Recipes

30 Recipes We’re Nuts About 

From creamy weeknight pastas to our favorite slice of pie, what can’t nuts do?
Overhead shot of a pecan pie with a forkcrimped crust with one slice cut out removed to a plate and served with ice cream.
Photo by Alex Lau

Small but mighty, nuts impart infinite layers of flavor and texture to everything they touch. Crunchy or creamy? Buttery or bitter? Sweet or spicy? Nuts can do it all, taking their rightful place in zingy pesto, smoky muhammara, or even fudgy brownies. They’re a versatile substitute for heavy cream or milk, bringing richness and body to dairy-free dishes like this creamy pasta, made silky thanks to blended cashews. And ground almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts can even stand in for flour, resulting in plush cakes with deep flavors. Or enjoy nuts all on their own (roasted, please!)—with enough fat and spice you can transform them from snack into party snack.

So next time you consider these little guys as supporting characters in the ingredient hierarchy, take our word (and this list) for it—nuts are the star of the show.

  • This image may contain Plant Vegetable Nut Food Seed Pecan Grain Produce and Fruit
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susan Spungen, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    1/30

    Double Pecan Thumbprints

    These buttery frangipane-filled pecan buttons are decadent without being fragile, and they make excellent cookies for boxing up and giving as gifts.

    View Recipe
  • Pantry Pasta With Vegan Cream Sauce recipe
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    2/30

    Pantry Pasta With Vegan Cream Sauce

    Many vegan cream sauces rely on blended nuts or steamed cauliflower, but this sauce is made of beans and pasta water alone—no soaking or blending necessary. It’s important that the beans are adequately hydrated: Once you start mashing, make sure there’s plenty of pasta cooking liquid in the pot and don’t let it evaporate.

    View Recipe
  • This image may contain Plant Food Vegetable Produce Pollen Lentil and Bean
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen
    7/30

    Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

    Almond flour is a wonderfully sweet, nutty complement for fresh carrots, walnuts, and raisins.

    View Recipe
  • A serving plate full of wrinkly pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with pecans.
    Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    8/30

    Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

    With crunchy nuts, pools of dark chocolate, and cozy spices, this cookie’s fall vibes are impeccable.

    View Recipe
  • Image may contain Creme Cream Food Dessert Drink Milk Beverage and Whipped Cream
    Photo by Alex Lau
    9/30

    Chocolate-Cashew Chia Pudding

    This chia pudding is delicious on its own—and even better when layered with maple yogurt as a parfait.

    View Recipe
  • Pinenut studded glutenfree cookies on a gold surface.
    Alex Lau
    10/30

    Pignoli Cookies

    There is just no getting around the fact that almond paste is indispensable for these meringue-like cookies; it transforms their flavor and helps them brown evenly. Some brands sell in a tube; others will be in a can in the baking aisle. Using the tube is ideal since the canned might be looser, but either works for this recipe.

    View Recipe
  • Applewalnut upsidedown cake recipe
    Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    11/30

    Apple-Walnut Upside-Down Cake

    Tender, nutty, and studded with caramel-glazed apple halves, Claire Saffitz’s apple cake is the best apple cake. (There, we said it.)

    View Recipe
  • Kale Salad With Pecan Vinaigrette recipe
    Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng
    12/30

    Kale Salad With Pecan Vinaigrette

    A Thanksgiving salad should have enough flavor and heft to hold its own, and be sturdy enough to dress ahead of time—this one checks all those boxes.

    View Recipe
  • ChocolateAlmond Pear Tart recipe
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    15/30

    Chocolate-Almond Pear Tart

    The dough for this decadent pear and chocolate tart uses a clever technique called fraisage, which creates a flaky crust that rolls out with minimal cracking.

    View Recipe
  • Lamb Meatballs With Pecan Romesco recipe
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    16/30

    Lamb Meatballs With Pecan Romesco

    Meatballs filled with gooey cheese and bathed in creamy pecan romesco sauce—what more do you need?

    View Recipe
  • A fruitstudded single layer cake on a white pedestal covered in white frosting and topped with fresh flowers with one...
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Frances Boswell
    17/30

    Apple-Hazelnut Rye Cake

    If you wait all year for apple-picking season then spend all fall baking every single apple dessert, this earthy, nutty apple and rye cake has your name all over it.

    View Recipe
  • Muhammara recipe
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Andy Baraghani
    18/30

    Muhammara

    This vibrant Middle Eastern dip made from walnuts and red bell peppers pairs perfectly well with fresh pita bread.

    View Recipe
  • Pecan Pie on a white background with a small plate to the left corner
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
    19/30

    BA’s Best Pecan Pie

    No booze, no chocolate, no hard-to-find ingredients in this rendition of the classic pecan pie. 

    View Recipe
  • A white bowl on a marble counter filled with bright green basil pesto thick enough to hold a swirl.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    20/30

    Basil Pesto Recipe

    The most vibrant pesto isn’t just about the ingredients; it’s also about the order in which you blend them.

    View Recipe
  • Image may contain Food Bread Cracker Seasoning and Sesame
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li
    21/30

    Salty-Sweet Party Mix

    Whether you prefer the buttery richness of classic party mix, or you’re on the sugarcoated puppy chow team, this recipe has you covered. 

    View Recipe
  • Image may contain Blade Weapon Knife Weaponry Plant Food Sesame and Seasoning
    Lennart Weibull
    22/30

    Sesame-Peanut Bars

    Practice it with us: Make a batch of these seed-and-nut-packed energy bars. Reach for one any time snack cravings strike. Repeat as often as necessary.

    View Recipe
Mehreen Karim was formerly the Recipe Production Assistant at Bon Appétit, where she built recipes and stories for bonappetit.com. She also developed recipes and wrote stories to help readers discover unlikely food combinations (caramelized dates and asparagus) and cooking hacks (how to grill chicken without a grill) to inspire home ... Read More