How To Toast Pine Nuts | Snacks - Coriander & Lace

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Toasted pine nuts have a wonderfully sweet, rich, and buttery flavour that makes them the perfect topping for things like salads, creamy pastas, and roasted vegetables. Toasting really helps to bring out the nuts' natural sweetness. I will show you the two best methods of how to toast pine nuts so you can have perfectly toasted, delicious pine nuts whenever you need them - quick and easy!

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Toasting also enhances the wonderful aroma of the nuts and gives them a pleasant crunchiness. However, pine nuts can be rather expensive, so it's important to know how to toast them properly so that you don't end up with a batch of burnt ones that need to be tossed away.

You should also check out my guide on how to roast and peel hazelnuts, another nut with an amazing flavour enhanced by roasting in the oven.

Jump to:

• What are they?
• What You Will Need
• Instructions
• How to use them
• Storage
• Tips for Success
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe

What are they?

Pine nuts, also known as piñon or pignoli, are the seeds of pine trees. They are used in various cuisines all over the globe - notably Italian, East Asian, Brazilian, Middle Eastern, and Russian. Pine nuts are mild, sweet, and nutty in flavour, and buttery because of their high fat content.

Only certain pine trees produce seeds large enough to harvest. And it takes at least ten years before a pine tree is mature enough to produce seeds that can be harvested. These seeds are encased in very hard shells inside of pinecones. The difficult extraction of the seeds combined with the lengthly growing time that is required are what cause pine nuts to be expensive.

The image below is of raw pine nuts before they are toasted.

What You Will Need

• Baking sheet or skillet
• Pine nuts - Make sure that the pine nuts you purchase are raw if you plan to toast them yourself at home. Even if buying pre-toasted pine nuts is an option, freshly toasted ones taste so much better. Before buying, smell the pine nuts to check for any unpleasant odours that show they have gone bad.

That's it!

baking sheet

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skillet

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Instructions

Of the various methods of toasting pine nuts that are out there, the oven method and the stovetop method are the best. You do not need oil to toast pine nuts in any method. These nuts contain enough oil inside.

Oven method of toasting pine nuts

This is my preferred way to toast pine nuts because they will cook more evenly, and it's easy to toast them in large batches this way. (If you are toasting more than 1 cup/140 g of pine nuts at a time you should use this method.)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then spread the pine nuts out evenly in a single layer, directly onto a baking sheet. Do not overcrowd them.

Bake them for 5 minutes, or until they get a nice golden colour. Transfer them to a cool baking sheet to cool.

Note: Make sure to not leave them in the oven. The high fat content of pine nuts will cause them to burn quickly.

Note: If you are using a toaster oven, cook at 300°F/150°C for 7-8 minutes.

Stovetop method of toasting pine nuts

The stovetop method is equally easy, but will cook the pine nuts unevenly as there is a one directional heat source. This method works better with small batches (no more than 1 cup/140 g).

Place the nuts directly into a dry skillet (no oil) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. The pine nuts will become a golden brown in about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat immediately to prevent burning and transfer them to a cool baking sheet to cool.

How to use them

Toasted pine nuts can be used in so many dishes!

• Use them in pesto. Toasting them first will enrich the flavour of your pesto so much.
• Sprinkle over vegetable dishes, such as roasted broccolini or green beans.
• Toss into creamy pastas for an addition of beautiful nutty flavour and texture.
• Sprinkle over salads for a delicious salad topping.
• Use them to garnish risotto.
• Add some on top of your hummus for a nutty crunch.
• As the garnish for Korean cinnamon ginger punch, a delicious late-autumn / winter beverage.

Storage

Toasted pine nuts will go bad faster than raw pine nuts, so it is important to store them properly.

Make sure to cool nuts completely before storing them. Store toasted pine nuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, or freeze them in a heavy duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Freshly toasted pine nuts have the best flavour and crunchiness. So I do recommend making and using them in smaller batches, if possible.

Tips for Success

• Be careful to not overcrowd the nuts, whether on a baking sheet or in a skillet. Keep them to a single layer.
• Don't get distracted. Because these nuts are so tiny and high in fat content, they will burn very quickly so you need to keep an eye on them.
• Don't increase the heat to speed things up. You will also increase the risk of burning these precious nuts.
• You must transfer them to a cool baking sheet to cool. Do not allow them to cool on the hot baking sheet or skillet.

FAQ

Are pine nuts good for you?

Yes! Pine nuts are high in antioxidants. They are also rich in magnesium, vitamin E, and monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial to protecting the heart from heart disease. And, like other nuts, they are recommended in diets that focus on warding off cognitive decline. You can find so many health benefits in these tasty treats.

Do you have to toast pine nuts?

No, pine nuts can be eaten either raw or toasted. However, toasting them really enhances their flavour making them so much richer. And it only takes minutes to do.

How do you know if pine nuts have gone bad?

You will know when pine nuts have become rancid as they will become bitter and have an unpleasant odour.

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Description

An easy guide for how to toast pine nuts for a deliciously crunchy, sweet, and buttery nut that you can use in so many dishes.

Ingredients

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1 cup (140g) raw pine nuts (or as many as you want)

baking sheet

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Instructions

Oven method

(If you are toasting more than 1 cup/140 g of pine nuts at a time you should use this method.)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then spread the pine nuts out evenly in a single layer, directly onto a baking sheet. Do not overcrowd them.

Bake them for 5 minutes, or until they get a nice golden colour. Transfer them to a cool baking sheet to cool.

Stovetop method

(This method works better with small batches - no more than 1 cup/140 g.)

Place the nuts directly into a dry skillet (no oil) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. The pine nuts will become a golden brown in about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat immediately to prevent burning and transfer them to a cool baking sheet to cool.

Equipment

baking sheet

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skillet

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Notes

Make sure to not leave them in the oven. The high fat content of pine nuts will cause them to burn quickly.

If you are using a toaster oven, cook at 300°F/150°C for 7-8 minutes.

You do not need oil to toast pine nuts in any method. These nuts contain enough oil inside. Some choose to add oil or butter for extra flavour.

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 106
• Sugar:
• Sodium: 12.2 mg
• Fat: 10.3 g
• Trans Fat:
• Carbohydrates: 3.3 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

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