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Have you ever carved a pumpkin and wondered what to do with the leftover seeds? This recipe is the solution! You can snack on these roasted pumpkin seeds directly from a bowl, or sprinkle them over a pear salad or roasted pumpkin soup this week.
I spent over a month testing how to cook pumpkin seeds with various seasonings and oven temperatures to find the best method. Luckily for all of us, the easiest way is also the best way. I’ll share everything I learned here!
“These roasted pumpkin seeds are perfection! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and they are delicious. I’m going to use them as “croutons” on salads this week, if I can stop snacking on them out of the bowl!”
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin Seeds. This recipe assumes you’re using the large white seeds from a fresh pumpkin. These will still have their shells intact, unlike the pepitas you might buy at the store, which resemble green ovals. (Pepitas = hulled pumpkin seeds.)
- Olive Oil. Any mild-flavored oil will work for this recipe, but this is what I used for testing.
- Pantry Spices. A combination of garlic powder, paprika, and salt create a savory flavor that’s irresistible. Use smoked paprika for a hint of smoky flavor.
- Coconut Sugar. This granulated sugar is optional, but it enhances the flavor to resemble Chex Mix. If you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, you can substitute white or brown sugar.
Tips for Roasting other squash seeds
If you’re curious about roasted seeds from other squash varieties, like butternut, acorn, or spaghetti squash, check out my Roasted Squash Seeds tutorial.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Step 1:
Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and place them in a fine mesh strainer or colander. Rinse them under running water, shaking often, to remove their slimy exterior.
Any extra pumpkin pulp should rinse away easily.
Lay the rinsed pumpkin seeds on a dry towel and pat them dry. The drier the pumpkin seeds are, the crispier they will get! If you plan on carving a pumpkin, go ahead and do that while the seeds are laid out on the towel – the longer they dry, the better.
How to Dry Pumpkin Seeds Quickly
If you want to dry the seeds quickly, arrange them on an unlined baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes at 350ºF. That brief oven time should help any extra moisture evaporate fast.
Step 2:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer the dry seeds to a bowl and toss them with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and paprika, if using. Add granulated sugar for a “Chex Mix”- inspired flavor, or refer to the recipe notes for additional spice ideas.
Stir well to coat the seeds. Some seeds may look more seasoned than others, and that’s okay, but do your best to distribute the seasoning evenly.
Step 3:
Transfer the seeds to the prepared pan and arrange them in a single layer. The seeds will want to stick together in clumps, but try to spread them out as much as possible. The more separated they are, the crispier they will get.
Roast the pumpkin seeds at 350ºF for 10 minutes, then remove the pan and stir the seeds to ensure they roast evenly.
Then, return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, if needed. Watch the pan closely, as the spices could darken quickly. (FYI, if you season pumpkin seeds with only salt and olive oil, they’re less likely to burn; the garlic powder and sugar are more prone to darkening.)
Serving Tips
Once the seeds are lightly golden and smell almost like popcorn, remove the pan from the oven. They will get even crispier as they cool, so don’t worry if they don’t look crispy right away.
Once they are cool enough to handle comfortably, they are ready to serve. Transfer them to a bowl and snack on them when desired, or sprinkle them over soups and salad this week.
Expert Tip: When you cook pumpkin seeds with a sweetener, whether it’s maple syrup or coconut sugar, the seeds will become darker as they cook, and they might become sticky if you leave them at room temperature overnight. I recommend storing these in the fridge or freezer for the best texture.
Serve Pumpkin Seeds with…
If you try this roasted pumpkin seed recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐ star rating below to let me know what you think. Thanks for visiting!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raw pumpkin seeds (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika (optional)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under running water. Pick out any pumpkin pulp that might be stuck to them. For best results, you want the seeds to be very clean, but you can pick off any remaining pulp when you dry them.
- Transfer the seeds to a towel and pat well to dry. Once the seeds are dry, preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Pour the dry seeds into a bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic powder, and salt. I usually use ½ teaspoon of salt for these (because I like salt!), but 1/4 teaspoon is sufficient if you're looking for a mildly salty snack. You can add the optional paprika and coconut sugar if you want a more flavorful snack that tastes like Chex Mix.
- Spread the seeds out into a single layer on the pan. They will tend to clump together, but do your best to separate them so they will get as crispy as possible. Roast at 350ºF for 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula to stir the seeds, to help them crisp-up evenly. Return the pan to the oven, to bake for another 5 to 8 minutes. Watch closely towards the end of the cooking time, to make sure the seeds don't get too dark.
- When the seeds smell nutty (almost like popcorn), remove them from the oven and cool. They will continue to crisp up as they cool down. Enjoy as a crunchy snack or as a topping for salads and soup.
- Leftover roasted pumpkin seeds can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
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I have been incorporating roasted flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds into my diet, and they have significantly helped with joint stiffness. Thanks for sharing these insights—have you explored the benefits of sesame seeds for bone health?
For those looking to explore more about how roasted seeds help with joint pain, here’s an in-depth guide:-https://arigafoods.com/blogs/health-food-taste/how-roasted-mixed-seeds-can-help-with-joint-pain
Thank you for the recipe. I followed your recipe but spiced mine up with Salt, Pepper, tumeric, and paprika. Very nice!
I’m wondering if you can use bagged raw pumpkin seeds for this recipe?
Leslie – that’s what I use; a lot simpler than scraping them out of a pumpkin, and less waste.
roasted pumpkin seeds are an extra bonus snack! yeah man it`s i love to eat pumpkin seeds,
your website and your blog both are best.thanks to you
I just tried the recipe as it is written. It is delicious and perfectly crispy. Thanks Megan!
These roasted pumpkin seeds are perfection! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and they are delicious. I’m going to use them as “croutons” on salads this week, if I can stop snacking on them out of the bowl!
These came out soo good! Perfectly crispy and delicious! Definitely using this recipe from now on. Thank you! I can’t stop snacking on them… At this rated I’ll have to make more for the rest of the family to enjoy tomorrow!