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.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
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.
STEP 1: Remove the Seeds
Use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to remove 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, the more or less yield you will have. My pumpkin seed recipe uses a 3-pound pie pumpkin that I used to make homemade pumpkin puree for a delicious pumpkin pie.
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 some flesh remains. 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.
STEP 3: Season the Seeds
Toss the seeds in a bowl with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Make sure to separate and spread the seeds evenly on a lightly greased cookie sheet for even roasting.
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 to encourage even browning. When the seeds give a nutty aroma and golden brown color, they are ready!
Benefits of Roasting Pumpkin Seeds
- Ease: Since you’re already taking the time to cut and remove the seeds, why not pre-heat the oven and quickly make a snack!
- Versatility: I’m sure your pantry is already filled with seasonings to create unique and tasty combinations. You can use any seasoning mix, like some chili powder for heat, curry powder or cumin for a more earthy flavor, or even a sweet taste with cinnamon and maple syrup. Feel free to use vegetable oil, butter or coconut oil instead of olive oil.
- Nutrition: Eating the whole pumpkin seed provides fiber and 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.
If you’re a fan of pumpkin seeds, I’d love to hear your flavor combinations and uses in the comments section 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.
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Anna Leah says
Last year I forgot about my seeds and was bummed they got moldy when I remembered to get to them.
This year, our two pumpkins had seeds about the same size and your post inspired me to get baking pronto!
I rinsed and rinsed but the easiest method was floating handfuls in a warm bowl of water and scooped all the floating seeds up and drained them. Your tip to towel dry them was a good reminder and my seeds toasted more quickly than I thought. 30 minutes was plenty toasty for ones on the sheet pan and I ate them shell and all! I had some in a casserole dish and they were less browned but easy to crack and eat.
I only used oil and kosher salt and with 3 cups worth, I can share with my dad.
Thanks for this
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback Anna! That’s a great a great tip to wash them in a bowl of warm water, I’ll have to try that. So happy to hear that you got to share some with your family 🙂
Marco Contreras says
I found this recipe quick fast after looking to do something with the seeds from our pumpkin. Very tasty I shall say 😁. My kids loved it and perfect shell crisp. My sister in law never had pumpkin seeds with the shell, but this roast made it a good experience for her. Awesome recipe!!
Kay says
After washing the pumpkin seeds, I put them in a food dehydrator at 125 degrees for about 2 hours before adding the other ingredients and baking them. Turned out crispy and tasted great!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow that sounds amazing! I’ll have to try that Kay 🙂
Zumi Vance says
This is a great base recipe, they turned out delicious,
Thanks for all the variations,
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback Zumi 🙂
Marcie says
I used sea salt and roasted garlic and rosemary infused olive oil.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow that sounds lovely!
Elaine White says
Thanks Jessica my first success at roasting pumpkin seeds, I’ll never compost them again! Some of the variations in the comments sound good, I’ll be trying some of those as well☺. I used home grown small sugar pumpkins, so many seeds!
Judy says
Made this recipe and it was really great 🙂 used salt pepper and some chipotle seasoning. Delicious! My five year old loved!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the addition of the chipotle, happy to see your son likes spicy too!
Belinda says
We carved a pumpkin today and used your recipe tonight to roast the pumpkin seeds. I followed your recipe and they came out perfect. This was the first time I tried this and it was a success. Thank you !
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so thrilled to hear that you had success with the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe Belinda!
Susan Ratcliff says
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve roasted seeds many times but needed the recipe as a reminder. I also used cinnamon and brown sugar for one of the batches. I may get crazy and experiment with other seasonings as well. We carved nine pumpkins this year so I have plenty to work with. Thanks again!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the cinnamon and sugar addition!
Calvin Lau says
What a great seasonal reminder what with neighborhood trick-or-treating in the Los Angeles area pretty much shutting down (large groups and social distancing). Here is my CAD formula: C + A = D (being Creative and Adventuresome equals Delicious!