Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts are such a great southern snack and go great with a cold beer. Green peanuts are slow cooked until soft with lots of spice. They are so fun to eat!

Boiled Peanuts in a blue bowl.

Southern Boiled Peanuts

Road trips in the South mean stops for boiled peanuts. I love pulling over at a roadside stand and buying a small paper bag full of them. They are such a wonderful salty snack with a very unique taste.

Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts

How Long To Slow Cook Peanuts

Making Boiled Peanuts in a crock pot is super easy. Much easier than cooking them stove-top. They take close to 24 hours cooking on LOW so I typically start them in the crock pot some time in the afternoon, check on them before I go to bed, and again in the morning. Sometimes you need to add just a little more water, but besides that it’s a completely hands off way to make this salty and delicious southern snack.

Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts

Type Of Peanuts To Use

To make Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts, you need to start with green raw peanuts. They are seasonal and can be found at many supermarkets and farmers markets when they are in season. Look for them during the months of August and September in the south.

green peanuts

If you can’t find green peanuts, you can use raw dried peanuts, but you will need to cook them longer. They have a much lower moisture content than green peanuts and it takes more time to get them soft.

Recipe Tip

Use green peanuts within a few days of purchasing them and store in a cool, dry place. They will grow mold in a hurry if you aren’t careful.

How To Make Them Spicy

The peanuts are slow cooked until they get soft. Add lots of seasonings, salt, and spices to the water and the peanuts will eventually soak up all that flavor. For spicy boiled peanuts I like to add sliced jalapenos, Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere’s is my favorite), and lots of red pepper flakes. Tabasco sauce is also a good choice.

Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts

How To Serve

Boiled peanuts can be eaten either warm or cold. I like them both ways, but if I had to choose, I prefer them cold, especially during the summer which tends to be when I do most of my boiled peanut eating. They go great with a cold beer. They can be served either as a snack or a party munchie. Leftover boiled peanuts are a great addition to a salad or stew.

Cooking time can vary greatly depending on you crock pot, the peanuts you use, and your personal preference. Some people like their boiled peanuts to still be firm, while others like them completely soft. It’s easy enough to take one out every now and then and sample it.

The salty, spicy cooking liquid eventually makes its way inside the shells and really flavors the peanuts.

Storage

Cooked boiled peanuts can be kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts

If you have an Instant Pot, be sure to try this Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts recipe.

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Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanut

4.95 from 20 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 22 hours
Total: 22 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Crock Pot Spicy Boiled Peanuts are such a great southern snack and go great with a cold beer. Green peanuts are slow cooked until soft with lots of spice. They are so fun to eat!
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds green peanuts
  • 3 jalapenos,, sliced
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons Creole or cajun seasoning,, I use Tony Chachere’s
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 10 cups water

Instructions 

  • Place peanuts in a 6-quart crock pot.
  • Add jalapenos, salt, red pepper flakes, cajun seasoning, and garlic powder.
  • Pour in approximately 10 cups of water.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 22 to 24 hours. You may need to add a little more water before they are finished cooking.
  • Drain and serve warm or cold.

Notes

If you can’t find green peanuts, you can use regular raw peanuts but they will take longer to get soft.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Originally published September 23, 2016.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

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74 Comments

  1. Joe Riz. says:

    I have used baking powder or baking soda on my peanuts , and they seem to get softer faster I put 2 teaspoons thatโ€™s per ten cups of water and they come out perfect.

  2. Sherry Murray says:

    Made this recipe ,added a little more cayenne and pepper flake, I also used salted, roasted peanuts instead and omitted the kosher salt. They came out awesome.

    1. Kristy R. says:

      Hi there, Sherry!
      I plan on making my own batch of boiled peanuts with my crock pot very soon, and noticed you used roasted peanuts. It seems many people recommend that you use green or raw peanuts, neither of which the availability in my area I’m sure of. Roasted peanuts being very accessible I plan on trying to use them, but there’s not a lot of recipes online explaining how to boil roasted peanuts in particular. I’d really appreciate any advice you can give based on how yours came out!
      Like how long to boil them, and at what setting?
      And anything else you can think to do different with roasted peanuts?

      I’d seriously appreciate your time and help! Thank you so much in advance =)
      -Kristy.

  3. Jim Petroski says:

    Christin, this recipe is great. I made it for the first time this week. My cooking took 27 hours since I used raw peanuts but they worked out perfectly. I made a different type of spice mix than yours, with more heat and bite, but this idea works with any spice level you want to make. I really like the idea of using fresh or canned peppers to add flavor. And it is so easy – thank you for sharing this.

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      Thanks Jim! Glad your peanuts came out perfectly!

  4. Elaine Burgett says:

    Made these last night and in 16 hours they were already pretty soft and edible. This recipe is great – nice heat and spice without being overpowering. So glad I chose this recipe – so simple and foolproof, it’s a keeper.

  5. Jen Bong says:

    Do I need to rinse before cooking and can I use fresh garlic instead?

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      It’s a good idea to rinse them and yes, you can use garlic.

  6. Leigh Lavender says:

    I love boiled peanuts when I can find them at the grocery to cook. I start mine in my pressure cooker, 10-15 lbs of pressure for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs, no salt, then transfer to the slow cooker with salt and seasonings to finish. I am always working with raw peanuts, and this method allows me to be snacking within a day.

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      I am going to have to try starting them in a pressure cooker! That is a great idea!

  7. Julie Bobikevich says:

    Learned how to make These a few years ago from a Florida Cracker . GREAT friend . GREAT boiled peanuts ! I added diced red bell peppers this time . of course jalapeno diced pepper, Cajun sseasoning and garlic power with sea salt . I am giving them to a girlfriend that is going through a very heartfelt felt time this Christmas. She is getting the entire crock pot full with an Extra bag of raw nuts on the side. And of course the Crockpot ! Merry Christmas to all and to all that made their boiled nuts a tasty day of sharing with others !๐Ÿ˜€

  8. Mike says:

    Do you think if I soaked my raw peanuts over night they would cook faster?

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      Yes, I think that would help some.

  9. Chuck G. says:

    I live in Florida and started my children on them early in life. They would push candy away to get to these. If you are a Yankee, it is an acquired taste. Keep at it, it is worth it.

  10. Bud says:

    I cooked mine for 12 hours in the crockpot on low and then for another 6 hours on high and they turned out perfect. Love boiled peanuts.

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      Thanks for the cooking time suggestions Bud. Glad you enjoyed them!