Slow Cooker Boiled Peanuts

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/24/22
Tested by
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Tested by Danielle Centoni

Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Slow Cooker Boiled Peanuts

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Boiled peanuts are a Southern favorite, a snack that can be found throughout the South during the peanut harvest. While it may be a tradition to stop by your favorite peanut stand on the way to a game, they're also very easy to make at home. The classic recipe for boiled peanuts calls for an open fire, but it's very easy to make them on a stovetop and even easier to boil them using the crockpot method.

Peanuts are a healthy treat and great source of healthy fats, phosphorus, potassium, fiber, and B vitamins. A 100-gram serving of boiled peanuts offers around 13.5 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber and 318 calories. Considering an average adult should eat 30 grams of fiber a day, having this treat on occasion is a great addition to a balanced diet, even if it's high in calories.

The key to great boiled peanuts is to use freshly harvested raw or so-called "green" peanuts. Even if not green in color, these fresh peanuts will yield the best flavor and texture. If you can't find them, you can use dried raw peanuts and increase the cook time. The second most important thing is to use plenty of salt and, as you see in this recipe, we mean a lot of it. The hardest part is to wait until they're done, as the smells will spread through your house and make you crave a handful of these salty soft peanuts. Eat them in the Southern fashion with a beer, a chilled sweet tea, or a cold can of cola.

Slow Cooker Boiled Peanuts/Tester Image

"Boiling peanuts until tender makes them wonderfully savory, salty and meatier, too. I couldn’t find green raw peanuts, so I used dried raw peanuts, which require a longer cook time. I cooked mine for 13 hours and they were quite tender. Soaking them the night before would have sped up the process."—Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh or dried raw peanuts in the shell

  • 1/2 cup salt

  • 2 1/2 quarts water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Slow Cooker Boiled Peanuts ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Place the peanuts in a colander and wash them until the water runs clear.

    peanuts in a colander

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Place the cleaned peanuts in a crockpot and add the salt and water. Stir well and cover. Cook on high for 5 to 7 hours if using fresh, 12 to 24 hours if using dried. If necessary, add more water to keep the peanuts covered in liquid.

    peanuts in a slow cooker

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Once done, carefully drain the water and place the peanuts in a colander in the sink to allow the remaining moisture to drip away.

    Slow Cooker Boiled Peanuts in a colander

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Spicy Peanuts

Boiled peanuts a fantastic snack food, but they also make great party appetizers. For a spicy version, simply boil the peanuts with a little spice. Add a tablespoon of your favorite Cajun seasoning to the slow cooker. You can mix and match other seasonings and add liquid smoke, red chili flakes, or garlic powder to your liking.

How to Store Green and Boiled Peanuts

Peanut season typically begins in mid-summer and runs through the fall months. If you want to make boiled peanuts, take advantage of this time.

Before boiling, your green peanuts should be refrigerated for no longer than four days. When they were actually harvested will affect how long they will stay fresh, so keep an eye on them and boil them up as soon as possible.

After boiling, the peanuts' shells get very soft. This contributes to a shorter shelf-life. Serve straight away as well for best results. After 24 hours left at room temperature, they may get soggy and begin to smell. If you made too many, it's best to refrigerate or even freeze the peanuts. 

What's the Difference Between Green and Raw Peanuts?

Green peanuts are freshly harvested peanuts that haven't been processed in any way. Because they haven't been cooked, these peanuts have high water content, which makes them less shelf-stable. They're usually found during harvest time in farmer's markets or online retailers. Most people outside the Southern United States have never heard of them because by the time peanuts hit other states in the U.S. they're either roasted or dried.

Raw peanuts have been dehydrated to some extent to reduce the water content and prolong their shelf life. If you can't find green peanuts for this recipe, use raw peanuts, but soak them overnight to add some of the moisture back and reduce the cooking time.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
214 Calories
19g Fat
6g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 214
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 604mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 47mg 4%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 267mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Peanuts, all types, cooked, boiled, with salt. FoodData Central. Updated April 1, 2019.

  2. Harvard Health. Should I be eating more fiber? February 27, 2019.