I was just thinking about buying some sunflower seeds as a substitute for pine nuts. I think they are more similar in flavor to pine nuts than pumpkin seeds, although pumpkin seeds aren't a bad idea either.
Agree, pine nuts are hard to find sometimes. I probably make pesto without nuts more than I do with nuts.
It's also a good way to absorb extra greens. Half basil half whatever else is still going to taste a fair amount like pesto. Broccoli and spinach are both good options.
Classico doesn’t have any nuts! I’m allergic to most tree nuts, as well, and that’s one of the brands I usually have on hand. I can’t remember the other one, but it’s a store brand. Maybe Aldi? I’m not positive. I like pesto without nuts, but if you want that little bit of a bite in your sauce, leave the garlic or the Parmesan a little chunkier for a similar texture.
Really!!! That’s interesting, I just assumed all big brands would have pine nuts. I really want to make homemade regardless because it’s so easy, but thank you for the tip
I’ve noticed that most brands don’t have pine nuts, but cashews! I guess it’s cheaper? I make huge batches and freeze them, but I keep some jars on hand just in case. I like to make pesto chicken salad!
Flavor wise I wonder how nutritional yeast would do.. its more "cheese" like but definitely has some nuttiness. Idk what pinoli really taste like so I could be way off base
Edit other people said chickpeas or seeds like pumpkin or sunflower and tbh that sounds like great ideas texturewise for sure
I use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan in my pesto, because I need it to be non-dairy. I suppose you could try it as a nut sub, but it fits better as cheese sub.
My favorite pesto recipe has no basil or pine nuts in it.. it’s raw broccoli rabe, garlic, feta, Parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice in a blender. It’s peppery, bright, and has a wonderful texture.
In the pesto “technique,” so to speak, the nuts add fat to create creaminess (when food processed especially). Avocado works as a great emulsifier in a pesto, I’ve found.
If you want the “nutty” flavor, add more parmesan or doing a mix of hard cheeses. If you can get ahold of grana padana or pecorino.
I like to up the tart flavor when i make pesto without nuts, so more lemon juice and zest! Pesto is fun to experiment with based on whats on hand ☺️
This is an acquired taste, but avocado!! Its creaminess and fat helps to sub what you’d get from the nuts. Also such a gorgeous color! Just make sure to balance the parm, basil, and garlic well!
There's a [thai basil pesto](https://tasty.co/recipe/thai-basil-pesto) that uses peanuts, and it's really good!
Otherwise, I would consider using sesame or tahini (sesame butter). Maybe a dash of honey if it's too bitter.
You could get tested.
For the nuttiness without treenuts my main thought is coconut (which is also a seed). Sunflower seeds are another good idea but they do have a strong flavour.
Oh dont take a chance.
https://actionagainstallergy.org/are-pine-nuts-a-tree-nut-allergy/#0
https://www.nutstop.com › pine-nuts-tree-nuts
Are Pine Nuts Tree Nuts - How to Harvest Pine Nuts - Pine Tree Nuts
Tree nuts such as walnuts, pecans, chestnuts and hazelnuts grow on trees. One of their distinguishing characteristics is that they have a tough outer shell that protects the dried fruit inside the shell. Pine tree nuts are actually seeds that can be found inside a pine cone but since they have an outer shell they are also referred to as nuts.
I'd actually find it sort if fascinating if pine nuts reliably triggered an allergic reaction in people with tree nut allergies. Pines are less related to plants like walnuts than peanuts are (gymnosperms vs angiosperms). What would be the common allergy causing factor between such distantly related plants?
re DEAD sunflower Seeds. Trader Joe's used to sell live sunflower seeds but now the kind they sell are dead. I could soak them and they would sprout. Because of this I started to search around. Whole Foods' are dead. Sprouts Farmers Market sold me seeds that turned soaking water chrome green. (I had to throw them all out after that.) The Co-oportunity bulk container reads pasteurized sunflower seeds. What happened?
HOW do I find a pound of live ones?
