Herb Roasted Almonds

Rosemary, thyme, and parsley give these roasted almonds a wonderful fragrance and herby flavor.

Happy Hour or Tapas Time?

In the States, we might call it a Happy Hour snack, but in Spain, tapas typically fills the gap between an early afternoon lunch and an evening dinner, and it's quite a big deal.

I remember wandering through the streets of Barcelona, right about the time our American tummies were getting hungry for dinner, the restaurants were packed, but not for dinner.

It was tapas time.

Friends and family would gather to relax and enjoy conversation after the day's work, a glass of sangria in hand. The tables typically held an array of plates filled with finger food: croquettes, olives, cheese, sausage, potatoes, nuts, etc.

Gathering With Friends For Tapas

Contrary to most American restaurant gatherings, the food wasn't the purpose of their meeting. The conversation and time to enjoy life was why they were there. It was a chance to slow down after a busy day, and a chance to ease into an evening of enjoyment.

The concept of slowing down to enjoy life is one of the things I miss most when returning home from a trip overseas. We try to make an effort for longer, more relaxed meals and time to slow down. But, what is built into many European cultures seems to take so much effort here.

Time management is preached from the roof-tops: don't waste a second.

There's always more to do, and we're always working for the next 'best' thing. Which leads to our constant complaint of not enough hours in a day. We just can't say 'no,' in order to free up our schedule for that much-needed down time.

When do we relax? When do we enjoy life?

In the States though, tapas bars seem to be the 'new thing'. People crave that idea of slowing down and having an evening focused around friendship and conversation.

It's good to see the desire and trend growing.

And, every time I think about tapas, it reminds me that I need to put a little more effort into holding onto the mindset of slowing down to enjoy life rather than running through it.

Our Herb Roasted Almonds Tapas Recipe

For today's Tapas party we're bringing Herb Roasted Almonds to give a bit of crunch to the spread.

Rosemary, thyme, parsley, and tarragon give these almonds a fantastic and unique flavor. (Don't mind the fact that you can't see the herbs in the pictures. We couldn't keep our hands out of the bowl, so they were a bit shuffled up by the time pictures happened, and many of the herbs had fallen to the bottom of the bowl. Not to worry though, the flavors still linger on the almonds, even without the leafy residue.)

These almonds are so easy to make, and they're the perfect way to jazz up your afternoon stack, even if you're not enjoying it with friends.

But, maybe, the wonderful flavor, aroma, and crunch will remind you to slow down, just a little.

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3.70 from 10 votes

Herb Roasted Almonds

Rosemary, thyme, and parsley give these roasted almonds a wonderful fragrance and herby flavor.

Yield: 1 ½ c almonds

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 144kcal

Author: Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere

Ingredients

• 1 ½ c whole almonds, unsalted
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon rosemary, ground
• ½ teaspoon parsley
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ⅛ teaspoon tarragon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Place almonds in a small bowl and drizzle with oil. Stir with a spatula to coat almonds with oil. Add herbs and stir until evenly distributed.
• Place almonds in a single layer on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
• Roast almonds for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Nuts are done when deep brown and fragrant.

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.3g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12.5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 97mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g

If you're ready to slow down, grab a glass of Sangria, and spend some time enjoying good company, we've got a great list of dishes for you to host your very own tapas party! 

Here's what's on the Tapas Table:

Clams in Green Sauce (Almejas en Salsa Verde) from The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Herb and Citrus Marinated Olives from Magnolia Days
Gambas al Ajillo from Manu's Menu
Squid in Garlic Chili Olive Oil from Food Lust People Love
Tortilla Española from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Croquetas de Pollo from Cookin' Mimi
Tortillita de Camarones from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Patatas A La Riojana (Rioja-Style Potato & Chorizo Stew) from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Gambas al Ajillo y Clementina (Shrimp with Garlic and Clementines) from FoodieTots
Tortillas De Papa y Atun (Tuna and Potatoes Tortilla) from Basic N Delicious
Polenta Crostini Bites with Caramelized Mushrooms: Cicchetti - A Venetian Tapas Tradition from La Bella Vita Cucina

And you know you can't have tapas without wine. Martin Redmond is here to give you the perfect recommendations: Best Wines To Pair With Tapas from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Sarah - Curious Cuisiniere

Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.

www.curiouscuisiniere.com/about/