27 Must-Try Pine Nut Recipes That Will Satisfy Every Craving (2024)

This collection of pine nut recipes celebrates the buttery crunch they add to sweet and savory dishes. Just a small amount is all you need to enhance your meals with the delicate, nutty flavor.

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Pine nuts are one of my favorite crunchy garnishes. You’ll find them sprinkled around the blog on lots of different dishes, from pastas and salads to omelettes and a classic pesto. But the versatility of these buttery little nuts goes far beyond that!

In this collection of pine nut recipes you’ll see just how many delicious ways they can be used. Check out savory dinners, sweet desserts, and more that highlight the flavor of these unique, tiny nuts.

Making the Most of Pine Nuts

You might find them sold as pine nuts, pignon, pinoli, or piñón. But no matter the name, they’re not exactly the cheapest nuts out there. Thankfully, with these tips you can maximize every bit of their flavor for as long as possible.

Keep them Fresh – Avoid the bitterness of rancid pine nuts by storing them in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. Need to store them longer? Pop them in the freezer for up to 6.
Toast them to draw out flavor – Just a few quick minutes in a hot pan will lightly toast and enhance the natural flavors. Keep an eye on them and toss them often to prevent burning.
Use them up! – It’s always tempting to use pricey ingredients sparsely, but with ones like this that are simply better fresh, use them while they’re at their best to enjoy every penny you spent.

With this collection of pine nuts recipes, I know you’ll have abundant inspiration to help you use up every last one.

1. Asparagus Omelette with Ricotta

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This asparagus and ricotta omelette with pine nuts makes a delicious and nutritious breakfast or brunch. It’s really easy to make and is ready in just 15 minutes!

Recipe by: Yummy Addiction

2. Creamy Romanesco Pasta

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This creamy pasta is made with romanesco, anchovies, raisins and pine nuts – and while it sounds like an odd combination, it actually comes together to make a delicious light yet filling family dinner.

Recipe by: Yummy Addiction

3. Shaved Brussels Sprout and Pomegranate Salad

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This shredded Brussels sprout salad with pomegranate seeds, feta cheese, red onion, and pine nuts requires less than 20 minutes to make and is packed with flavor!

Recipe by: Yummy Addiction

4. Beetroot and Feta Salad with Fennel & Pine Nuts

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With just 15 minutes of active cooking and a few simple steps you can make this flavor packed beetroot and feta salad. Loaded with beets, feta cheese, fennel and roasted pine nuts it’s a salad that works in all seasons – perfect to serve just slightly warm.

Recipe by: Always Use Butter

5. Basil Pesto

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Easy to make basil pesto which is better than anything you will purchase in a jar! Can’t beat that homemade freshness!

Recipe by: Herbs & Flour

6. Brown Butter Oatmeal Pine Nut Cookies

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7. Middle Eastern Rice with Raisins and Pine Nuts

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This Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf has incredibly well-balanced sweet and savory flavors thanks to the raisins, spices (allspice and cinnamon), pine nuts and parsley. Makes a wonderful side dish or a meal on its own.

Recipe by: Give Recipe

8. Toasted Pine Nut Hummus

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Toasted Pine Nut Hummus is so easy to make at home, you will never want to buy it at the store again. It is perfect to serve as an appetizer, in your lunchbox, or as an after school snack!

Recipe by: The Two Bite Club

9. Roasted Broccoli Steaks w/ Butter toasted Pine Nuts

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Roasted Broccoli Steaks are a delicious and healthy side dish. They’re pretty enough to serve at a dinner party yet easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner.

Recipe by: The Endless Meal

10. Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

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Healthy, delicious and tasty – my Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad is a great side-dish or light, meat-free meal. It’s fresh, nourishing, perfect for all occasions and can be made ahead of time.

Recipe by: It’s Not Complicated Recipes

11. Pesto Rosso (Sicilian Tomato Pesto)

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This traditional pesto rosso is creamy and perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta or eaten with toasted bread. It features ricotta cheese, tomatoes and pine nuts, and is made in just 10 minutes!

Recipe by: Maricruz Avalos

12. Pine Nut Cake

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You’ll fall in love with this light and fragrant pine nut cake with a tender, melt-in-the-mouth crumb, soft orange notes, and a gorgeously nutty crust.

Recipe by: A Mummy Too

13. Stuffed Mushrooms with Prosciutto and Toasted Pine Nuts

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14. Torta della Nonna

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Topped with pine nuts and a dusting of powdered sugar, the Torta della Nonna features a lemon vanilla custard inside of a cookie-like crust. It’s delicious!

Recipe by: Spiced Blog

15. Ravioli with Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Artichokes

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This ravioli with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and pine nuts is a delicious, easy dinner that comes together in under 20 minutes!

Recipe by: Herbs & Flour

16. Asparagus with Melted Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts

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When I first tried this Asparagus with Melted Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts, I declared it to be one of the best things I’d ever eaten. And if you like those ingredients you might feel that way too.

Recipe by: Kalyn’s Kitchen

17. Roasted Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad

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This hearty Roasted Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad recipe features roasted pumpkin and beetroot that has been tossed in a delicious maple vinaigrette and topped with feta, pine nuts and pepitas. The perfect fall/winter salad or holiday side dish!

