Hawaiian style boiled peanuts have the distinct flavor of anise and ginger, making them a salty and slightly sweet snack!

If you’ve never had Hawaiian boiled peanuts before, you’re in for a treat with this Instant Pot recipe!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase, this site may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Growing up in the south, boiled peanuts were a regional delicacy.

Often sold at roadside stands and flea markets, the tender peanuts were soaked in salty brine and made a delicious snack.

We would sit on the front porch during the summer and eat the peanuts in one sitting, brine dripping from our wrists.

Since I no longer live in an area where boiled peanuts are sold, I learned how to make them myself at home! Now I can enjoy this salty snack whenever the hankering hits! 🙂

In the south, two varieties were commonly sold: plain boiled peanuts and Cajun boiled peanuts.

I’ve shared some of my favorite boiled peanuts recipes in the past, which led to some readers telling me about Hawaiian boiled peanuts. I knew I had to try them!

More Boiled Peanuts Recipes:

• Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts
• Crockpot Boiled Peanuts
• Instant Pot Cajun Boiled Peanuts
• Crockpot Cajun Boiled Peanuts
• Easy Stove Top Boiled Peanuts
• Nashville Hot Boiled Peanuts

What Are Hawaiian Boiled Peanuts Like?

I admit that I had never even heard of Hawaiian style boiled peanuts before they were suggested to me, so I had to do a little research to find out what set them apart from their southern counterpart.

It seems that Hawaiian boiled peanuts are similar to Chinese boiled peanuts, but I found pretty vast differences in opinions when it comes to what is considered to be Hawaiian boiled peanuts.

From what I’ve read, Hawaiian boiled peanuts are typically cooked with Hawaiian sea salt and some star anise.

If you aren’t familiar with star anise, it has a taste similar to licorice.

From there, opinions vary, with some adding fresh ginger, which gives them a slightly sweet and lightly spiced flavor in addition to the saltiness.

Others decrease the sea salt and add soy sauce. Some prefer a spicier version, adding peppercorns, chili powder, or cayenne pepper.

I opted to add a bit of fresh ginger, but I didn’t really want spiciness, so I didn’t add any pepper.

But feel free to play around with the recipe if you’d like. You can omit the ginger or you can add pepper or soy sauce!

How to Make Hawaiian Boiled Peanuts in the Instant Pot

My favorite way to make boiled peanuts is in the pressure cooker!

It’s so much faster, and you don’t have to worry about stirring the peanuts occasionally. It’s a “set it and forget it” type of recipe!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Raw peanuts in the shell (not roasted peanuts)
• Coarse Hawaiian sea salt (I used Red Alaea Hawaiian sea salt)
• Whole Pieces of dried star anise pods
• Fresh ginger, sliced thinly
• Enough water to cover the ingredients

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Sort and Combine. First you’ll rinse and sort through the peanuts, removing any debris.

Combine all of the ingredients in the insert pot of your Instant Pot.

You’ll want to add enough water to cover everything.

Weigh down the peanuts. Because the peanuts will float, you’ll need to weigh them down so they stay in the liquid while they cook.

To do this, simply take the trivet that came with your Instant Pot and put it on top of the peanuts. Then, put a little heatproof dish (I use a small Pyrex bowl) on top of the trivet to keep it weighed down.

Pressure Cook. Last, you’ll close the lid and set the vent to the sealed position.

Cook at high pressure for 80 minutes, then allow a natural release of pressure.

Notes and Adaptations:

• If you like your boiled peanuts very soft, I’d recommend adding another 10 minutes of cook time.
• As written, this recipe produces a mild flavor. If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can increase the star anise and ginger.
• Store boiled peanuts in their brine, as this will keep them from drying out and also intensify their flavor over time.
• Raw peanuts can typically be found in the produce section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them locally, you can also order them from Amazon.