Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Save the seeds from your pumpkins this year and make roasted pumpkin seeds for a healthy, crunchy snack. If you’re carving a Jack-O-Lantern, then don’t waste the goodness inside, follow this easy step-by-step guide, and you’ll be rewarded with a special treat!

Whether you’re carving spooky Halloween pumpkin faces or making homemade pumpkin puree from scratch, don’t forget to save those edible seeds inside! I had a fond childhood memory of my elementary school teacher showing our class how to roast pumpkin seeds in a toaster oven after making our Jack-O-Lanterns. This healthy snack recipe is easy to make at home and a fun project to get the kiddos involved.

Don’t throw out the seeds! Make a tasty and healthy snack in a few simple steps to add flavor and irresistible texture to each bite. Pumpkin seeds are composed of two parts; the cream-colored shell and the kernel or pepita which is olive green in color. Both are edible, so you can’t go wrong roasting the whole seed and enjoying the maximum nutritional benefits.

Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

This fun recipe yields perfect roasted pumpkin seeds, every time. You’ll also find tips on how to clean the seeds, plus flavor variations! Recipe yields about one medium pumpkin’s worth of seeds (1 1/2 cups).*

Prep: 15min

Total: 30min

Yield: 1

Serving Size: 1/4 cup seeds roasted with olive oil and salt, no sweetener or spices

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1/4 cup seeds roasted with olive oil and salt, no sweetener or spices, calories 186 calories, Sugar 1.8 g, Sodium 99.4 mg, Fat 15.8 g, Saturated Fat 2.8 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 4.9 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 9.8 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or melted butter
• Optional sweetener: 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, to taste
• Optional flavorings: Freshly ground black pepper, to taste, or 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend or ground cinnamon or curry powder

Instruction:

1. To clean your pumpkin seeds: Place the pumpkin seeds in a colander. Run water over the seeds and swish them around, removing any obvious bits of pumpkin flesh along the way. Drain off the excess water. Create a double layer of paper grocery bags (one inside the other). Place the seeds inside with a clean, lint-free tea towel or several paper towels. Fold the bag to close and shake it all around! They should be dry enough at this point.
2. To toast your pumpkin seeds: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
3. Place your rinsed and dried pumpkin seeds on the prepared baking sheet. Add the oil, sweetener (if using) and salt. Stir until all of the seeds are coated, then spread them in an even layer across the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the seeds are fragrant and turning golden. Season them with additional salt, to taste. If desired, season with black pepper, to taste, or stir in the pumpkin spice blend or curry powder. Enjoy.
5. Cooled, leftover pumpkin seeds will keep well in a bag at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Do not waste the seeds from pumpkins, they can be made into a healthy and delicious snack! Learn how to roast pumpkin seeds with this step by step guide.

Prep: 10min

Total: 25min

Yield: 12

Serving Size: 8 g

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 8 g, calories 53 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Sodium 47 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 0.02 g, unSaturated Fat 4 g

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika (optional)
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC).
2. Wash pumpkin seeds in a colander to remove the pulp and fibers. Thoroughly dry with a towel.
3. In a small bowl combine pumpkin seeds, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika (if using), and black pepper.
4. Lightly grease a sheet pan with olive oil. Evenly spread the seasoned pumpkin seeds on the sheet pan.
5. Bake until the seeds are toasted and crunchy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes for even toasting, and check for doneness with each stir by tasting a seed for crunchiness.
6. Transfer the roasted pumpkin seeds to a bowl to cool down.

Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Season pumpkin seeds with almost anything from your spice cabinet. Boiling the seeds in salted water for 5 minutes before roasting helps to clean and season them. Before baking, pat the boiled seeds very dry otherwise they will not brown or crisp.

Prep: 10min

Total: 35min

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 2 tablespoons, calories 105, Protein 5 g, Carbohydrate 2 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 0 g, Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, melted coconut oil or nut oil like walnut
• 2 teaspoons your favorite spice blend such as curry powder, harissa and chili powder

Instruction:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 cups of water and season with 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, scoop the seeds from your pumpkin. Add the pumpkin seeds to a bowl filled with cold water and swish them around until the seeds float and are mostly clean.
4. Add cleaned seeds to the boiling salted water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and pull away any remaining pumpkin attached to the seeds.
5. Scatter the seeds onto clean dishcloths and pat them very dry. Mound the dried seeds onto the prepared baking sheet. Add the oil and any spices on top then toss until well coated. Spread the seeds into one layer. Bake, stirring the seeds at least once, until fragrant and golden around the edges, 10 to 25 minutes, depending on how large the seeds are.

Flavored Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a crunchy and healthy snack you have to make! We have both sweet and savory pumpkin seed recipes to satisfy your tastebuds.

Prep: 5min

Total: 35min

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

Nutrition Facts: calories 269 calories, Carbohydrate 12 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 1 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 21 grams fat, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 12 grams protein, Saturated Fat 4 grams saturated fat, servingSize 2 tablespoons, Sodium 1256 milligrams sodium, Sugar 6 grams sugar, Trans Fat 0 grams trans fat, unSaturated Fat 16 grams unsaturated fat

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup clean and towel-dried pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dill
• 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8–1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Clean the pumpkin seeds by removing them from the pumpkin, and then picking any large chunks out.
3. Fill a medium-size mixing bowl with warm water. Add in the pumpkin seeds, and then swirl around with your hand or a spoon to dislodge any of the pumpkin “gunk.” Let rest for five minutes. The pumpkin seeds will float to the top, and the pumpkin guts will sink to the bottom.
4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the clean pumpkin seeds to a kitchen towel and pat dry.
5. In a small bowl, mix together your seasoning mixture of choice, if using.
6. Toss the clean and towel-dried pumpkin seeds with the olive oil. Then, add in the seasoning mixture, if using, or just salt to taste, tossing to make sure each pumpkin seed is well-coated.
7. Spread pumpkin seeds onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are in one even layer. If you need to move to a second baking sheet, do so.
8. Roast in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin seeds are golden brown.
9. Remove from heat and let cool completely (pumpkin seeds will crisp up as they cool).

THE BEST WAY to Roast Pumpkin Seeds | F&W Cooks

FAQ

How long do pumpkin seeds need to dry before roasting?

Why soak pumpkin seeds before roasting?

Should you rinse pumpkin seeds before you roast them?

Why are my roasted pumpkin seeds tough?