You may have had a Hatch pepper snack mix before, but we promise you this is the BEST EVER Hatch pepper snack mix. What makes it so good? It’s sweet, it’s salty, and it’s spicy – and it has just enough kick to keep you coming back for more.
The secret ingredient in this spice mix is a new product from Melissas: Hatch Pepper Seasoning. This seasoning is a little different from Hatch chile powder. It contains Hatch pepper chile powder, along with salt, garlic powder, mustard powder, cumin, coriander, and dehydrated vegetables like onion, pepper, and celery.
Put it all together and you have a savory, tangy flavoring that makes just about everything taste a little more delicious.
What are Hatch Peppers?
Before we get to the spice mix, let’s take a look at Hatch chile peppers. Hatch chiles grow exclusively in the Hatch Valley, just north of Las Cruces in New Mexico. (Worth noting: Only chiles grown in this valley may carry this name.) What makes them unique is that the climate there reaches high daytime temperatures and extremely low nighttime temperatures, resulting in a uniquely smoky and robustly flavored pepper that any chile lover can easily identify. Their unusually thick flesh makes them great for chiles rellenos as well as many other chile dishes. Plus, you can add them to sandwiches, soups, salsas, salads, dips, and more.
They come in a variety of heat levels, and you can buy them fresh, roasted, dried, or in powder form. Roasted, stemmed, and peeled, Hatch chile peppers can also freeze well for several months. And of course, the chile powder and seasonings will stay fresh on your shelf for at least a year.
How Do You Make Snack Mix?
Truly, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to snack mix. Pack together whatever snacks you like, and you’re on your way. But we have found that there are some elements that really hold together a good snack mix. You want something salty and something a little bit sweet to balance it out. If you like spicy, it’s good to have a little kick in there too. And you also want to make a nice contrast between textures. That means definitely having something crunchy (usually nuts, pretzels, or cereal) and something chewy (usually dried fruits).
We tried to put a little of everything into this snack mix to make it all pull together nicely.
Hatch Pepper Snack Mix Recipe
Hatch Pepper Snack Mix
A sweet, salty, and spicy snack mix made with Hatch Pepper Seasoning.
Ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 3 cups mixed nuts, preferably not salted
- 2 1/2 tbsp Melissa's Hatch Pepper Seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups mini pretzel (small sticks or other tiny pretzel shapes
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup M & Ms
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, using an electric beater, whip the egg white until it is stiff and white. Pour the mixed nuts into the bowl and stir to coat the nuts evenly with the egg white. (This coating is what will allow the spices to stick.) Pour the Hatch Pepper Seasoning into the bowl and stir to coat evenly.
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Line the cookie sheet (or sheets) with parchment paper. Pour the nut mixture onto the cookie sheet, spreading it out so the nuts will bake evenly. Bake at 300 degrees F. for 10 minutes, turn the nuts, and then bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. The nuts should be crispy and evenly coated with the spices.
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In a large bowl, mix together the spiced nuts (make sure they are cool so they don't melt the chocolate), pretzels, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and M & Ms. Serve immediately or store in a cool, dry place.
Tips for Making Hatch Pepper Snack Mix
Tip 1: Why is there an egg white in this snack mix?!?! And can you make this snack mix vegan instead? The egg white is actually a super-easy trick to help the spices stick to the nuts. If you need this snack mix to be vegan, you can substitute 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, toss the nuts with the spices, and then bake.
Roast those nuts with spices so they are nice and crispy!
Tip 2: Make sure the nuts have fully cooled before you put them in with the rest of the ingredients. The chocolate chips and M&Mx are susceptible to melting and making a mess if you put the nuts in too soon.
Tip 3: Store the snack mix in an airtight container to keep the nuts crunchy. We found that the best container for this purpose was a glass-lidded jar.
Enjoy!
P.S. If you’re looking for more Hatch pepper recipes, see this roundup of Hatch Chile Pepper Recipes to Spice Up the Season.
Hi! I'm Jeanne Fratello - a writer, reporter, and food enthusiast who is on a mission to write great stories about food and where your food comes from.
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