Sunflowers are in season and you know what that means? So are sunflower seeds! While they’re great to snack on, there’s so many ways to use them to their full potential. Sunflower seeds are great because if you have a nut allergy, they can be used to replace things that typically contain nuts. You can usually find cashews in the list of ingredients for creamy vegan cheese sauces, herby pestos, and dressings, and most raw desserts contain nuts because their high fat content helps hold everything together. But we can make all of these things with sunflower seeds! Sunflower seeds are also budget-friendly; if the cashews in the crust for that raw vegan cheesecake puts you over your price limit, try making the crust from sunflower seeds! Craving cheese, but don’t want to pay the price for cashews or almonds? Sunflower seeds have got you covered.

So, let’s celebrate those versatile little seeds with these 15 recipes from our Food Monster App that use sunflower seeds.

1. White Chocolate Matcha Protein Bars

Source: White Chocolate Matcha Protein Bars

Kelly Fielding‘s White Chocolate Matcha Protein Bars will be your new favorite healthy pick-me-up! They are like a muesli bar, but have a real chocolatey undertone from the cacao butter. Sunflower seeds add protein, along with flaked almonds and cashews. With the additional of matcha powder, these healthy treats are incredibly energizing, satisfying and full of goodness!

2. Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad

Source: Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad

Jessica DeMara‘s Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad has a nut-free dressing made from sunflower seeds! When soaked and blended, they have a flavor that’s wonderfully creamy, light, and delicious.The chickpeas crisp up well in a cast iron skillet, however if you do not own one, they will do just fine in a regular pan, it might just take an extra minute or two.

3. Sunflower Chive ‘Cheese’ Cucumber Bites

Source: Sunflower Chive ‘Cheese’ Cucumber Bites

Perfect for a party, these Sunflower Chive ‘Cheese’ Cucumber Bites by Renee Press are seriously tasty! They’re a cinch to whip up, and come together in no time. They’re best served chilled, so make them ahead and pop them in the refrigerator for an hour or so. The recipe makes about 50 pieces — perfect for a party — but you can halve it if you prefer. Enjoy!

4. No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

Source: No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

If you’re looking for a dessert that feels and tastes sinfully decadent but is actually good for you, look no further than Lucie Javorska‘s No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake. This cake has the richness of a chocolate cake, but a delightfully fresh fruity flavor — and the crust is made from sunflower seeds! Make sure to take lots of pictures once you’re done whipping this one up, the bright blue flavor is eye-catching!

5. Nut-Free Wild Garlic Pesto

Source: Nut-Free Wild Garlic Pesto

Is there anything better slathered on a dairy-free pizza or tossed with noodles than pesto? The problem is that so many of them contain nuts, so if you have an allergy, you might feel like you’re out of luck. That’s where Bianca Haun‘s Nut-Free Wild Garlic Pesto comes in. It uses sunflower seeds instead of cashews to get the job done. So, gather all the wild garlic you can get now and prepare the pesto.

6. Artichoke Sunflower Burgers

Source: Artichoke Sunflower Burgers

Make Dreena Burton‘s Artichoke Sunflower Burgers right now! These hearty burgers are different from your standard veggie burger. They use artichokes, rice or potatoes, and sunflower seeds instead of beans or beets. They’re lightly seasoned, making them perfect for the warmer weather!

7. Buckwheat Raw Crispy Treats

Source: Buckwheat Raw Crispy Treats

Do you have a bunch of sunflower seeds, but no ideas? Make them into sunflower seed butter and then make these Buckwheat Raw Crispy Treats by Amanda Nicole Smith! The buckwheat is sprouted and dried to achieve a super crispy texture and then mixed with sunflower butter, sweetener, coconut oil, and vanilla.

8. Spicy Bean Balls With Kale

Source: Spicy Bean Balls

These tiny and Spicy Bean Balls by Evi Oravecz are the perfect pick-me-up snack when you crave something simple, savory, but energizing. Made from beans and sunflower seeds, they are filling, cheesy, soft in texture, and very delicious! These little treats also leave a lot of room for creativity since you can decorate them with a number of things from sweet paprika powder to sesame seeds!

9. Lemon and Fig Tarts

Source: Lemon and Fig Tarts

The natural sweetness of figs lends perfectly to raw desserts, like Kelly Fielding‘s Lemon and Fig Tarts. The crust is made from sunflower seeds, almond flakes, coconut, and dates, but you could substitute the almonds for sunflower seeds. With no added sugar, this is a healthier alternative to standard desserts.

10. Quinoa and Mixed Seed Crackers

Source: Quinoa and Mixed Seed Crackers

Ida Hemmingsson-Holl‘s Quinoa and Mixed Seed Crackers are so versatile, you’ll always want a stack at home. Thin, crunchy. and a little salty, they’re made from quinoa and seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame. Try them out with some sunflower seed cheese for a savory snack that’s completely nut-free!

11. Heirloom Carrot Pasta With Sunflower Seed Cheese Sauce

Source: Heirloom Carrot Pasta with Sunflower Cheese Sauce

Colorful spiralized heirloom carrots create a veggie pasta that has more crunch than your standard zoodle — and the colors are so pretty! Topped with a sunflower seed cheese sauce, this unique pasta dish is ideal for those who crave a cheesy pasta dish with no gluten and no nuts! Rekka Bell‘s Heirloom Carrot Pasta with Sunflower Cheese Sauce is truly a must-try.

12. Raw Spinach Cheesecake

Source: Raw Spinach Cheesecake

Have you ever made a savory cheesecake? It’s pretty much a complete meal in cake form! This Raw Spinach Cheesecake by Hana Mendes includes a delicious sun-dried tomato and sunflower seed crust, cashew cheese filling, and spinach. It’s also flecked with nutritional yeast for some added cheesy goodness. We guarantee you’ve never had a cheesecake like this!

13. Chili Cheese Turnip or Yam Fries

Source: Chili Cheese Turnip or Yam Fries

Julie Van den Kerchove‘s Chili Cheese Turnip or Yam Fries are THE snack to make for movie night! Deceptively healthy, these crispy fries are covered in a spicy cheese sauce made from zucchini and sunflower seeds. Even if you’ve got no plans, you’re probably going to want a plate of these all to yourself.

14. Raw Sprouted Hummus Veggie Burger With Sunflower Bread

Source: Raw Sprouted Hummus Veggie Burger With Sunflower Bread

Kelly Fielding‘s Raw Sprouted Hummus Veggie Burger With Sunflower Bread has two different versions of one fantastic burger: raw and cooked. Chickpeas and sweet potatoes make it dense and flavorful and the sunflower seed bread is unlike anything you’ve ever tried. Top your burger with carrots, avocado, and plenty of greens.

15. No-Bake Raspberry Chocolate Cake

Source: No-Bake Raspberry Chocolate Cake

Fruit and chocolate always seem to go wonderfully together. This No-Bake Raspberry Chocolate Cake is no exception. This silky cake has a filling of sunflower seeds and coconut cream is sweetened with dates, delightfully fruity, and melts in your mouth. What more could you want?

So there you have it! They’re so versatile, aren’t they? For more recipes of all kinds, download our Food Monster App where we have over 15,000 vegan and allergy-friendly recipes!