You may know pine nuts as that key ingredient in pesto or find them sprinkled on salads in Italian restaurants, but there are lots of ways that you can incorporate this little nut into your meals. And, you should.
Pine nuts are harvested from over one hundred different species of pine tree that give us edible nuts. They are laborious to harvest, hence their often eyebrow-raising price at the supermarkets. However, as with many tree nuts, they are very good for you.
Pine nuts are high in oleic acid (a good fatty acid) and are a rich source of vitamin E. They are also an excellent source of B-complex vitamins. As well, they contain notable amounts of manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc.
With all that said, it must be time to look at some ways in which you can bring a little pine nut love into your life that goes beyond just chucking a handful onto a salad (though that mustn’t be sniffed at). Check out the OGP recipes for some nutty inspiration.
1. Rosemary Mushroom, Tofu and Pine Nut Strudel
Source: Rosemary, Mushroom, Tofu and Pine Nut Strudel/One Green Planet
This Rosemary Mushroom, Tofu and Pine Nut Strudel by Sara Oliveira makes a beautiful and bountiful centerpiece. The flaky filo pastry wraps around succulent tofu and meaty mushrooms. Then, you get that knowing crunch of the buttery pine nuts and the herby hit of fresh rosemary. This recipe will not disappoint.
2. Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce
Source: Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce/One Green Planet
Gabrielle St. Claire‘s recipe for Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce looks incredible but is super easy to make and requires minimal ingredients. The garlic cream sauce can be used in countless other recipes, too, and can be made in bulk so you always have it on hand. Don’t forget to add pine nuts for the essential crunchy texture that pairs so well with the tender artichokes and pasta.
3. Moroccan Tagine “Couscous”
Source: Moroccan Tagine “Couscous”/One Green Planet
Here we have a beautiful and aromatic vegetarian stew that is full of flavor and spice. The pine nuts in this Moroccan Tagine “Couscous” by Katia Martin are actually stewed up with all the spices, chickpeas, apricots, zucchini, and carrots. Serve your stew atop a generous helping of quinoa.
4. Turkish Rice Pilaf-Stuffed Hand Pies
Source: Turkish Rice Pilaf-Stuffed Hand Pies/One Green Planet
These little Turkish Rice Pilaf-Stuffed Hand Pies by Let’s Talk Vegan are packed with delicious ingredients including, of course, a good helping of pine nuts. Rice pilaf simmers in a mushroom broth along with fragrant spices. Then, it is stuffed into sheets of puff pastry. This is an excellent on-the-go meal.
5. Easy Peasy Pine Nut and Basil Pesto
Source: Easy Peasy Pine Nut and Basil Pesto/One Green Planet
We can’t have a list of pine nut recipes without a pesto recipe making the cut. Pine nuts and pesto just go hand in hand! Tara Sunshine‘s Easy Peasy Pine Nut and Basil Pesto is really simple to make is very versatile. Use it with pasta, rice, pizza, on toast, salads and baked potatoes. You need never buy a jar of pesto again with this easy peasy recipe.
6. Cauliflower Shawarma With Pomegranate, Tahini, and Pine Nuts
Source: Cauliflower Shawarma With Pomegranate, Tahini, and Pine Nuts/One Green Planet
With this recipe for Cauliflower Shawarma With Pomegranate, Tahini, and Pine Nuts by Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli, you can have yourself a vegan twist on a Middle Eastern classic. Roasted cauliflower florets are coated in delicious spices and garnished with sweet and juicy pomegranate and roasted pine nuts.
7. Wild Rice, Cranberry, and Pine Nut Stuffing
Source: Wild Rice, Cranberry, and Pine Nut Stuffing/One Green Planet
Here is a recipe for Wild Rice, Cranberry, and Pine Nut Stuffing by Somer McCowan that can be enjoyed any time of the year. This recipe can also easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free bread. All the spices, nuts, fruits, and rice come together to make a stuffing that even stuffing haters will love.
8. Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts
Source: Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts/One Green Planet
This Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts recipe by Lydia Filgueras is really easy to make and is very versatile. Serve it with rice or any protein for a full meal. The medley of flavors and textures work beautifully together, with the toasted pine nuts giving that familiar bite.
9. Pesto Feta Swirl Buns
Source: Pesto Feta Swirl Buns/One Green Planet
Here we have another imaginative dish with these Pesto Feta Swirl Buns by Anne Sue. The pine nuts go into making the delicious pesto that is swirled into the dough before it is baked into fluffy buns. These will disappear quickly, so make sure you save one for yourself.
10. Chocolate Fudge Pine Nut Cookies
Source: Chocolate Fudge Pine Nut Cookies/One Green Planet
Let’s not forget dessert. That’s right, just as with many nuts, pine nuts need not be reserved for savory dishes exclusively, and these Chocolate Fudge Pine Nut Cookies by Helyn Dunn prove just that. Aside from the pine nuts, there is another unusual ingredient in these melt-in-the-mouth, yet fudgy cookies—beans!
So, go and experiment a little more with the little pine nut, and showcase them in all kinds of dishes both savory and sweet.
Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
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