Practically perfect It is the roasting process which draws out the oils from within the peanut to the surface that gives it the distinct peanut flavor that we’re all so familiar with. Another secret about the roasting process is that it also contributes to giving the peanut a texture that you would expect from a nut, since peanuts are actually legumes and not a nut at all. Shocking but true; the most iconic nut known to the public is actually a bean. Let it also be known that the whistleblower who originally exposed that peanuts are actually legumes was never identified and, even to this day, his body has yet to be found. Traditional Salty, The Godfather of Nuts.