Save the seeds from your pumpkins this year and make my roasted pumpkin seeds recipe for a healthy, crunchy snack. It’s a reader favorite, with hundreds of rave reviews!
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Rinsing and rubbing the seeds helps to loosen the pulp and fibers.
- Dry the seeds well! Moisture creates steam, making them chewy instead of crisp.
- Roasting the pumpkin seeds at 350ºF (177ºC) steadily dries them, while tossing them after 5 minutes ensures even browning.
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“This is the best recipe I found for pumpkin seeds so far! Perfect seasoning, balance, and crispy! A keeper.”—Val
Why It Works
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.
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. Since you’re already taking the time to cut and remove the seeds, why not preheat the oven and make a quick and easy snack!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin Seeds: The insides of the pumpkin are packed with edible seeds. Scoop, wash, dry, then measure out the quantity before seasoning and roasting.
- Oil: I use olive oil to roast the pumpkin seeds because it helps them crisp up evenly, makes the seasoning stick, and adds a light fruity flavor.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt enhances the savory flavor, black pepper gives a subtle heat, paprika adds vibrant color, and garlic powder gives an allium flavor.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This roasted pumpkin seed recipe is easy to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Seed Swaps: Other types of squash have edible seeds that can be roasted like butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti, honeynut, or kabocha. Reduce cook time for smaller seeds.
- Oil Options: Use a high smoke point oil for roasting the seeds like avocado oil, vegetable, corn, coconut oil, or clarified butter. Mix-in sesame oil for nutty toasted notes.
- Savory Spices: Add garlic powder, cumin, curry powder, harissa, smoked paprika, taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, chili powder, or cayenne pepper. Add herbs like thyme, rosemary, or Italian seasoning.
- Sweet Seasonings: Toss the season with a little bit of granulated sugar or maple syrup. Add warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Don’t throw out the seeds! With just a few simple steps, you can roast them into a flavorful snack with irresistible crunch.
Step 1: Remove the Seeds
Use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the “pumpkin guts,” the inside pulp, stringy fibers, and entangled raw seeds from the pumpkin. The seeds from carving pumpkins and pie pumpkins are edible.
Depending on the size of your pumpkin, you will have more or less yield. My pumpkin seed recipe uses a 3-pound pie pumpkin. I use the pumpkin flesh to make homemade pumpkin puree for a delicious pumpkin pie or pumpkin soup.
Step 2: Wash and Dry Seeds
Add the seeds to a colander, wash, and remove any pulp left on the seeds. It’s okay if a few stringy fibers remain. Make sure to dry the seeds as much as possible in between a towel. This process will help to crisp up the seeds during roasting. Any excess moisture will create steam in the oven and prolong the cooking time.
Expert Tip: If the seeds are stubborn to clean, you can soak them in warm water, then rub them between your palms to loosen the pulp. The seeds will float; just skim them off, rinse them in a colander, and dry.
Step 3: Season the Seeds
Toss the seeds in a bowl with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Spread the seeds out in an even, single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet to ensure even roasting and a crisp texture. Alternatively, line the sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up.
Step 4: Roast the Seeds
The seasoned pumpkin seeds get roasted at a moderate heat of 350°F (177ºC) for about 12 to 15 minutes. Tossing the seeds every 5 minutes encourages even browning. Larger seeds may require more time. When the seeds give a nutty aroma and golden brown color, they are ready! They are delicious as a snack or a topping for soup and salads.
Tips for Perfect Execution: Transfer the dry and crisp pumpkin seeds to a bowl or plate to cool down to room temperature. Removing from the hot pan prevents burning. You can place them on top of a piece of paper towel to avoid steaming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rinse the seeds in a colander under cold water, gently rubbing them between your fingers to remove the slimy flesh and fibers. Place them in between towels to rub and dry the surface. For stubborn slime, soak the seeds in warm water, or after the initial cleaning step, boil in salted or unsalted water for about 5 minutes to further loosen the pulp and fiber.
Yes! Drying the pumpkin seeds before roasting is key to crispness. Excess surface moisture creates steam in the oven, slowing browning and results in chewy seeds. Dry them well between clean towels, or air dry overnight. This yields evenly browned and crisp seeds.
