---
title: "Chilean Pickled Pine Nuts — Homemade Pinones en Escabeche Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español. Chilean pinones en escabeche are boiled and peeled araucaria pine nuts preserved in jars with a mixture of red wine vinegar, olive oil, peppercorns, rosemary, and bay leaf, optiona..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-pickled-pine-nuts-pinones-en-escabeche-recipe/
date: 2026-09-26
modified: 2026-09-26
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-pickled-pine-nuts-escabeche-featured.jpg
categories: ["Appetizers"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Pickled Pine Nuts — Homemade Pinones en Escabeche Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-pinones-en-escabeche/)

![Glass jar of peeled Chilean araucaria pine nuts pickled in vinegar and olive oil](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-pickled-pine-nuts-escabeche-featured.jpg)*Homemade Chilean pickled pine nuts*

Chilean pinones en escabeche are boiled and peeled araucaria pine nuts preserved in jars with a mixture of red wine vinegar, olive oil, peppercorns, rosemary, and bay leaf, optionally with carrots, pearl onions, and gherkins. They take about 2 hours of cooking plus at least 7 days of pickling and make 12 servings.

It is a gourmet preserve from southern Chile that seasons and preserves the seed of the araucaria tree, with a firm texture and a sharp, aromatic flavor that works in salads, alongside main dishes, or as a rustic appetizer.

## How to Make Chilean Pickled Pine Nuts?

You boil the pinones until their shells start to open, peel them while still warm, and pack them into sterilized jars. A hot mixture of vinegar and olive oil flavored with pepper, rosemary, and bay leaf is poured over them, and the jars rest for a week before they are ready to eat.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of pickled pine nuts contains approximately 150 kcal, 5 g of carbohydrates, 15 g of fat, 2 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 2 g of sugars, 0 mg of cholesterol, and 400 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Chilean Pinones en Escabeche Recipe

**Preparation:** 7 days (pickling)
**Cooking:** 2 hours
**Servings:** 12

### Ingredients

- 1 kg (2.2 lb) of whole araucaria pine nuts (pinones)
- 1 liter (34 fl oz) of red wine vinegar
- 150 ml (5 fl oz) of olive oil
- 4 pearl onions (optional)
- 2 carrots (optional)
- 2 gherkins (optional)
- Rosemary
- Bay leaves
- Whole black peppercorns
- Sea salt

### Instructions

1. Wash the pine nuts and cook them in boiling water with a pinch of salt for about 2 hours (40 minutes in a pressure cooker), or until they start to open. Make sure they never dry out, adding more water as needed so they stay submerged. Peel the pine nuts by squeezing them from the base while they are still warm, and set aside.

![Araucaria pine nuts with their characteristic brown shell before cooking and peeling](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/araucaria-pine-nuts-pinones-in-shell.jpg)*Araucaria pine nuts*

1. Peel the carrots and cut them into thick sticks, peel the pearl onions and cut a cross in the top without splitting them, and wash the gherkins. In a pot, add the red wine vinegar, the olive oil, the peppercorns, and a little rosemary and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat, keep it boiling for two minutes, then take it off the heat and let it cool.

![Red wine vinegar for the escabeche pickling liquid](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/red-wine-vinegar-pickled-pine-nuts.jpg)*Red wine vinegar*

1. Divide the peeled pine nuts among clean, sterilized jars, adding the carrot sticks, pearl onions, and gherkins if you like. Pour in the vinegar and oil mixture, making sure everything is well covered with liquid, and finish with a little sea salt.

![Pearl onions to add to the jars of pickled pine nuts](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/pearl-onions-pinones-escabeche.jpg)*Pearl onions*

1. Store the jars in a cool, dry place for at least 7 days. Enjoy the pickled pine nuts however you like, as an appetizer, in salads, or as a side for other dishes. Once opened, keep covered and refrigerated for up to 4 weeks.

## Additional Tips

### Soak the pine nuts overnight

If you have time, soak the pine nuts in cold water overnight before cooking. It softens them faster and cuts the cooking time considerably.

### Balance the acidity

Add 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey to the vinegar and oil mixture to soften the acidity and bring out the natural flavor of the pine nuts.

![Sterilizing glass jars in boiling water before filling them with pickled pine nuts](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/boiling-jars-apricot-jam.jpg)*Sterilizing the jars*

### Sterilize the jars well

Boil the jars and lids for at least 10 minutes before filling them. Clean, hot jars are what allow the escabeche to keep for months without spoiling.

| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Red wine vinegar | Apple cider vinegar | 1:1 | Milder, fruitier |
| Olive oil | Sunflower oil | 1:1 | Neutral |
| Rosemary | Thyme | 1:1 | Softer, more floral |
| Pearl onions | Shallots | 4 : 2 | Sweeter |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of wine vinegar?

Yes. Apple cider vinegar is milder and gives a fruitier profile, although red wine vinegar is preferred for the color and traditional character of Chilean escabeche.

### 2. How long do pickled pine nuts really last?

Vacuum sealed, they can last for months. Once opened, keep them refrigerated and eat them within 4 weeks to guarantee their freshness and flavor.

### 3. Do I need to soak the pine nuts first?

It is not essential, but soaking them in cold water overnight significantly reduces the cooking time, saves energy, and gives a more tender texture.

### 4. How do I eat pickled pine nuts?

Serve them as an appetizer on a snack board, add them to salads, or use them as a side for grilled meat and fish.

## What Are Pinones?

Pinones are the large edible seeds of the araucaria (Araucaria araucana), the national tree of Chile, which grows in the Andes and coastal ranges of the south. Much bigger than the pine nuts sold in stores, they are starchy and slightly sweet, and they must be boiled or roasted before eating.

## Pinones in Pehuenche Tradition

For the Pehuenche people of the Andes, the pinon, or ngulliu, has been a staple food for centuries. It is gathered in autumn and eaten boiled, roasted, ground into flour, or fermented into muday, and preserving it in escabeche is a newer way of enjoying it all year round.

## Did You Know?

Escabeche is an old method of preserving food in vinegar, and the same word is also used for the food prepared with that method.

## Recommended

- [Chilean Pine Nuts in Syrup Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-pine-nuts-in-syrup-pinones-en-almibar-recipe/)
- [Merken Sauteed Pine Nuts Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/merken-seasoned-sauteed-pine-nuts-recipe/)
- [Chilean Pickled Chili Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-pickled-chili-recipe/)
- [Chilean Charqui Canapes Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-charqui-dried-meat-canapes-recipe/)