Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Save your pumpkin seeds this fall and make this easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe! All you need are some oil and salt and you can easily make this recipe at home.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 189kcal
Equipment
- Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- Raw pumpkin seeds
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Optional seasonings black pepper, cinnamon, curry powder, etc.
Instructions
- Clean the pumpkin seeds by scraping them out of the center of the pumpkin or squash, and place the scrapings in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water. Swirl them around in the water with your hands to help release any of the strings or flesh from the pumpkin. (The seeds will float and the flesh will sink.) Scoop up the seeds with your hands and place them in a colander to drain. Pick through and discard any pumpkin flesh that is still attached. Run cold water over the seeds, and drain well. Pat the seeds mostly dry with paper towels or spread them out on a baking sheet to air dry for several hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Once the seeds are mostly dry (a little bit of moisture is fine), measure their volume or weight and then place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt per ½ cup (80g) of seeds. Stir to coat. (If using additional seasonings, add ½ teaspoon per ½ cup of an herb or spice blend of your choice.) Spread the seeds out on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until the seeds are lightly browning and crisp. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Notes
- When you spread the seeds onto the baking sheet, make sure you spread them out into one layer so they can crisp up nicely in the oven.
- Don’t skip stirring the seeds in the oven, as it helps prevent them from burning.
- Sprinkle the seeds with your favorite spice blend for a tasty snack! Make sure you stir them in at the end of roasting, so it doesn’t burn in the oven. Sweet spices like cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice are great for flavoring the seeds and adding them to baked goods or sprinkling over ice cream. Savory spices like curry powder, smoked paprika, or chili powder make the roasted seeds an excellent salad topper.
- Don’t rush the drying process. While the seeds can have a bit of moisture on them, it’s best to let them dry as much as possible before you start roasting them, or they won’t crisp up as they bake.
- Small pumpkin seeds may take much less time to roast in the oven. It’s hard to control the size of your seeds, so keep a close eye on them as they bake. When the smaller seeds begin to brown lightly, remove them from the sheet pan.
- A large serving spoon or ice cream scoop helps remove the seeds from the pumpkin much easier.
Nutrition
Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 1165mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 3mg