Mild and nutty flavor with a firm but tender texture, sunflower seeds are often roasted or salted to improve the flavor, and hulled to remove the fibrous shell. Because of its subtle taste, they does not taste like nuts and can be great substitute for many nuts, especially pine nuts.
Unlike cashews and almonds, sunflower seeds are budget-friendly, versatile, and easily added to almost everything. From fruits and vegetables to beverages and snacks, the list of pairings is endless.
What to eat with sunflower seeds? Depending on how sunflower seeds are prepared, they can be sprinkled on top of a salad, trail mix, granola, oatmeal, and baked goods.
Additionally, sunflower seeds may be served in tacos, replace pine nuts in pesto sauce, or make into vegan burgers. When the seeds are used properly, they add a wonderful crunch and nutty flavor that pairs well with many ingredients.
If you are only familiar with having roasted or shelled sunflower seeds and looking for alternative ways to enjoy, this article article details different ways to serve sunflower seeds. Answered below are frequently asked questions about what can be eaten with sunflower seeds and what combinations taste best together.
What flavor goes well with sunflower seeds?
Sunflower seeds blend perfectly with sweet, sour, salty, and savory flavors. They have a nutty flavor that go well with garlic, ginger, chilis, lemon, onions, and hot peppers, and form the perfect combo with strawberries, bananas, and pumpkin seeds.
Common flavor pairings that taste good with sunflower seeds are:
- sunflower seeds + parmesan cheese + arugula + vinegar
- sunflower seeds + oats + cinnamon + eggs + blueberries
- sunflower seeds + maple syrup + chocolate + pumpkin seeds + vanilla
- sunflower seeds + seed butter + banana + honey
- sunflower seeds + olive oil + lemon + basil
What goes well with sunflower seeds?
Known for just being a quick snack or baking ingredient, sunflower seeds can also be added to dishes for an increased texture and crunch. Whether it is cooking or baking, there are many usages including:
- Bread: A huge fan favorite is homemade bread with sunflower seeds in it. Be sure to add the seeds when kneading the dough to add some crunch and nutty flavor while baking. The seeds go exceptionally well in sweet bread recipes such as banana bread or when baking muffins.
- Salads: To add some crunch to leafy greens, throw some sunflower seeds on top of a salad. Try adding spices such as ground ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, and drizzle in some olive oil to the dressing for flavor.
- Tacos: Give tacos a spin by tossing sunflower seeds, peanuts, and mint as a garnish to give that extra crunch.
- Making sunflower seed bars: Instead of an unhealthy store-bought snack, switch things up a bit by converting sunflower seeds into bars that will sustain you throughout the day.
- Beverages: Sunflower seeds can be added to teas, water, fruit juices, smoothies, and soda. Serve whole or crushed to add texture and flavor to the drink.
What foods go well with sunflower seeds?
Sunflower seeds can be added to muffins, salad, sautéed noodles, vegetable stir-fry, cookies, and more. Here are food that go well with sunflower seeds when making flavorful for pairings:
- Fruits: cranberries, watermelon, strawberry, goji berries, blueberries, banana, mango, raspberry, orange
- Vegetables: brussels sprouts, kale, arugula, eggplant, zucchini, broccoli
- Nuts: peanuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds, pine nuts
- Cheese: feta, parmesan, goat, asiago
- Seeds: pumpkin, flax, chia
- Spices: smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, ginger, cinnamon
- Herbs: basil, dill, parsley, chives, oregano, tarragon, thyme, mint
- Condiments: dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, honey,
Fruits that go well with sunflower seeds
From oatmeal to muffins, sunflower seeds are an alternate ingredient to replace other nuts, and taste well with fresh or dried fruits. Sunflower seeds pair perfectly with a variety of fruits. These fruits include:
- raisins
- dried cranberries
- coconut
- dates
- apricots
- avocado
- grapes
- pomegranate seeds
- dragon fruit
- strawberries
- banana
- blueberries
- raspberries
- blackberries
Eat With Sunflower Seeds: Conclusion
When it comes to what foods pair perfectly with sunflower seeds, the list is nearly endless. It’s hard to get it wrong with sunflower seeds due to its mild and light nutty taste.
Generally, sunflower seeds are in shells, roasted, or sweet or salt flavored. When deshelled, they can be added to salads, trail mix, granola, oatmeal, inside baked goods or used as a topping.
In addition, it can be blended into sunflower seed butter, used for replacing pine nuts in pesto, or even formed inside vegan burger patties. As a result, it will create beautiful texture and flavor to accomplish sweet, savory, sour, or salty dishes.
From fresh to dried fruit, sunflower seeds complement well with all types of berries, stone or citrus fruit. Furthermore, they go well with other type of seeds, nuts, cheese, and herbs.
So, don’t be afraid to play around with your imagination and pair sunflower seeds with multiple foods. Be as creative as you can, and go all out with flavor combinations matching with the coveted seeds.