How to Toast Pine Nuts

Toasted pine nuts add a nutty crunch to salads and pastas! Here’s how to toast pine nuts to bring out their unique nutty flavor.

Toasted pine nuts are our little secret to making recipes taste amazing. They add a warm, nutty essence and crunch to everything from salads to pasta to crostini. These Italian nuts are delicious on their own: but toast them up and they’re absolutely next level! As is true with any nut: toasting enhances the flavor. Here’s how to toast pine nuts! Once you’ve tried it once, you’ll find yourself using it again and again to enhance all your meals.

How to toast pine nuts on the stove

Make toasted pine nuts on the stovetop when you have a small quantity of nuts and want to make them quickly. Just a few minutes in a hot pan, and the flavor is even warmer and nuttier. Here’s what to know:

• Pros and cons: This method is fast and it takes only 3 minutes! However, toasting nuts on the stovetop can cook unevenly, and it’s harder to toast large quantities.
• How to do it (go to recipe): Place the nuts in a dry skillet (don’t add oil!). Heat over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Do not leave the stove because the nuts can burn very easily.

How to toast pine nuts in the oven

Make toasted pine nuts in the oven when you have time to preheat the oven! Choose this method if you want to make more than 1 cup toasted pine nuts.

• Pros and cons: This method cooks the nuts more evenly than the stovetop method, and you can cook lots of nuts at once. It does take longer to cook, and you’ll need to wait for the oven to preheat first.
• Basic oven method (go to recipe): Preheat to 350°F. Place the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, then bake 5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Don’t leave the oven unattended because they can burn easily.

Ways to use toasted pine nuts

Now for the fun part: how to use your toasted pine nuts! The sky is the limit with these babies. Alex and I have tried them on all the recipes below and highly endorse all of them. (Really!) Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Risotto: Try them on risotto (like Asparagus Risotto) to take it to the next level.
• Sauteed Greens: They feature with Parmesan in this Sauteed Rainbow Chard. Or try them on Sauteed Spinach or Easy Tuscan Kale.
• Veggies: Top Roasted Cauliflower or Roasted Broccoli with pine nuts for a glam side dish.
• Hummus: Throw a handful on top of Homemade Hummus or Creamy Beet Hummus.
• Salad: Sprinkle a few onto on Arugula Beet Salad, Asparagus Salad with Feta, Easy Arugula Salad or Best Kale Salad.

Storage for toasted pine nuts

Once you’ve got those beautifully toasted pine nuts (and your kitchen smells amazing), you can use them immediately! Here’s how to store leftovers, if you have them:

• Cool fully and place in a sealed container. We use a small glass container with lid.
• Store at room temperature for 1 week or refrigerated for 2 months.
• Freeze to extend the life to up to 6 months or more.

Another use for leftover toasted nuts? Make Homemade Nut Butter!

Pine nuts fun facts

Lastly, here are some things to know about pine nuts:

• Pine nuts are the seeds of pine trees! Yes, they literally come out of pine cones!
• They’re also known as pignoli, the name in Italian.
• Pine nuts are notoriously expensive because they’re difficult to harvest and only grown in a few regions of the world. If you can’t find them, here are several substitutes!

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More toasted recipes!

So many foods taste better toasted! Here are all our our methods on how to toast nuts and seeds (and even bread):

• How to Toast Almonds
• How to Toast Pecans
• How to Toast Walnuts
• How to Toast Sesame Seeds
• How to Toast Coconut
• How to Toast a Baguette (or Garlic Toast, or Cheese Toast, or Crostini…)