Breadnut

Known as the chestnuts of the tropics, breadnut seeds are wonderful seeds perfect for cooking!

Breadnut seeds are obtained from breadnuts, a seeded variety of breadfruit known as a katahar and chataigne in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Breadnuts are round, green fruits with short, dull spikes. Unlike their seedless sister fruit breadfruit, breadnuts are seeded fruits – breadnut seeds comprise around 50% of the weight of the fruit!

These white nuts are covered by brown shells and are encased in a white pulp. As the breadnut ripens, the breadnut seed shells become dark brown and develop their characteristically rich flavour. Although not eaten fresh out of hand, once they have been easily removed from the flesh, the seeds can be boiled in salted water, roasted, or steamed. When boiled, their texture is akin to mashed potatoes or hummus; roast them and they’ll wow your tastebuds with subtle notes of coffee and chocolate!

Breadnut seeds are incredibly versatile: try mashing the cooked chestnut-like flesh with butter, combining it into a stuffing for your roast dinners, or blending it with some rich stock to make a hearty soup! Check out the ‘Further information’ tab below for some more recipe inspiration, including breadnut hummus!

As well as being delicious, breadnut seeds boast a number of nutritional benefits. In particular, they are an excellent source of protein and are rich in potassium and vitamin C.