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I've been trying to make wasabi and soy sauce almonds, like the ones you find at the store (Blue Diamond) but the only recipe I've found (food.com) is very underwhelming. Despite using varying increasing amounts of wasabi, the spicy factor is non-existant.

I suspect the heat from baking causes wasabi flavor to lose it's intensity, so it must be added at the end. But, I haven't been able to find anything to coat the almonds to the outer shell and maintain the roasted/crunchy almond exterior.

Since wasabi powder is "matured" [and activated] with water and a short (covered) resting period, refining it into more powdery makes it stick better but still not spicy.

How do I get my wasabi almonds to come out spicy?

Note: I have also tried horseradish on almonds (which is just wasabi without food coloring) and baking it off.

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    Maybe you should try roasting the almonds first at a higher temperature than the recipe indicates, but without the wasabi coating. Then coat them with the wasabi mixture and let them sit in the oven at a considerably lower temperature, drying them out rather than baking them. More work, yes, but if you suspect that the heat takes the edge off the wasabi, perhaps it will be worth it.
    – Henrik Söderlund
    Dec 28, 2010 at 9:04
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    Building on this idea, what about mixing the wasabi with a small amount of egg white and tossing it on the already roasted nuts, then putting them back in the oven at a very low temperature, just long enough to set the egg white?
    – Michael Natkin
    Dec 29, 2010 at 7:37
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    Wasabi is not the same as horseradish. I know that what's offered in grocery stores in the USA is dyed horseradish, but that doesn't mean that it's wasabi. There's one wasabi grower in Oregon and there are true wasabi sources from Japan. Thanks.
    – user9273
    Feb 25, 2012 at 0:32
  • @Mike we insist that answers are actually a solution to the question. You supplied relevant info which doesn't solve the problem, so I converted it to a comment.
    – rumtscho ♦
    Feb 25, 2012 at 0:41

6 Answers 6

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Wasabi can also be activated by oil. So. Make yourself a nice intense wasabi oil, add equal part by weight of maltodextrin, stir. Voila, a nice sticky powder perfect for adhering to your almonds.

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  • corn starch and maltodextrin aren't the same thing. maltodextrin is derived form cornstarch, but is a different thing entirely. and what, exactly, do you think the manufacturers use to coat the snacks? from wasabi peas to nacho chips, the answer to 'what is that powdery residue on my fingers' is 'maltodextrin.'
    – daniel
    Dec 30, 2010 at 1:24
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    maltodextrin was fairly easy to find too, at the homebrew store: stores.mdhb.com/-strse-977/MALTO-DEXTRIN-8OZ-for/Detail.bok 8oz for $1.65
    – OpenID-test2
    Jun 15, 2011 at 0:37
  • I think you need not just any maltodextrin, but specifically n-zorbit brand tapioca maltodextrin. That's the one that has been modified to absorb oil instead of water. On food ingredient labels it will still say just maltodextrin or tapioca maltodextrin, but they aren't all the same.
    – Michael Natkin
    Aug 10, 2011 at 15:01
  • This does not work for me. Oil does not activate the wasabi.
    – dlsso
    Nov 11, 2017 at 20:52
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Heating wasabi up drives off all the volatiles (Taste) so therefore the flavour needs to added cold. This is done in the same way that colours and flavours are added to jelly beans, by tumbling and then drying.

It is possible (highly probable) that they are using mustard which doesn't degrade as much with heat. They are only calling them wasabi nuts to use the latest food buzzword.

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  • Out of "frustration", I bought a can late last night to see if they used anything else. Horseradish is up there on the ingredients list but I'll try anything at this point. If I had real wasabi, I wouldn't waste them on almonds :)
    – Lam Chau
    Dec 29, 2010 at 0:45
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Just an opinion from me.

I took a look at your recipe. Have you tried to sprinkle extra couple of teaspoons of wasabi powder in between Step 9 & 10? I think if you sprinkle the wasabi powder between the almonds cool down, the powder will stick on the almonds and should give you the kick you are after.

Good Luck

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I simply toss my almonds (or edamame) in olive oil, dry roast them (single layer) about an hour. Remove from oven, let cool (a little), Spray them with "PAM" (olive oil), place in zip lock bag and toss in wasabi powder. The spray olive oil ensures that most all of wasabi powder adheres to the nuts. Be careful though~~~ the "spicy-ness" will blow your head off!!!

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perhaps do like chex mix and combine soy sauce with the wasabi and then sprinkle on your almonds and bake.

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Try using raw almonds soak them in water twelve hrs to remove toxins coat in a salt and wasabi powder mix and place in a dehydrator

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    What toxins do you suspect in raw almonds, and why would they be removed after a soak?
    – rumtscho ♦
    Feb 23, 2014 at 0:01

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