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With green walnuts, you can make traditional Italian nocino liqueur, pickled walnuts, walnut ketchup, and a range of other culinary and household products.
You can also use green walnuts in natural remedies and DIY beauty treatments.
The green walnuts are the young, unripe walnuts harvested in early summer before the hard shell forms inside.
If you’re wondering what you can do with green walnuts, you’re in the right place.
In this post, we’ll explore what you can do with green walnuts, from making nocino to pickling them, plus some surprising uses you probably haven’t considered.
Let’s get into it.
What Can You Do With Green Walnuts?
Green walnuts are incredibly versatile, and here’s what you can do with them:
1. Make Nocino Liqueur
Nocino is a traditional Italian liqueur made from green walnuts, and it’s probably the most popular thing you can do with green walnuts.
To make nocino, you harvest green walnuts in late June when they’re still soft enough to pierce with a knife.
You quarter them, steep them in alcohol for about 40 days, and sweeten the result with a simple syrup and spices like cinnamon and cloves.
The result is a dark, rich liqueur with a distinct nutty, spicy flavor that you can sip after dinner or drizzle over ice cream.
2. Pickle Green Walnuts
Pickled walnuts are a British classic, and they’re another great thing you can do with green walnuts.
You prick the green walnuts all over, soak them in brine for a couple of weeks, then leave them to dry until they turn black.
After that, you simmer them in a spiced vinegar mixture and jar them up.
The result is a tangy, savory pickle that pairs beautifully with cheese, cold meats, or a ploughman’s lunch.
If you’ve never tried what you can do with green walnuts beyond the usual, pickling is a fun project worth trying.
3. Ferment Walnut Ketchup
Walnut ketchup is an old-fashioned condiment, and it’s a unique answer to what you can do with green walnuts.
You blend green walnuts with vinegar, salt, and spices, then let the mixture ferment for a few weeks.
Once it’s ready, you strain it and bottle the dark, savory sauce.
It tastes a bit like Worcestershire sauce, and it’s excellent on meats, stews, or anything that needs a flavor boost.
4. Create Natural Dye
You can use green walnuts to make a rich brown natural dye.
The hulls contain juglone, a compound that stains everything it touches.
You simmer the green walnuts in water, strain the liquid, and use it to dye fabric, yarn, or even wood.
Just be careful, because this dye is permanent and will stain your hands and countertops if you’re not careful.
5. Make Herbal Remedies
Green walnuts have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, and that’s another thing you can do with green walnuts.
People make tinctures from green walnuts to support digestive health and as a general tonic.
Some herbalists use green walnut hulls to make salves for skin conditions.
Always consult a professional before using green walnuts for medicinal purposes.
How to Harvest Green Walnuts
Knowing when and how to harvest green walnuts is key if you want to use them.
1. Timing Matters
You need to harvest green walnuts in early summer, usually late June or early July.
At this stage, the walnuts are still green, and the shell inside hasn’t hardened yet.
If you wait too long, the shell forms and the walnuts become too hard to use.
2. Test With a Knife
To check if green walnuts are ready, pierce one with a knife.
If the knife goes through easily, they’re ready to harvest.
If it’s tough or you hit a hard shell, they’re too mature for most green walnut uses.
3. Wear Gloves
Always wear gloves when handling green walnuts.
The juglone in the hulls will stain your hands a deep yellow-brown that lasts for days and is almost impossible to wash off.
So grab some gloves before you start working with green walnuts.
Tips for Using Green Walnuts
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you use green walnuts.
1. Work Quickly
Green walnuts start to oxidize and darken as soon as you cut them.
So if you’re making nocino or pickles, prepare your recipe right after harvesting.
2. Use Glass or Ceramic Containers
When you steep green walnuts in alcohol or vinegar, use glass or ceramic containers.
Metal can react with the juglone and other compounds in green walnuts.
3. Store Properly
Finished products like nocino, pickled walnuts, and walnut ketchup should be stored in cool, dark places.
This helps them last longer and keeps their flavor intact.
So, What Can You Do With Green Walnuts?
You can do a lot with green walnuts, from making nocino liqueur and pickled walnuts to fermenting walnut ketchup and creating natural dye.
Green walnuts are versatile, and they’ve been used for generations in both cooking and traditional remedies.
Whether you’re a forager, a home cook, or someone who loves DIY projects, green walnuts offer plenty of opportunities to get creative.
Just remember to harvest them at the right time, wear gloves, and use the right containers.
With a little effort, you’ll find that green walnuts are one of the most rewarding ingredients you can work with.