Eating roasted pumpkin seeds provides fiber and is an excellent source of zinc from the shell and the nutrients phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and iron. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, in 1 ounce (28 grams) of pumpkin seeds provides approximately 126 calories, 5.3 grams of protein, 5.5 grams of fat mainly from unsaturated sources, 15 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of total dietary fiber.
More Pumpkin Favorites
If you tried this Pumpkin Seed Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
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
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC).
- Wash pumpkin seeds in a colander to remove the pulp and fibers. Thoroughly dry with a towel.
- In a small bowl combine pumpkin seeds, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika (if using), and black pepper.
- Lightly grease a sheet pan with olive oil. Evenly spread the seasoned pumpkin seeds on the sheet pan.
- 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.
- Transfer the roasted pumpkin seeds to a bowl to cool down.
Equipment
Notes
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled depending on how many seeds your pumpkin yields.
- To make separating the pulp from the seeds a bit easier, add them to a medium sized bowl. Fill the bowl with warm water and rub the seeds together in the palm of your hands to remove the stringy flesh. Allow the seeds to float to the top of the bowl, then use a spoon to skim them from the surface. Transfer to a colander to further rinse before drying.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Monique says
Just made these. Used triple the amount of seeds, double the amount of everything else, baked on parchment without adding more oil. They are a bit too salty and garlicky for my taste (and I love salt and garlic). I’d make them again, reducing salt, garlic, paprika to about a third of the recommended amounts. Love the flavor combination though!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback, Monique! Feel free to modify the seasoning levels to taste. What kind of salt did you use?
Coleen says
I made this recipe and substituted oil for butter and added garlic powder and Jack Daniel’s honey BBQ seasoning. It was delicious!!!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the flavor combo for the pumpkin seeds, Coleen!
JM says
This flavor mix is a new family fave!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the pumpkin seeds recipe.
Erica says
Recipe is great! I had a LOT of seeds from 6 pumpkins so I made 2 triple recipes and one single. I also only have 1 cookie sheet so I baked 4 batches, and the first one came out good but a little chewier than I personally like my seeds and I think my oven tends to be on the cooler side, so I ended up cooking the 3rd and 4th batch for 20 minutes instead of 15 and they were perfect!
Jessica Gavin says
WOW! That’s a lot of pumpkin seeds! Great to see that your test with extending the roasting time worked to get crispier pumpkin seeds!
Erika says
very nice. will reduce salt next time because it was a little too salty for hubby’s tastes!
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Erika! You can definitely adjust the salt level as needed.
Heather says
Yum, Jessica, thank you! Your spice combo with the paprika is AMAZING! I roast pumpkin seeds every year, and this recipe is definitely a keeper.
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo hoo! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe and you’ll be making them again.
Rex Burger says
Great flavor and perfect doneness at 13:30. Amazing
Jessica Gavin says
So happy that you enjoyed the roasted pumpkin seeds, Rex!
Clayton Lee says
Great recipe – I baked our pumpkin seeds last year and they were delicious. I’m going to try your method this year and especially the spices you suggested. I may even get 2 or more pumpkins. As tradition I always carve our pumpkin(s) on Halloween afternoon, take pictures of it/them as the night goes on, then another set of pictures later in a dark room, and I sometimes do a video in the dark room of 5-10 minutes – of just the jack-o-lantern flickering away in the dark. Happy Halloween and thank you for all the other wonderful recipes you provide – we use many of them and have never been disappointed!
Clayton & Donna Lee
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for all of your support, Clayton! I love hearing about family traditions, happy halloween!
DS says
Roasted seeds for years but I liked the combo of spices in your recipe. Did on convection bake, got nice and crispy. We all loved them. Will keep this recipe for next time.
Jessica Gavin says
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you are enjoying my roasted pumpkin seed recipe!
Paula says
I didn’t have garlic powder and added ginger powder instead. It is also very nice!
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to try adding ginger to my pumpkin seeds this year!
B says
Just tried your pumpkin seed recipe! So yummy… thanks for sharing!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome!
Val says
This is the best recipe I found for pumpkin seeds so far! Perfect seasoning balance and crispy! A keeper
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for making the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe! I’m so happy that you find it to be the best for taste and texture.