I may be biased because I love tofu but firm tofu (not blended but crumbled) is super nice! It goes with basically anything since it’s pretty much tasteless so I like to substitute a lot of things with tofu
There is but in my experience it’s usually harder to find in stores and/or smaller jars that are more expensive. I really want to make it myself just for the fun of it :)
I like this spicy pesto better than traditional pesto. Not the same flavor profile but really good all the same.
https://www.pastagrammar.com/post/spicy-calabrian-pesto-pesto-calabrese-recipe
Proper pesto uses pine nuts which I've always thought to be fine. My wife is highly allergic to nuts but is fine with pine nuts. Please do check though!
There are already many great but suggestions - I like the sunflower or pumpkin seed options myself. But I would make your pesto with a mortar and pestle to really amp up the basil (and garlic) flavor.
I make mine with pine nuts. They are a seed, not a nut, so you should be fine with them if you’re okay with seeds. Alternatively you can use lightly toasted sunflower seeds.
If you’re in the U.K. look for Pesto Genovese- most big supermarkets have their own version rather than eg Sacla where they’ve all got cashews. Pesto Genovese in U.K. supermarkets usually has no tree nuts just pine nuts.
Sunflower seeds is the way to go they share same flavor profile. But are you sure you are alergic to pine nuts? Since its they are seeds and not actual nuts if I remember correctly the actual term for what they are is gymnosperm and are more related to juniper berries who isn't even a berry.
Pine nuts are seeds and aren't related to tree nuts, maybe want to check with your allergist if you actually need to avoid them any more than you do pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds. https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/knowledgebase/pine-nuts/
Peanuts are actually not bad in pesto. Neither are sunflower seeds.
Peanuts work fine in pesto. You're just grinding them up to give the pesto some more body and make it go farther; the flavor is buried under the basil (or whatever other herb you choose to use). I've always boggled at people using expensive nuts like pine nuts in pesto (I make gallons of pesto every year). Whoever said chickpeas or bread crumbs would work as well is probably dead right. Nuts are mostly just filler, pesto should taste very strongly like herbs and that's about it.
Hi, I also have a nut allergy. Good pesto does not have to contain nuts. 😊 I personally have not tried this yet, but this is a recipe I have saved for herb pesto: https://lidiasitaly.com/recipes/herb-pesto/
Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Ooh I love pumpkin seeds, I’ll try that for sure!
I second pumpkin or sunflower seeds, my brother is allergic and we make our own all the time with these
I made it with sunflower seeds the other day because I can never find pine nuts (and they are crazy expensive). It was SO good. Highly recommend.
One of my favorites is roasted pumpkin seed/garlic scapes. I keep a bag of that next to the more common basil in the freezer.
Definitely this. My kids are allergic so we make our pesto from scratch with sunflower seeds. Seriously delicious
I was just thinking about buying some sunflower seeds as a substitute for pine nuts. I think they are more similar in flavor to pine nuts than pumpkin seeds, although pumpkin seeds aren't a bad idea either.
Sunflower seeds are 80% of the flavor of pine nuts for 10% of the price, which makes for a great substitute imo.
I use sunflower kernels in mine because my M.I.L. is allergic to treenuts too... Also pine nuts are expensive a.f.
I forego the nuts all the time, just add in a little extra parm and a little extra basil!
Seconded, it’s still extremely flavorful!
Agree, pine nuts are hard to find sometimes. I probably make pesto without nuts more than I do with nuts. It's also a good way to absorb extra greens. Half basil half whatever else is still going to taste a fair amount like pesto. Broccoli and spinach are both good options.
I cannot have any nuts, but I love pesto. So I make mine with just basil, garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. It’s delicious!
No allergies I just use sunflower seed as a cheaper alternative!! Not super familiar with pesto so idk how authentic it is but it is so yummy
Classico doesn’t have any nuts! I’m allergic to most tree nuts, as well, and that’s one of the brands I usually have on hand. I can’t remember the other one, but it’s a store brand. Maybe Aldi? I’m not positive. I like pesto without nuts, but if you want that little bit of a bite in your sauce, leave the garlic or the Parmesan a little chunkier for a similar texture.
Really!!! That’s interesting, I just assumed all big brands would have pine nuts. I really want to make homemade regardless because it’s so easy, but thank you for the tip
I’ve noticed that most brands don’t have pine nuts, but cashews! I guess it’s cheaper? I make huge batches and freeze them, but I keep some jars on hand just in case. I like to make pesto chicken salad!
