Pine Nuts

part of: Pine

Pine nuts are the edible seeds found inside the cones of certain pine tree species. They are small, pale, and teardrop-shaped, with a distinctively soft, almost buttery texture and a sweet, mildly resinous taste that sets them apart from other nuts.

They are an essential ingredient in traditional pesto, where they are blended with basil, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil. Beyond pesto, pine nuts are excellent toasted and scattered over salads, pasta, roasted vegetables, and grain dishes. They also feature prominently in Middle Eastern cooking, where they garnish dishes like kibbeh, hummus, and lamb.

In Australia, pine nuts are widely available in supermarkets and are a popular pantry staple. They are best stored in the fridge or freezer, as their high oil content means they can turn rancid quickly at room temperature.

Wild & Farmed

photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Pine cones are harvested from pine trees — most commonly stone pine, Korean pine, or Chinese white pine — and dried until they open. The seeds are then shaken or picked out of the cones and cracked to remove their hard outer shell, revealing the small edible kernel inside. This process is largely manual and time-consuming, which accounts for pine nuts being one of the more expensive nuts on the market.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 673kcal

Protein 15.7g

Carbs 14.7g

Fat 61.3g

Fibre 3.9g Sugar 0g

Mass Distribution

1 RACC is about 30 g — roughly 200 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.45kg

Freshwater ≈4134.05L

Land ≈13.05m²

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

Made from

Pine, seed

In the kitchen

Used as

pesto and salad nut

Goes well with

basil parmesan garlic spinach lemon

Classic dishes

Pesto
Pasta alla Siciliana
Tabouli
Pine Nut Tart

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

Analytical (Atwater Imputation)

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Your household's take

One thumb per person, shared with your household — it steers what the wider-web shelf and the swap chips offer you. Tap again to take it back.

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