Pine Nuts (Pignolias)

Our fresh pine nuts (also known as pignolias), have a delicate sweet and nutty flavor. Blend pine nuts into a creamy pesto sauce, or add them to cookies and baked goods for a nutty crunch. Roasting the pine nuts will bring out their unique flavor to toss in salads, pastas, and other dishes.

Cooking Tips:

1) Pine nuts are commonly heated to intensify their mild nutty flavor. To toast pine nuts in the oven, bake them on a flat tray at 325-degree F for 5-10 minutes, stirring them occasionally to ensure they’re evenly toasted and golden brown.

2) To roast them in a dry skillet, cook the pine nuts over medium-low heat for only a few minutes, until they are lightly browned and be careful that they don’t burn (small nuts heat up quickly)!

3) Roasted pine nuts go well with vegetables, on salads, and in pasta dishes. Pesto sauce is usually made with unheated pine nuts, but roasting the nuts can add a unique and deep nutty flavor.

4) Pine nuts used in baking can be unheated because roasting can overpower other ingredients in sweet recipes. Unroasted pine nuts add a delicate flavor and nutty crunch to cakes, cookies, and other baked goods.

Pine Nut Health Benefits

1) Oleic Acid: Pine nuts are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, like oleic acid. Oleic acid is responsible for lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, improving antioxidant activity, and supporting cardiovascular function.

2) Appetite Suppressant: A paper presented in 2006 at the American Chemical Society discussed the results of pinolenic acid on feelings of hunger. Researchers found that pinolenic acid stimulates the release of hormones that suppress hunger and provide a sense of fullness.

3) Manganese: Pine nuts are a rich source of manganese, an essential mineral that aids our body’s daily functions. Manganese plays a critical role in bone development, calcium absorption, blood sugar regulation, and other metabolic processes.

4) All-Around Health Nut: Pine nuts boast an impressive nutrient profile. They are an excellent source of protein, iron, dietary fiber, phosphorus, beta carotene, and vitamins B, E, & K. Adding a 1-oz. serving of pine nuts to your diet is a great way to enjoy their many health benefits.

How are pine nuts harvested?

Pine nuts are small, elongated, and edible seeds harvested from the cones of pine trees. When mature pine seeds are ready to be harvested, the cones are collected, dried, and processed to open their scales and remove the pine kernels. The labor-intensive extraction procedure contributes to the high price of pine nuts compared to other nut varieties.

Storage Tips

As with many nuts, pine nuts have a high oil content that can make them spoil quickly if not properly stored. If you have remaining pine nuts within the first couple weeks of receiving them, they should be stored in the fridge and can be kept for up to 3 months. Pine nuts can also be be stored in the freezer for up to 9 months, and should be first transferred to a plastic bag within an airtight container.