Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a fall staple in my house and they will be in yours as well. This is a spiced and savory recipe that takes minimal prep time and the rest of the time they’re baking in the oven.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Yippee! I am glad you made it over here for my Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe. I get sad seeing pulpy pumpkin seeds go to waste after the grand carving of the pumpkins.
Carving jack o’lanterns is an activity the whole family can enjoy. And making roasted pumpkin seeds is too!
Whether you call them roasted or baked pumpkin seeds, they are amazingly delicious. The actual seed doesn’t hold much flavor, but they do have a unique texture and are a blank slate for so many different spice blends.
Today I’m sharing a basic zesty and salty pumpkin seed seasoning that is easy to customize and also totally crave worthy.
Pumpkin Seed Benefits
Truth is, these bad boys are delicious and nutritious. This is the best pumpkin seed recipe ever.
So what are the health benefits of pumpkin seeds?
- High in fiber
- Contain magnesium and zinc
- Linked to improving prostate health, diabetes and inflammation
- A low calorie food
- A low fat food
- A delicious snack
Ingredients
- Pumpkin seeds – The next time you and the family carve pumpkins, don’t throw out the seeds! Larger carving pumpkins yield cups and cups of seeds. I always prefer fresh pumpkin seeds too. You want clean seeds, so make sure they are clean from the slimy pumpkin flesh. Sugar pumpkin (pie pumpkins) have tasty seeds, but are smaller and will have less per squash- I use these when making my own pumpkin puree.
- Butter – In order to get that delicious spice blend to stick to the cleaned seeds, we need a binding agent. Melted butter does just that, but also provides great flavor. You could use olive oil instead if you prefer. This helps it stick and brown- dry seeds won’t adhere to the spice mixture.
- Coarse kosher salt – If you are using salted butter, I would omit the salt or at the very least cut it down. I like using fine sea for this tasty snack. Coarse sea salt also works.
- Seasonings – I like to use a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and ground red pepper. Of course, the combinations are endless, so read below to discover other seasoning options.
Pumpkin Seeds vs. Pepitas
You might also be wondering what the difference is between these big pumpkin seeds and the smaller seeds commonly known as pepitas.
Well, they both come from a pumpkin, but different types of pumpkins. Oilseed or Styrian pumpkins grow seeds without an outer shell (the large white exterior) and instead the shells turn green.
If you were to break open a regular large white pumpkin seed, there would be a tiny seed inside, but it won’t be green.
Try pepitas on everything from salads to desserts, like my Pumpkin Cheesecake (I love the salty and sweet). I like salty snacks, so I try to make my healthy snacks, like kale chips and roasted pumpkin seeds into the flavor I crave.
How Bake Pumpkin Seeds
Now to make this crunchy snack. It is really quite easy, just take some butter and seasoning and roast.
I like to leave a little of the fibrous strands on there to add flavor, but hubby prefers them to be rinsed. Your choice.
Even if you aren’t carving pumpkins or making homemade pumpkin puree to get your own seeds, you can easily buy pumpkin seeds at the store. You can even toss them in pumpkin pie spice for a sweet treat!.
- Prep the Seeds. The hardest part might be prepping the slippery seeds. Rinse with cold water to remove any large pieces. Blot with a paper towel so the butter can coat them.
- Prepare oven and sheet pan. Preheat oven and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper aluminum foil.
- Make seasoning blend. Combine the salt through ground red pepper in a small bowl, mix well.
- Toss seeds. In a medium mixing bowl, toss pumpkin seeds with butter to coat evenly. Add spice mix, tossing to coat. If you have rinsed them with cold water to get rid of pulp, blot dry with a paper towel.
- Bake. Lay in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and roast, turning halfway through until golden brown.
Of course they make a great snack just like sunflower seeds, but you can really use them for so much more than a healthy snack. Top any number of pumpkin recipes like pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread or even pumpkin muffins.
Variations
There are many ways to season this easy roasted pumpkin seeds recipe. Here are a few of my favorite ways:
- Black pepper
- Curry powder
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Parmesan cheese
You could even make them sweet instead of savory with things like:
- Maple syrup
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon sugar
Storage & Freezing
They don’t need to be refrigerated, so you can carry them around with you as a snack. They are also excellent for incorporating into recipes like topping a salad or pasta dish.
The best way to store them is at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container, but good luck getting them to last that long!
Pumpkin seeds can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight plastic bag or container.
More pumpkin recipes
How to Bake Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch ground red pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss pumpkin seeds with butter to coat evenly. If the seeds are recently rinsed, blot with a paper towel.
- Stir together the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and red pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the buttered seeds, tossing to evenly coat.
- Lay the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, roasting for 20 minutes. Turn and roast for an additional 20 minutes.
- Eat warm or at room temperature. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
- If you've tried this recipe, please come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
This was so good. Thanks for sharing!
Very welcome- happy new year!
Thank you so much for this. These were fantastic snacks.
This is honestly one of my most favorite snacks to munch on. And they’re so easy to make! Love the spice here.
Pumpkin seeds are some of my favorite snacks. I like how you spiced them and the fact that you can spice them differently every time you make them!
This is such a great way to make use of pumpkin and other squash seeds! We especially enjoy them with a savory-sweet mix of cayenne and brown sugar.
Thank you so much! The flavors are perfect and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Truly my favorite part about Halloween. Love the seeds from the jack-o-lanterns more than the candy!
Loved how simple this recipe was! Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m thrilled I stumbled upon this blog – perfect timing with Halloween on Monday. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
THESE LOOK GREAT and I am going to try the bloomin bread!