Not Just for the Birds: 18 Seed Recipes for Sesame, Flax, Pumpkin, and More

These seed recipes prove that pepitas, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds can take you way beyond granola.

November 7, 2014

Are seeds the best thing since sliced bread? If the nation's most creative and ambitious restaurants' menus are any indication, all signs point to yes. These days, we're finding pumpkin, sesame, flax, and chia seeds everywhere from toast toppers to garnishes for fried chicken. Here are 18 ways to cook with seeds that'll take you from breakfast straight through to dessert.

Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
1/18
Savory Granola
Fennel seeds are the secret ingredient in this salty-sweet granola.
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Danny Kim
2/18
Yogurt-Chia Pudding
The ultimate do-ahead, portable power breakfast; it’s also great with fresh fruit.
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Max Kelly
3/18
Asparagus with Toasted Seeds and Mustard Vinaigrette
Toasted seeds add crunchy texture to this flavorful side dish. Dressing them with a little olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper makes it that much better.
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Danny Kim
4/18
Everything Spice–Coated Cheddar Cheese Ball
If you have leftover "everything" spice, stir it into Greek yogurt drizzled with olive oil for a savory breakfast.
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Ture Lillegraven
5/18
Feta with Sumac and Black Sesame Seeds
Set this up in advance and serve it at room temperature. The cheese will be soft enough to scoop with a cracker—and will taste better, too.
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6/18
Spiced Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch
For a salty, savory, crunchy boost, sprinkle this on roasted vegetables, soups, and hot cereal.
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7/18
Shaved and Seared Broccoli Salad
A handful of pine nuts rounds this virtuous dish out with a rich, buttery note.
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Christina Holmes
8/18
Thai-Style Grain Salad with Crunchy Seeds
Grain salads, like this herb-spiked one made with smoky freekeh, come together instantly with leftovers. Seeds lend textural intrigue.
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9/18
Sunflower Seed Pesto
This tastes so good, even the pickiest eaters won't mind the bright green color.
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10/18
Super Seed Sprinkle
Hemp seeds add an earthy, vegetal note to this mix.
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Ditte Isager
11/18
Sweet and Sour Cherry and Buckwheat Crumble
Had kasha or soba? You’ve tasted buckwheat. The flour has an earthy, mineral flavor that pairs especially well with the nuttiness of flax seeds.
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12/18
Shaved Squash Salad with Sunflower Seeds
“I love the richness of the feta and the crunch of the sunflower seeds against the tender squash.” —Dawn Perry, senior food editor
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13/18
Cilantro-Scallion Bread
These savory swirls are easy to prepare and taste way better served warm.
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14/18
Shredded Chicken Breast and Noodle Salad
Sesame seeds are a welcome addition when you're slurping noodles.
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15/18
Green Curry Pork Tenderloin
These cumin-spiced pumpkin seeds may be a surprising addition to pork tenderloin, but one bite will prove that it's a perfect match.
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16/18
Fried Green Tomatoes with Tomato-Vinegar Sauce
Seeds help form the crust for these fried tomatoes.
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17/18
Brown Rice Salad with Crunchy Sprouts and Seeds
So healthy, so satisfying, so crunchy.
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18/18
Roasted Pear Crumble
Consider this sweet and crunchy dessert a free-form fruit crisp. Be warned: The nutty oat topping is addictive.
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Senior Associate Web Editor. When she’s not torturing herself by grinding coffee beans by hand and making her own butter, Rochelle writes about cooking techniques and seasonal eating for bonappetit.com. She comes to BA by way of a small farm in Central New York, where she worked as a farmhand ... Read More