Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (with 5 seasoning ideas!)
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Roasted pumpkin seeds are the best part of carving a pumpkin. Cooking pumpkin seeds is incredibly easy, and they turn out crispy and delicious every time with my recipe. Bonus: I share my five favorite pumpkin seed seasonings!
Do we all agree that the best part of carving pumpkins is snacking on roasted pumpkin seeds for days afterward? It’s easily the most rewarding part of the whole process.
If you’ve been tossing the seeds in the trash after carving your jack-o’-lantern, it’s time to stop. These crunchy little gems are delicious and just as snackable as a bag of chips — once you start munching, they won’t last long at all.
Before you start snacking, set aside some of the roasted seeds and use them to top my easy canned pumpkin soup.
How long to roast pumpkin seeds
While baking times can vary slightly, expect to bake pumpkin seeds at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
The exact time it takes to roast pumpkin seeds depends on how many seeds you’re roasting, how thinly (or thickly) they are spread on your baking sheet, and how dry they are before going into the oven.
Why boil the pumpkin seeds before roasting them?
After years of experimenting with different cooking methods for pumpkin seeds, we’ve found that boiling the seeds first yields the best results.
- Boil the seeds in salted water to flavor them.
- Boiled pumpkin seeds get crispier in the oven.
- It makes the seeds easier to digest. Bonus!
How to store roasted pumpkin seeds
Glass canning jars are ideal for storing these tasty snacks. Another option is to store them in reusable Stasher bags.
While roasted pumpkin seeds will be safe to eat for several months, they are best eaten within a week. After a week, they start to soften.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (with 5 seasoning ideas!)
Ingredients
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon salt (divided)
- 2 teaspoons cooking oil (OR the oil listed in the seasonings below)
- Optional: 1 of the seasoning mixes
Roasted Pumpkin Seed Seasonings
Nacho
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Pumpkin Pie
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Curry
- 2 teaspoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons raisins (add when the pumpkin seeds come out of the oven)
BBQ
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Italian
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (mix into pumpkin seeds 5 minutes before they’re removed from the oven)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate the pumpkin seeds from any large pieces of pumpkin pulp. Place the seeds into a large bowl and cover with a few inches of water. Use your hands to mix and wash the seeds. Let the seeds sit for a few minutes so the pulp sinks to the bottom of the bowl.
- Scoop the seeds out of the bowl with a slotted spoon and place them into a medium-sized pot. Cover the seeds with a few inches of water and add the tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.1 cup pumpkin seeds
- Strain the seeds through a fine-mesh sieve then lay them on a few sheets of paper towel or a fuzz-free dish towel. Dab them with the towel to remove some of the moisture.
- Place the pumpkin seeds into a bowl and toss with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, the oil, and if using, the seasonings and mix well. Lay them in a single layer on the baking sheet.2 teaspoons cooking oil
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring the seeds halfway. To test if they're done, remove a pumpkin seed and let it cool for a few minutes. If it's crunchy, it's ready to eat. If not, put them back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
i like BBQ pumpkin seeds recipe i wan try this recipe. thanks to your work.
This is awesome! Love all the options! So going to try making this! Pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite snacks especially this time of year.
Hi
Great recipe, will definitely try this. But, had a question, why boil the seeds after washing them?
Iam from India and we’ve always used pumpkin seeds as a snack…v tasty but deep fried in oil and so was v happy to see a recipe to bake them.
We wash the pulp out and just leave it to air dry and then fry.
Hence my question regarding 1 extra step.
Thanks
Geeta
I find that the flavor improves by boiling them in salted water. They also seem to crisp better in the oven when I boil them, so that’s the way that I always do it now. 🙂
I was just talking about roasted pumpkin seeds with my friend this morning and here is your recipe! thank you!
Great carving skills too:)