Recipe by: Maple + Mango

18. Shaved Zucchini Salad

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This shaved zucchini salad recipe combines lemon, goat cheese, microgreens, and toasted pine nuts for an exquisite and luscious side dish.

Recipe by: This Healthy Table

19. Roasted Pears with Whipped Goat Cheese & Pine Nut Brittle

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Roasted pears transform into an elegant, gluten-free cheese course-meets-dessert with vanilla-infused whipped goat cheese and a sweet, sophisticated pine nut brittle fused with maple syrup.

Recipe by: Yummy Beet

20. Baked Brie Cheese with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Pesto

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Baked brie cheese is topped with pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts for a delicious twist on this traditional cheesy, gooey appetizer.

Recipe by: Biscuits & Burlap

21. Easy Crustless Quiche with Spinach & Feta

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This crustless quiche recipe is packed with spinach, feta cheese, onions and garlic as well as a little lemon zest and nutmeg for added flavor. Plus it’s topped with pine nuts for extra crunch!

Recipe by: Elizabeth Chloe

22. Eggplant Miso Pesto Pasta

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A dish, full of bright, bold notes, from the squeeze of a lemon, toasty pine nuts and subtle toothsome bites of tender eggplant. It’s simple, easy and absolutely luscious!

Recipe by: Serving Dumplings

23. Beef Braciole with Pine Nuts and Raisins

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Beef braciole is Italian comfort food at its best! Comprised of thinly sliced beef rolled with breadcrumbs, cheese, pine nuts, and raisins, this is truly a dish that you will crave every time you’re making a pot of sauce.

Recipe by: Sip and Feast

24. Chicken Rice Pilaf

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This Chicken Rice Pilaf is a festive yet easy to make rice pilaf recipe that you can make in under an hour. It is made by cooking rice that is flavored with allspice, pine nuts, and currants and topping it off with shredded chicken and fresh herbs.

Recipe by: Foolproof Living

25. Green Beans with Lemon, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts

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Green Beans with Lemon, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts are quickly stir-fried to to turn fresh green beans into a special side dish. And if you love pine nuts, this might become your favorite way to cook green beans!

Recipe by: Kalyn’s Kitchen

26. Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

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Sun dried tomato pesto pasta is a creamy vegan pesto sun-dried tomato sauce over whole grain pasta with artichokes, pine nuts, and fresh herbs.

Recipe by: Erica’s Recipes

27. Roast Vegetables with Feta and Pine Nuts

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This is a simple recipe for roast vegetables with feta and pine nuts that works well as a mezze/side dish. A recipe bursting with flavor!

Recipe by: Tiffin And Tea

27 Must-Try Pine Nut Recipes That Will Satisfy Every Craving (2024)

FAQs

Why cant you eat a lot of pine nuts? ›

Just a few pine nuts can result in a constant bitter or metallic taste in the mouth that can last for a couple of weeks.

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What are pine nuts used for in cooking? ›

Pine nuts have a rich buttery, resinous flavour and are used in many savoury dishes, especially vegetarian ones, but are particularly associated with Italian, Mediterranean and Asian cooking. They're a key ingredient in pesto and appear in lots of pasta dishes.

What is the best way to cook pine nuts? ›

The easiest way to toast pine nuts is on the stove. Add them to a small dry skillet that fits them in a single layer. It doesn't really matter what kind of skillet you use. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook them, stirring occasionally or tossing the skillet, until they're golden-brown and smell quite nutty.

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What are the health benefits of pine nuts? ›

Pine nuts can increase your energy levels due to their protein, iron, and magnesium. The antioxidant power of vitamin E contained in them may help keep your skin healthy and young in appearance. Additionally, regularly eating pine nuts or other seeds and nuts may help reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

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Who should not eat pine nuts? ›

Precautions to Take with Pine Nuts:

Ensure that you are not allergic to pine nuts, as allergic reactions can be serious and might also lead to death¹. You should be extra cautious while giving it to children as they might be allergic to them.

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Are pine nuts inflammatory? ›

In human studies, PNLA has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, immune-metabolic, anti-rheumatic and anti-atherogenic actions [5,6] together with weight-lowering properties [2].

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What did Native Americans use pine nuts for? ›

Many Native American cultures gathered the pine nuts of their specific range and used them for many aspects of their cultural life. These uses varied from a main staple food source to dried seed beads to medicinal salves for the body.

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Can you eat pine nuts straight from the tree? ›

Once you've harvested your pine nuts, you'll be able to store them, eat them raw, or use them in a variety of dishes!

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Do pine nuts need to be refrigerated? ›

Pine nuts should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one to two months. If you wish to extend the shelf-life, place pine nuts in a heavy-duty freezer bag in the freezer for three to six months. Once pine nuts turn rancid, they will give off an unpleasant odor and often develop a bitter taste.

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Should I toast my pine nuts? ›

This tiny, tender nut can add a pop of flavor to cookies, texture to salads, and depth to many other dishes. I like to toast my pine nuts before using them, since it bumps up the buttery taste, golden color, and crunch.

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Can you eat pine nuts without toasting them? ›

Pine nuts can be eaten raw or toasted. However, toasting enhances the rich flavor of pine nuts, or any other nut or seed. Should I toast pine nuts for pesto? You don't HAVE to toast the pine nuts but since toasting makes their flavor so much richer, you definitely WANT to toast them before adding them to your pesto.