Don’t toss your pumpkin seeds! Roasted pumpkin seeds make for a healthy and delicious fall snack. They’re crunchy, salty and so easy to make with just 3 ingredients.
If you end up making my homemade pumpkin puree or are carving pumpkins make sure you save the seeds so you can make these roasted pumpkin seeds! They’re such a delicious and nutritious snack to have on hand during the fall.
For even more fall flavor you could try these pumpkin spice pepitas, which are sweetened with maple syrup and seasoned with pumpkin pie spice!
I love eating these roasted pumpkin seeds by the handful, but they’re also a great addition to salads and soups like my harvest fall salad and curried pumpkin soup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy – Roasting pumpkin seeds is so simple, and you only need three ingredients! It’s the perfect snack to make while you’re already carving pumpkins.
- Healthy snack – Packed with fiber and healthy fats, pumpkin seeds are a great way to get a nutritious boost.
- Customizable – You can stick with the classic olive oil and salt, or get creative with your favorite seasonings. Try adding a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar for a sweet twist or toss them with smoked paprika for a savory snack.
- Versatile – Roasted pumpkin seeds are a delicious snack on their own, but I also love sprinkling them on top of salads, grain bowls, soups and oatmeal. The options are endless!
Ingredients Needed
- pumpkin seeds – fresh pumpkin seeds that have been cleaned and dried work best. Pumpkin seeds are small, but mighty!
- olive oil – avocado oil also works!
- salt – for this recipe we’re keeping the seasoning simple with just sea salt, but you can certainly get creative and add different spices and seasonings. See some ideas below!
Variations
There are so many different pumpkin seed flavor variations you can make! Here are some ideas:
- Cinnamon and sugar: Add 3 teaspoons sugar + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon for every 1 cup of pumpkin seeds.
- Chili powder: Add 1-2 teaspoons chili powder for every 1 cup of pumpkin seeds.
- Curry powder: Add 1 teaspoon curry powder for every 1 cup of pumpkin seeds.
- Pumpkin spice blend: Add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for every 1 cup of pumpkin seeds.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Step 1: Right after you’ve scooped out the seeds from the pumpkin, separate the seeds from the stringy, fibery pumpkin innards. Put the pulp and seeds into a large bowl of water
Step 2: Use your fingers to work away the pulp from the seeds. Drain the water and place the seeds on paper towels or a clean dish towel to try.
Step 3: When the pumpkin seeds are dry, toss in olive oil and salt until all of the seeds are coated.
Step 4: Roast the pumpkin seeds at 300ºF for 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
Brittany’s Tip!
- Clean seeds immediately: For best results, you want to separate the seeds from the stringy fibery pumpkin innards right after you’ve scooped the seeds out from the pumpkin and before the pulp has dried.
- Roast in Batches: If you have a lot of seeds, don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. Roast in batches so the seeds have enough space to roast evenly and get crispy rather than steaming.
What to Do With Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are so delicious, I eat them by a handful. Here are more fun ideas to try:
- Add to trail mix – Toss roasted pumpkin seeds into your favorite trail mix for an extra crunch and a healthy boost of fiber and healthy fats.
- Top salads or soups – They make a perfect crunchy topping for salads or soups. I love adding them to my winter salad and butternut squash soup for some extra texture.
- Use as a topping for oatmeal – Sprinkle them on top of a warm bowl of pumpkin oatmeal or any oatmeal recipe for a bit of crunch and added nutrition.
- Mix into franola – Stir roasted pumpkin seeds into homemade healthy granola for some extra flavor and texture.
- Garnish smoothies or smoothie bowls – Add a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds on top of your smoothie bowls for some crunch. Try this pumpkin smoothie bowl or pumpkin protein shake for all the fall flavors!
How to Store Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Roasted pumpkin seeds store really well! Once they’ve cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature (preferably in a cool, dark location) for 1-2 weeks or in the fridge for up to 1 month.
You can also store these seeds in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. They might not be as crisp after thawing from the freezer, but you can pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them back up!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use seeds from any pumpkin variety, whether it’s a pie pumpkin, carving pumpkin, or even other squash like butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash or another winter squash. Just note that seeds from larger pumpkins might be a bit tougher and require a bit more roasting time.
The best way I’ve found to clean pumpkin seeds after scooping them out from the pumpkin is to put the seeds into a large bowl of water working the pulp away from the seeds with your fingers. Drain the water and place the seeds on paper towels or a dish towel to dry.
Pumpkin seeds are often called pepitas. I always thought that pepitas were hulled pumpkin seeds, but upon research I’ve found that the two are different seeds. A pepita is harvested from specific pumpkins that produce hull-less seeds… the tasty green seeds are called pepitas! Whereas pumpkin seeds are harvested from pumpkins that produce the white seeds with hulls… the type of seeds most of us are used to finding when carving pumpkins.
When using pepitas and pumpkin seeds as a topping on something like soup or salad, either can be used interchangeably. If the seeds are being used in a specific recipe, I recommend following whatever the recipe calls for! For instance if you’re making a dip or sauce that calls for pepitas, pumpkin seeds won’t work well because the hull is quite hard! A good rule of thumb is that pepitas can always be a substitute for pumpkin seeds, but pumpkin seeds can’t always be used in place of pepitas.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Preheat oven to 300°F
Separate seeds from the stringy fibery pumpkin innards. For best results, do it just after you’ve scooped out the seeds from the pumpkin and before the pulp has dried.
Put the pulp and seeds into a large bowl of water, and work the pulp away from the seeds with your fingers, picking out the strings and pumpkin bits that cling on. Drain water and place seeds on paper towels or a dish towel to dry.
Once dry, toss seeds in olive oil and salt until all the seeds are coated.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and transfer seeds onto the tray.
Roast pumpkin seeds for 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. The cook time will depend on the size of the pumpkin seeds so be sure to watch them carefully so they don’t burn.
- To store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature (preferably in a cool, dark location) for 1-2 weeks or in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- To freeze: Store in a freezer-safe bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. They might not be as crisp after thawing from the freezer, but you can pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them back up!
Serving: 1/4 cup | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 291mg | Fiber: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source link
