F for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the coated peanuts loosely in the basket. Spray or drizzle with the remaining oil.
- Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes. Shake the basket and separate the peanuts every 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the peanuts once the coating looks dry and crisp. Cool completely before serving or storing.
Video
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
The peanuts may have retained too much water, the coating may be too thick, or the basket may have been overcrowded. Drain the peanuts thoroughly, use a thin flour coating, shake the basket during cooking, and let the finished peanuts cool completely.
Coated masala peanuts generally take 8 to 10 minutes at 170°C or 340°F in a preheated air fryer. Shake and separate them every 3 to 4 minutes, and begin checking early because air fryer models vary.
Yes. This recipe uses red lentil flour instead of chickpea flour. Red lentil flour creates a crisp coating and can be made at home by finely grinding dry red lentils and sifting the flour.
More Air Fryer Snack Recipes
These air fryer masala peanuts are an easy alternative to deep-fried coated peanuts. The red lentil flour creates a crisp, flavorful layer while the air fryer keeps the method simple and uses only a small amount of oil.
For more snack ideas, explore these air fryer Indian recipes, or make a batch of roasted almonds or roasted cashews.
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