Sunflower Seeds Are Your Go-To Swap For Pine Nuts When Making Pesto

When you think of pesto, you probably think of the fresh basil and pine nut combination used in a classic recipe. But while this version is delicious, it can be expensive to stock up on pine nuts if you're a frequent pesto-eater. So whether you want to cut back on costs or you're just looking to deploy something besides a nut, there are plenty of good reasons to use sunflower seeds as a pine nut substitute.

Although sunflower seeds have a slightly less sweet flavor than pine nuts, they still offer that lightly nutty taste and a somewhat soft texture. So while they may be the budget version of pine nuts when it comes to pesto, they can make a sauce that is just as tasty. If you heat them just a little, they'll release some of their oil and develop an even deeper flavor, although you can also incorporate them raw. Plus, these seeds come with plenty of nutritional benefits in addition to their deliciousness. They're packed full of vitamins E, B1, and B6, and may help increase energy levels, bolster your immune system, and improve heart health. There is one caveat to keep in mind, however: This new ingredient may give your final product more of a grayish hue.

You can replace pine nuts with sunflower seeds in a 1:1 ratio, but you have a few options for how to use them, as we mentioned. Feel free to toast them on the stove on low for about 10 minutes, or in the oven for up to 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, making sure to pull them out to stir a few times. Or, if you don't want to go to all the trouble, you can purchase bags of pre-roasted sunflower seeds. Whichever option you go with, pick unsalted versions so you can easily control the salt content in your recipe.

The beauty of this type of pesto — or really, any variety of pesto — is that it's extremely customizable. Sure, you can combine your seeds with all the other ingredients in a typical recipe, like basil, olive oil, parmesan, lemon juice, and garlic. Or, you can use a combination of spinach and mint leaves for your greens, as we do in our 5-Minute Almond Mint Pesto Recipe, or deploy a heaping 2 cups of cilantro, à la our Cilantro Pesto. You may even be able to scale back on the parmesan if you get bonus flavor from toasting your seeds, but you can also replace the cheese entirely with nutritional yeast if you want your sauce to stay plant-based.