Walnut
Walnuts bring rich, earthy depth to everything from salads to baked goods — and your body will thank you too.
In a nutshell
Walnuts are the wrinkled, brain-shaped nuts of the Juglans regia tree, prized for their bold, slightly bitter flavor and satisfying crunch. They’re one of the most nutritionally celebrated nuts in the American pantry, loaded with healthy fats and plant protein. Whether toasted and tossed into a salad or folded into brownie batter, they deliver flavor and substance in equal measure.
Nutrition
≈ 88 Calories and 8.8g fat per tablespoon.
Walnuts stand out nutritionally because the majority of their fat comes from polyunsaturated fatty acids, including a notably high concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 that supports heart and brain health. They’re a solid plant-based protein source and pack meaningful fiber to support digestion and satiety. Walnuts also provide magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese, along with vitamin E and a range of polyphenol antioxidants concentrated in the papery skin — a good reason not to over-blanch them. Research consistently links regular walnut consumption with improved cardiovascular markers and reduced inflammation. Nutrition per 100 g.
Culinary uses & pairings
In the kitchen, walnuts shine when toasted in a dry skillet or 350 °F (175 °C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes — heat tames the bitterness and deepens that nutty, almost buttery flavor. Chop them coarsely for salads, grain bowls, oatmeal, and yogurt parfaits, or fold them into banana bread, carrot cake, muffins, and brownies where their slight bitterness balances sweetness beautifully.
Walnuts also work in savory territory. Blitzed with olive oil, basil, and Parmesan they make a rustic, full-flavored walnut pesto; ground fine, they can crust chicken or fish before pan-searing. Their meaty texture makes them a popular ground-meat substitute in tacos and Bolognese-style sauces for plant-forward eating.
Pairs well with
Substitutions
Buying & storage
Look for walnuts sold as halves and pieces in vacuum-sealed bags or airtight containers — exposure to air is their enemy. Halves should be plump and uniformly tan without shriveling, dark spotting, or a rancid, paint-like smell (a sure sign of oxidized oils). Buying in bulk bins can save money but check that turnover is high; stale walnuts are a real risk. English walnuts are the standard grocery-store variety, and California-grown walnuts harvested in fall (September through November) tend to be noticeably fresher than nuts that have sat in warehouses for months.
Varieties
- English Walnut (Juglans regia): The standard supermarket walnut, with a thin shell, mild-to-moderately bitter flavor, and the familiar wrinkled kernel. The vast majority of US commercial walnuts are this type, grown in California’s Central Valley.
- Black Walnut (Juglans nigra): Native to North America, with an intensely earthy, almost funky flavor that is much bolder than the English variety. Hard to crack but beloved in regional baking, ice cream, and candy — a true American original.
- Chandler: The most widely planted commercial English walnut cultivar in California; prized for its large, light-colored kernel and mild, sweet-toned flavor.
- Hartley: An older California cultivar with a slightly stronger flavor and darker skin; often found in farmers market or specialty settings.
Recipes using walnut
116 recipes across our recipe sites use walnut. A few favorites:
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History & origin
Walnuts are among the oldest tree foods consumed by humans, with evidence of consumption dating back at least 9,000 years in parts of Central Asia and southeastern Europe. The Romans called them Jovis glans — the “acorn of Jupiter” — and spread cultivation throughout Europe as their empire expanded. English walnuts arrived in North America with Spanish missionaries in the 18th century, and by the late 19th century California growers had established commercial orchards that would eventually make the US one of the world’s leading walnut exporters. Black walnuts, meanwhile, were a staple food and dye source for many Indigenous peoples long before European arrival.
How it’s made
English walnuts grow on large deciduous trees that take four to seven years after planting to bear fruit and can produce for over a century. The edible kernel develops inside a hard shell, which is itself enclosed in a green, fleshy hull. At harvest (typically September through November in California), mechanical tree-shakers knock the nuts to the ground, where they’re swept into rows and picked up by harvesters. The green hulls are removed quickly to prevent staining and off-flavors, then the in-shell nuts are washed, dried to a safe moisture level, and sorted. Most retail walnuts are then cracked and separated into halves, pieces, and meal before packaging.
Good to know
- Walnuts contain more omega-3 ALA per ounce than any other tree nut — about 2.5 grams per 1-oz (28g) serving.
- The brown papery skin covering the kernel holds the highest concentration of walnut’s antioxidant polyphenols, so blanching to remove it also strips significant nutrition.
- California produces roughly 99% of the US walnut supply and is consistently among the world’s top walnut-producing regions.
- Black walnut hulls have been used for centuries as a natural dye, producing a rich, permanent dark-brown color that was used to stain wood and fabric.
- A walnut tree can live and produce nuts for 150 years or more under good conditions.
