Abstract: To optimize the drying process of peanut pods and enhance both efficiency and product quality, this study investigated the drying characteristics of peanut pods under heat pump-infrared combined drying (HPD-ID). Single-factor experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of heat pump temperature, switching moisture content, and infrared temperature on drying behavior, and the kinetics of the HPD-ID process were further analyzed. The drying rate, color difference, and crude fat content were selected as key evaluation indicators, and the Two-term model was applied to describe the drying kinetics of peanut pods, showing an excellent fit (R²=0.995 4). Based on the Box-Behnken response surface methodology, optimal drying parameters were determined. Results indicated that the Two-term model accurately represented the HPD-ID drying process (R²=0.995), with an effective moisture diffusivity (D_eff) ranging from 1.38×10^-10 to 2.74×10^-10 m²/s and an activation energy (E_a) of 27.71 kJ/mol. Under optimal conditions:a heat pump temperature of 53 ℃, transition moisture content of 19%, and infrared temperature of 49 ℃:the average drying rate reached 0.044 6 g/(g·h), the crude fat content was 49.32%, and the color difference (ΔE) was 3.71. Compared with individual heat pump or infrared drying, the HPD-ID system significantly improved both drying efficiency and product quality (P < 0.05). Overall, the HPD-ID technique effectively integrates the complementary advantages of heat pump and infrared drying, achieving rapid, uniform, and high-quality dehydration. This study provides a theoretical and technical reference for developing energy-efficient drying methods for peanut pods and other oilseed crops.