Save the seeds from your pumpkins and try making your own Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. A tasty snack or crunchy garnish on all your favorite soups and salads, learn all there is to know about roasting pumpkin seeds including how to season them!
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
The pumpkin seeds we will be roasting today can come from any type of pumpkin: big, fat carving pumpkins, pumpkins with silly names, or smaller sugar pumpkins cultivated specifically for baking and eating.
Since we are roasting our own pumpkin seeds they will contain both the white, outer shell (or hull) and the seed. The shell is completely edible (and delicious), so unless you enjoy removing the outer hull or you’ve got (a lot of) extra time on your hands, I’d skip this extra step.
For this tutorial and recipe, you’ll notice that I didn’t season my seeds with anything other than salt. If you’re looking for more stand-out flavors, I have a whole list of seasoning ideas below.
Related: How to Cook Pumpkin: A Step-by-Step Guide
Are Pumpkin Seeds Healthy?
Pumpkin seeds are a nutrient-packed and delicious healthy snack.
When we roast them ourselves, the white outer shell remains on as it would take too much time to remove manually (at least in bulk). In the store, however, you’ll find shell-free pumpkin seeds that are green, flat, and oval-shaped (often labeled as pepitas).
Don’t worry, the shell is completely edible.
One ounce (28 grams) of shell-free pumpkin seeds has approximately (source),
- Calories: 151
- Fiber: 1.7 grams
- Carbs: 5 grams
- Protein: 7 grams
- Fat: 13 grams (6 of which are omega-6s)
- Vitamin K: 18% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 33% of the RDI
- Manganese: 42% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 37% of the RDI
- Iron: 23% of the RDI
- Zinc: 14% of the RDI
- Copper: 19% of the RDI
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F with the oven rack set to the top position.
2. For very large pumpkins (carving pumpkins used to make jack-o-lanterns on Halloween) cut a circle around the stem with a sharp knife and remove the top. For smaller pumpkins (like sugar or baking pumpkins) cut them in half from stem to base.
3. Use a strong spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape the seeds and stringy bits from the inside of the pumpkin and transfer to a colander. Run under cold water to help separate the seeds from the thick pulp and fibers.
- This may take a little patience.
4. Once the seeds have been separated from the gooey stringy fibers, measure the seeds, and transfer them to a small pot. For every half cup of pumpkin seeds add two cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and dry the seeds thoroughly using paper towels.
5. Drizzle a clean baking sheet (or sheet pan lined with parchment paper) with olive oil and add the pumpkin seeds. Gently toss to coat and sprinkle with salt. Spread them in a single layer.
6. Bake for 10-20 minutes, or until lightly toasted and golden brown.
- Smaller seeds will take less time and larger seeds will take more time.
7. Allow them to cool before serving. Crack open or eat whole.
Tips and Tricks
Dry your seeds: Before you bake your pumpkin seeds, you need to dry them…really well. Get as much of the water off of them as possible. This results in nice and crispy pumpkin seeds.
Season after baking: but while your pumpkin seeds are still warm. Coating your seeds in seasoning before baking and you run the risk of burning. In most cases, it’s best to toss them after they’ve been toasted.
Related: How to Make Pumpkin Puree from Scratch
Pumpkin Seed Flavor Variations
There are so many different and fun ways to season not just pumpkin seeds, but all winter squash seeds including delicata squash and butternut squash.
- Curry seasoned (curry powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper)
- Cinnamon sugar (cinnamon and sugar)
- Sweet and spicy (add a little brown sugar and cayenne pepper)
- Parmesan (grated parmesan and Italian herbs)
- Simple salt, pepper, and paprika
- Garlic and melted butter
More Pumpkin Recipes,
Healthy Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Persimmon Pumpkin Pudding Cake
Chipotle Pumpkin Veggie Burgers
Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe
If you try making these simple roasted pumpkin seeds, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 1 medium pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt (to season)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with the oven rack set to the top position.
- For very large pumpkins (carving pumpkins used to make jack-o-lanterns) cut a circle around the stem with a sharp knife and remove the top. For smaller pumpkins (sugar pumpkins) cut in half from stem to base.
- Use a strong spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape the seeds and stringy bits from the inside of the pumpkin.
- Transfer the seeds and stringy bits to a colander. Run under cold water to help separate the seeds from the thick pulp and fibers.
- Measure the pumpkin seeds then transfer to a small pot. For every half cup of pumpkin seeds add two cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and dry the seeds thoroughly using paper towels.
- Drizzle a clean baking sheet with olive oil and add the pumpkin seeds. Gently toss to coat the pumpkin seeds with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread them in a single layer.
- Bake for 10-20 minutes, or until lightly toasted and golden brown. Smaller seeds will take less time and larger seeds will take more time.
- Allow them to cool before serving. Crack open or eat whole.
Jessica's Notes
- Store leftover seeds in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Pumpkin seeds are naturally gluten-free and vegan.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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