Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Growing up, my mom always got extra pumpkins at Halloween to make us snacks (and in case we screwed up carving). Mom always made the traditional pumpkin pie but she also used the “guts” from the ones to bake roasted pumpkin seeds. While Halloween has never been my favorite holiday, I love being able to bake some of my favorite snacks. I do love seeing all the beautifully carved pumpkins lit up on peoples porches at night.

I wanted to share with you our favorite recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds (aka baked pumpkin seeds) because they make a wonderful snack! The first time I tried them I wasn’t sure how much I liked them, but thirty minutes later my mom looked over and realized I had eaten them all (sorry mom!).

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe:

Ingredients:

1½ cups pumpkin seeds (from a fresh pumpkin)
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (butter or vegetable oil are good substitutes)
Salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Step 1: Clean the pumpkin seeds

Clean off the stringy/pulpy guts from the pumpkin seeds, they might burn in the oven. After you have removed the guts, rinse the seeds thoroughly in a strainer.

Step 2: Boil (optional)

My mom sometimes boils the pumpkin seeds in water to make them extra crispy. Put the pumpkin seeds in a medium sized pot of water with about a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low-medium and let the pumpkin seeds simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Drain the seeds and dry

Drain the pumpkin seeds in a strainer and dry lightly.

Step 4: Add flavor

Put your pumpkin seeds into a bowl and add your extra virgin olive oil and salt. I like to do this in a bowl rather than on a baking sheet because I think it is easier to mix the seeds. Once you’ve mixed your seeds, spread out evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet – try not to overlap seeds.

Step 5: Bake!

Bake your pumpkin seeds for 10 minutes at 325ºF. Remove and stir and return to oven for another 8-10 minutes. During the second baking session make sure to check and test the seeds (let them cool before testing obvi). Inner seed should not be browned, but the outer shell should be golden, crisp, and easy to bite through.

Step 6: Remove and enjoy

Once you have decided your roasted pumpkin seeds are ready, remove them from the oven. Add some more salt to your liking.

Now you have a delicious fall treat to enjoy. I hope that you enjoy these roasted pumpkin seeds as much as I do. Let me know if you try it out and what you think!