Black Walnuts Flavor Newsletter

The nut that tastes like blue cheese (to me!)

Jan 06, 2024

Black Walnuts

Black walnuts are a staple in many foragers’ pantries: they’re abundant to harvest, unusually high in protein, and boast a flavor unlike any other nut. While they maintain the earthy, slightly bitter-sweetness of English walnuts (the ones we commonly eat), Black walnuts also have an additional flavor that is quite savory. When raw, they have a noticeable woody funkiness that reminds some eaters of blue cheese. This flavor is easily tempered through both cooking and strategic flavor pairings, making it adaptable to both sweet and savory dishes. Black walnuts bring a pleasant earthiness to ice creams and cakes, and maturate the flavors of vegetable sides and soups.

Their versatility and ubiquity in the wild have made them easily available online and in grocery stores, with brands like Hammon’s packaging wild-foraged nuts for retail purchase. If you’re having trouble finding them in the nuts section of your local store, check the baking section, where they can often be found alongside chopped English walnuts and slivered almonds. Or, if you’re trying to bulk up, you can even snag some black walnut protein powder to add to your morning smoothies.

Check below for several ways to get and cook black walnuts, and find more culinary inspiration on The Wild Grocery Podcast.

Get The Recipe

Black Walnut Brussels. This week I tested and shot five different recipes - but this one pulled in front as the clear winner from the bunch. While I usually prefer to use black walnuts in sweet applications, this recipe leans into the nut’s flavors that remind me of blue cheese. Listen to the making of this recipe on The Wild Grocery Podcast.