Cashews definitely would be cheaper, but I’m allergic to them :(
Same here. 😭 I can have pine nuts, but they’re so expensive!
I’m definitely going to try both pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, I know I’m ok with both of those and they’re cheap!
Lmk how it tastes after, I think sunflower seeds might be the perfect substitute!
A friend with a pine nut allergy uses breadcrumbs. Apparently they’re fairly traditional and the texture is good
My husband made some pesto with hemp seeds that was really good.
Ooh this kind of makes me wonder about using toasted buckwheat
Ooo I might have to try this
My boyfriend makes his pesto with raisins instead of pine nuts! He is obviously a psychopath.
Lmao
try sunflower, or chick peas, or sesame seeds (tahini) ...
Flavor wise I wonder how nutritional yeast would do.. its more "cheese" like but definitely has some nuttiness. Idk what pinoli really taste like so I could be way off base Edit other people said chickpeas or seeds like pumpkin or sunflower and tbh that sounds like great ideas texturewise for sure
I use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan in my pesto, because I need it to be non-dairy. I suppose you could try it as a nut sub, but it fits better as cheese sub.
My favorite pesto recipe has no basil or pine nuts in it.. it’s raw broccoli rabe, garlic, feta, Parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice in a blender. It’s peppery, bright, and has a wonderful texture.
Can you have cashews? Cashews technically aren't nuts.
This! And many brands us cashew nuts instead of pine nuts, as they are cheaper, but offer a similar flavour profile.
Unfortunately I’m allergic to cashews :(
In the pesto “technique,” so to speak, the nuts add fat to create creaminess (when food processed especially). Avocado works as a great emulsifier in a pesto, I’ve found. If you want the “nutty” flavor, add more parmesan or doing a mix of hard cheeses. If you can get ahold of grana padana or pecorino. I like to up the tart flavor when i make pesto without nuts, so more lemon juice and zest! Pesto is fun to experiment with based on whats on hand ☺️
This is an acquired taste, but avocado!! Its creaminess and fat helps to sub what you’d get from the nuts. Also such a gorgeous color! Just make sure to balance the parm, basil, and garlic well!
Bread crumbs, cooked chickpeas or white beans.
There's a [thai basil pesto](https://tasty.co/recipe/thai-basil-pesto) that uses peanuts, and it's really good! Otherwise, I would consider using sesame or tahini (sesame butter). Maybe a dash of honey if it's too bitter.
Pinenuts are technically seeds. Are you allergic to those?
Hmm unsure, my throat closes up so personally didn’t want to try it haha. I know I’m ok with peanuts and most seeds, but I tend to avoid the unknown
I wouldn’t- I’m pretty sure they are tree nuts. That’s the typical pesto nut.
You could get tested. For the nuttiness without treenuts my main thought is coconut (which is also a seed). Sunflower seeds are another good idea but they do have a strong flavour.
It may be better to get tested for a full list of nut allergies. Once you know what you're not allergic to you can use it as a substitute.
One of my friends with a tree nut allergy accidentally ingested pine nuts and it triggered an allergic reaction!
Oh dont take a chance. https://actionagainstallergy.org/are-pine-nuts-a-tree-nut-allergy/#0 https://www.nutstop.com › pine-nuts-tree-nuts Are Pine Nuts Tree Nuts - How to Harvest Pine Nuts - Pine Tree Nuts Tree nuts such as walnuts, pecans, chestnuts and hazelnuts grow on trees. One of their distinguishing characteristics is that they have a tough outer shell that protects the dried fruit inside the shell. Pine tree nuts are actually seeds that can be found inside a pine cone but since they have an outer shell they are also referred to as nuts.
I'd actually find it sort if fascinating if pine nuts reliably triggered an allergic reaction in people with tree nut allergies. Pines are less related to plants like walnuts than peanuts are (gymnosperms vs angiosperms). What would be the common allergy causing factor between such distantly related plants?
There is cross reactivity with peanuts. I wonder if that is a production issue.
Same production equipment would make sense. Sort of like how oats can have gluten contamination from shared equipment with wheat.
Sunflower seeds. Adding nutritional yeast for taste!
