Savoury Pecan Granola (Grain-Free, Vegan)

Savoury Pecan Granola is quick and easy to make with hints of maple, garlic and sage. It’s perfect for topping soups and salads and it’s also grain-free, gluten-free and vegan! Stove top and oven instructions are included in the recipe.

How is it October already? It seems like just yesterday we were sitting on our back patio soaking up the warmth and sunshine of August, and now I’m looking out the window at the leaves falling from our maple tree.

Fall is in full swing, my friends. So break out the cozy sweaters, light up the fire place, and get ready to be hit with some warming spices, root vegetables and holiday treats (yes, I just said that)!

In the spirit of all things fall, today I’m sharing a savory granola recipe, which is going to be the perfect topping for all the fall flavoured soups, salads and roasted veggies you’ll be making over the next few months!

Ingredients for savoury vegan granola:

• Raw pecans
• Buckwheat flakes (or rolled oats for a grain version)
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sage
• Thyme
• Garlic
• Salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Maple syrup

How to make pecan granola:

In a skillet:

I love making this granola in a skillet as it browns and gets crispy quicker than in the oven. And while I prefer making it in my cast iron skillet, if you don’t have one, you can use a good old frying pan. (Both methods were tested!)

• Grease your skillet with some oil and pre-heat on medium.
• In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients, add your wet ingredients and then stir until well combined.
• Add the granola mixture to the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until browned and crispy. You’ll want to stir the mixture frequently as it will burn easily. If the pecans start to burn before the rest of the mixture is browned, just reduce the heat.
• Let the granola cool in the skillet, stirring occasionally as it will still brown in the skillet even after it is removed from the heat.

In the oven:

The oven method takes a little longer and the granola doesn’t get quite as toasty brown. But you don’t have to stir it so it’s less hands on than the skillet version. And if you prefer granola clusters instead of flakes, this is the method you’ll prefer. (See picture below).

• Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients, add your wet ingredients and then stir until well combined.
• Spread the granola mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and pack it down slightly.
• Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until it starts to brown. The key to baking granola is low and slow. There’s no need to stir it and the granola bakes together so you get crunchy clusters.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely on the pan. The granola will get crunchy as it cools.
• Once cooled, break apart into clusters.

Ways to enjoy savoury granola:

Since I’ve been recipe testing this granola quite a bit lately, I have some serving suggestions for you:

• Try it sprinkled on top of soups, especially creamy puréed soups like red pepper and butternut squash or roasted pear and parsnip. The granola adds flavour and texture, and can replace croutons or crackers.

• If you like nuts and seeds on top of your salads, try this savoury granola instead. It adds a different flavour and texture to salads and pairs nicely with a creamy goat cheese. I’ve already tried it with this balsamic roasted beet salad in place of the walnuts, and this citrus crunch salad is next on my list.

• It also goes well sprinkled on top of roasted root vegetables or butternut squash home fries, and will definitely jazz up some of your Thanksgiving side dishes.

How do you store savoury granola?

Like any homemade granola, make sure it is stored in an airtight container. It should keep at room temperature for 7-10 days. To extend the shelf life, you can also refrigerate it.

Some people say that refrigerating granola isn’t a great idea as the oats/buckwheat flakes could get soft, but since this granola has a high nut content, I refrigerated it and it maintained its crunchy texture.

You can also freeze granola and it should last up to 3 months stored in an airtight container in the freezer.

Recipe tips and substitutions:

• I used pecan halves in this recipe and just pulsed them into pieces in the food processor. This way you get a variety of large and small pieces. But you can also use just pecan pieces or chopped pecans. I’ve used them all. It just depends on how chunky you want your granola.

• When making this granola in a skillet, it really does burn easily and quickly. Stirring often will help prevent this. But if a little bit burns, don’t worry about it. Those pieces will mix into the granola and nobody will notice.

• If the pecans start to burn in the skillet before the rest of the granola browns, just reduce the heat.

• I used fresh sage and thyme in this recipe, but I’ve also made it with dried herbs. Just reduce the amount by one-third as dried herbs are usually more potent than fresh.

• If you don’t have buckwheat flakes and don’t need this granola to be grain-free, you can use rolled oats. Just make sure they are certified gluten-free in order to keep the granola gluten-free.

• Don’t have any pumpkin seeds? Try using sunflower seeds instead.

If you make this savory granola, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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Savoury Pecan Granola (Grain-Free, Vegan)

★★★★★ 5 from 8 reviews

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 cups
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stove top or Oven
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

Savoury Pecan Granola is quick and easy to make with hints of maple, garlic and sage. It’s perfect for topping soups and salads and it’s also grain-free, gluten-free and vegan! Stove top and oven instructions are included in the recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup raw pecan pieces
• 1 cup buckwheat flakes
• 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

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Instructions

Prepare in a skillet:

1. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or frying pan) with extra virgin olive oil and pre-heat the pan on medium.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pecans, buckwheat flakes, pumpkin seeds, sage, thyme, garlic and salt. Add in the oil and maple syrup and stir until well combined.
3. Add the granola mixture to the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until browned and crispy. You’ll want to stir the mixture frequently as it will burn easily, and reduce the heat to low if the pecans start to burn before the granola is browned.
4. Let the granola cool in the skillet, stirring occasionally as it will still brown in the skillet even after it is removed from the heat. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

Prepare in the oven:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pecans, buckwheat flakes, pumpkin seeds, sage, thyme, garlic and salt. Add in the oil and maple syrup and stir until well combined.
3. Spread the granola mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and pack it down slightly.
4. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the granola starts to brown. Do not stir.
5. Remove from oven and let cool completely on the pan. The granola will get crunchy as it cools. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

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Notes

1. I used pecan halves in this recipe and just pulsed them in the food processor to create a variety of large and small pieces. But you can just use pecan pieces or chopped pecans. It depends on how chunky you want your granola.
2. If making this granola in a skillet, it really can burn easily and quickly. Stirring often will help prevent this. But if a little bit burns, it incorporates nicely into the granola mix so don’t worry too much about it.
3. I used fresh sage and thyme in this recipe, but you can also use dried herbs. Just reduce the amount by one-third as dried herbs are usually more potent than fresh.
4. You can substitute rolled oats for the buckwheat flakes. Just keep in mind that it won’t be grain-free. Ensure the oats are certified gluten-free to keep the granola gluten-free.
5. This granola will keep at room temperature for 7-10 days, or in the refrigerator for longer. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Keywords: savoury granola, savory granola, savory vegan granola, pecan granola