Vegan carrot cake topped with walnuts on a white cake stand

22 walnut recipes

Janine Ratcliffe

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Use crunchy walnuts in our easy bakes, including cakes and cookies, or try our savoury walnut recipes, like salads and mains

Looking to use up a pack of whole or chopped walnuts? Want to bake an easy cake or batch of cookies? Or, try using walnuts in our savoury recipes, such as simple salads or a vegetarian main. See our recipes below for plenty of inspiration, or try our ground almond recipes, almond recipes, almond butter recipes, pecan recipes and cashew recipes.

Why we love walnuts

A bag of walnuts is always a helpful staple to have in the storecupboard. Whether simply eaten as a healthy snack, added to bakes such as a coffee and walnut cake, or scattered over salads for added crunch, they're a versatile addition to your recipes.

Health benefits of walnuts

Walnuts are rich in fats, but this is mainly high amounts of polyunsaturated fats, which offer potential benefits for both brain health and function. They also contain ellagic acid, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that appear to play an important role in managing the progression of several diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

Easy walnut recipes

Brown butter, walnut and caramelised white chocolate cookies

Give your biscuit tin a treat with these brown butter, walnut and caramelised white chocolate cookies. Toasting the walnuts in browned butter adds a rich, nutty depth, while caramelised white chocolate brings a sweet, buttery hit to in every bite.

Brown butter, walnut and caramelised white chocolate cookies

Date and walnut cake

Crunchy walnuts and sweet dates is a classic combo for a reason: try it here in this simple all-in-one loaf cake.

Cauliflower, walnut and apple salad

Make your salad so much more exciting with thinly sliced cauliflower florets, cubed apples, raisins, toasted walnuts and a quick mustard dressing.

Walnut, anchovy, chard and goat’s cheese pasta

Goat’s cheese and pasta water combine into a creamy, tangy sauce for this pasta, finished with toasted walnuts and tender chard for added crunch and colour.

Two plates of walnut pasta with extra nuts on the side

Sweet-sour grilled aubergines

Roughly chopped walnuts are scattered over aubergines, oregano, onion, feta, sumac and sesame seeds in this colourful veggie salad.

Cumin-roasted carrots and bulgur salad with sticky spiced walnuts and feta

Bring colour to your table with this cumin-roasted carrot and bulgur salad, finished with sticky spiced walnuts and creamy feta. Ideal alongside grilled lamb or fish, or hearty enough to enjoy on its own as a make-ahead dish.

A large platter dish with a carrot and walnut salad on top

Banana and walnut loaf cake

Roast whole walnuts, then chop to use in this simple bake. This easy loaf cake will be ready in just over an hour and is perfect with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee.

Roasted figs with labneh and spiced candied walnuts

Candied walnuts provide a satisfying sweet and sticky crunch to this autumnal salad, perfectly balancing the juicy figs and smooth labneh.

A plate of roasted figs on labneh with walnuts on top

Baked halibut with fennel, lemon and walnut pangrattato

A mild, sweet-flavoured flat fish with firm flesh, halibut is particularly well suited to roasting, ideal for easy entertaining or an elevated speedy midweek meal.

Baked halibut with fennel, lemon and walnut pangrattato on a baking dish with wedges of lemon

Salted honey caramel and walnut slice

You’ve tried salted caramel, but how about salted honey caramel? Impress your friends with these grown-up, multi-layered teatime treats.

Stilton, chard and walnut wellington

This stilton, chard and walnut wellington is packed with big, bold flavours and looks impressive but is still easy to make.

Classic vegan carrot cake

This classic frosted carrot cake is made with a surprising (vegan) ingredient that guarantees a moist sponge every time. Top with extra chopped walnuts for added texture.

Pear, gorgonzola and pickled walnut pizzettes

Enjoy these moreish mini pizzas as an aperitif or light lunch, topped with sweet and tangy pickled walnuts and drizzled with floral honey.

Three pear, gorgonzola and pickled walnut pizettes on a wooden board

Chocolate, meringue and walnut cookies

These dark and white chocolate cookies with walnut and meringue pieces are an easy afternoon treat that's crisp on the outside and soft and gooey in the middle.

Italian flatbread with pear, walnut and gorgonzola

The combination of gorgonzola, pears and walnuts is usually found in a salad, but works brilliantly in this molten cheesy bread. It’s great served hot but equally good when packed into lunchboxes the day after.

Charred onions with balsamic, walnuts and ricotta

Brush sweet onions in a balsamic honey glaze, bake until tender and serve with dollops of creamy ricotta for an easy veggie side.

Sautéed greens

Walnuts are paired with yogurt and sumac in this flavour-packed vegetarian starter of sautéed greens.

A plate of greens topped with Greek yogurt and pomegranate seeds

Walnut layer cake

This walnut layer cake is a dry textured sweet cake with a satisfyingly nutty flavour. The meringue frosting adds a showstopping topping to the classic bake. Walnut cake is ideal for afternoon tea, as a celebration cake or simply to enjoy as a snack with a cup of tea; plus, it's really easy to make.

Cheese and walnut scones

Our freezable cheese scones take just 30 minutes to bake and make a great emergency snack that can be baked straight from frozen. The toasted walnuts give them a little extra crunch.

Smoked aubergine, pepper and walnut salad with pomegranate

Try this simple yet flavoursome salad recipe with crunchy pomegranates served with flatbreads. Use a handful of chopped walnuts to add crunchy texture.

Coffee and walnut Swiss roll

A Swiss roll is always fun to make, and this grown-up version of the classic recipe is just so delicious with its coffee, walnut and creamy mascarpone filling.

Cavolo nero, pink grapefruit, avocado and walnut salad

This salad, with its contrasting textures and flavours, is striking to look at and packed full of the nutrients our bodies crave. Plus, it's vegetarian, low in calories and gluten-free.

Coffee and walnut cupcakes

Coffee and walnut cake is a teatime favourite. We've given the classic a modern makeover with this recipe, which turns it into a cupcake. Pipe the icing sky-high for maximum cake drama.

Potted gorgonzola with figs and candied walnuts

This recipe for potted gorgonzola with figs and candied walnuts makes a great dinner party starer. Coat the walnuts with golden brown and caramelised, then leave to cool.

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe in a short sleeved long dress sitting on a chair beneath palm trees on a balcony

Janine RatcliffeFood director

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