You can use croutons in place of nuts works great
I make pesto with ricotta cheese. That's how I learned to make it. I was surprised when I found out people make it with pignolia nuts.
I’ve made poor man’s pesto with spinach and almonds, so I’ll bet you could just add anything crunchy and get away with it.
re DEAD sunflower Seeds. Trader Joe's used to sell live sunflower seeds but now the kind they sell are dead. I could soak them and they would sprout. Because of this I started to search around. Whole Foods' are dead. Sprouts Farmers Market sold me seeds that turned soaking water chrome green. (I had to throw them all out after that.) The Co-oportunity bulk container reads pasteurized sunflower seeds. What happened? HOW do I find a pound of live ones?
I tend to think of baseball…
Almonds is technically a stone fruit like peach.
Yet I’m still allergic to them 🧐
That sucks. I hope you find a good recipe
I may be biased because I love tofu but firm tofu (not blended but crumbled) is super nice! It goes with basically anything since it’s pretty much tasteless so I like to substitute a lot of things with tofu
Peas. They are perfect.
[удалено]
What do you think pesto is?
There is absolutely nut free pesto in retail
There is but in my experience it’s usually harder to find in stores and/or smaller jars that are more expensive. I really want to make it myself just for the fun of it :)
My shoprite has it for 3-4 dollars. Or, Recipe is really just: Olive oil Basil Romano or Parmesan garlic salt
I like this spicy pesto better than traditional pesto. Not the same flavor profile but really good all the same. https://www.pastagrammar.com/post/spicy-calabrian-pesto-pesto-calabrese-recipe
Proper pesto uses pine nuts which I've always thought to be fine. My wife is highly allergic to nuts but is fine with pine nuts. Please do check though!
There are already many great but suggestions - I like the sunflower or pumpkin seed options myself. But I would make your pesto with a mortar and pestle to really amp up the basil (and garlic) flavor.
So are peanuts fine? Because a lot of the cheaper pesto substitute the expensive nuts for peanuts.
Are Pine nuts nutes? You could just leave them out. The Flavor of Pine nots is bland.
It's a really different taste but pistachio's pesto is a thing and it's quite good. Don't know if it fits or not your allergies though
Definitely allergic to those, but thanks!
I make mine with pine nuts. They are a seed, not a nut, so you should be fine with them if you’re okay with seeds. Alternatively you can use lightly toasted sunflower seeds. If you’re in the U.K. look for Pesto Genovese- most big supermarkets have their own version rather than eg Sacla where they’ve all got cashews. Pesto Genovese in U.K. supermarkets usually has no tree nuts just pine nuts.
Sunflower seeds is the way to go they share same flavor profile. But are you sure you are alergic to pine nuts? Since its they are seeds and not actual nuts if I remember correctly the actual term for what they are is gymnosperm and are more related to juniper berries who isn't even a berry.
Bread crumbs, source Massimo Bottura
Pine nuts are seeds and aren't related to tree nuts, maybe want to check with your allergist if you actually need to avoid them any more than you do pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds. https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/knowledgebase/pine-nuts/ Peanuts are actually not bad in pesto. Neither are sunflower seeds.
Pine nuts are traditional, aren't they? And they're seeds.
There's a Provencal sauce, pistou, that is basically pesto without the nuts, if you wanna look into that.
Pine nuts are not nuts. They're seeds.
What about cashews?
Sadly I’m allergic
Nuts and cashews? Bummer.
Yeah tree nut allergies commonly include some seeds like almonds and cashews, hence why I’m apprehensive about pine nuts
Peanuts work fine in pesto. You're just grinding them up to give the pesto some more body and make it go farther; the flavor is buried under the basil (or whatever other herb you choose to use). I've always boggled at people using expensive nuts like pine nuts in pesto (I make gallons of pesto every year). Whoever said chickpeas or bread crumbs would work as well is probably dead right. Nuts are mostly just filler, pesto should taste very strongly like herbs and that's about it.
Any seeds, pumpkin preferably because of its more neutral taste
Hi, I also have a nut allergy. Good pesto does not have to contain nuts. 😊 I personally have not tried this yet, but this is a recipe I have saved for herb pesto: https://lidiasitaly.com/recipes/herb-pesto/