Fall is in full swing which means people are decorating and cooking all things pumpkin! This roasted pumpkin seeds recipe is the perfect way to use all of the seeds from your pumpkin carving, or from making pumpkin purée or cooking dishes with pumpkin but we especially love the seeds! Crisp, baked seeds are perfect to snack on from a bowl or toss into a beautiful autumn salad. Whatever you do, do NOT throw the seeds out and miss the opportunity to bake them for a delicious healthy snack that is full of protein. Pumpkin seeds are not only a tasty treat, but they are often considered a superfood packed with fiber, iron, magnesium, antioxidants, zinc, and more. They are a great alternative for a crispy snack if for those with nut allergies. There’s so much nutrition packed into these little seeds.
This method makes perfect pumpkin shells that pop right open and don’t crumble or break the seed inside. The shells are lightly salted and make a great snack to have on your buffet or charcuterie board. You can always step it up and custom the seasoning. Shells on or off is a matter of personal preference. Like sunflower seeds, the shells can be eaten. Peeling each shell is a lot of effort, and with the shells on, you get more of the yummy seasonings.
This recipe also works great with acorn, butternut, delicata, and other winter squash seeds. Boiling the seeds before roasting will help them roast evenly, and for some folks who struggle with digesting whole seeds, helps the digestion process too. Use oil for roasting, holds the salt or seasoning onto the seeds. I usually go with fine salt for flavor but you can use many different flavors:
- chili powder
- curry powder
- Italian seasoning
- ranch seasoning
- cajun seasoning
- salt & pepper
- cinnamon and sugar
- pumpkin spice
- garlic powder and parmesan
- wasabi powder
- Maple syrup and cinnamon. A few teaspoons should do the trick, but add them to taste.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to make this recipe less messy. After cooling, lift the paper and use it like a funnel to pour the seeds right into your airtight container for storage. For a more golden tint, broil for a few minutes, but remember pumpkin seeds can burn in a matter of seconds so stir them after a minute and keep your eyes on them! You can sure use the air fryer as well. Prepare your seeds and put them into your air fryer basket instead of the oven. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, being sure to stir the seeds halfway through.
- Prepare and Carve– Preheat your oven to 300°F. Using a sharp knife, cut into your pumpkin to retrieve the seeds. If you are using small sugar pumpkins, slice the pumpkin in half. If you are carving a large pumpkin, cut the top off around the stem creating a lid for your jack-o-lantern if that’s what you’re doing or just cut it up in pieces to freeze or cook with which is what I usually do.
- Scoop and rinse – Remove the seeds and pulpy strings from your pumpkin using a large metal spoon or scraper. Put the fresh pumpkin seeds into a large bowl and submerge the seeds in warm water. Remove any debris and then drain in a colander, giving them a good rinse to remove any leftover stringy pumpkin guts. Another way to do this is using a ziploc bag, add warm water and squish it with your hands, I find this works so much better but both ways work.
- Boil and dry – In a large saucepan, add the water, salt, and clean pumpkin seeds. Bring to a boil, and continue boiling for 10-15 minutes, then drain the water. Lay the clean seeds on a kitchen towel and pat dry, removing as much excess water as possible, you can even let them dry overnight and finish them the next day.
- Season and Bake – You can line a baking sheet with parchment paper or not, it’s up to you. Drizzle the baking sheet with your preferred oil, can be neutral or infused, here I used extra virgin olive oil. Add the pumpkin seeds and stir until evenly coated in oil. Spread the seeds in a single layer and sprinkle with salt or your preferred seasoning. Place the seeds in the oven to bake and stir every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven when they are barely golden and have reached your desired crispness.
- Once the pumpkin seeds have cooled to room temperature, store your roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container or jar at room temperature for several weeks or refrigerate them for up to two months.
