Halloween may have been and gone, but pumpkins are sticking around. We’ve still got Thanksgiving to come (and how many pumpkin pies?) and a few weeks of fall left. So when you’re scooping out the seeds to make your next pumpkin recipe… don’t throw them away, roast them instead! Here’s my guide on how to roast your own pumpkin seeds. Spoiler, it’s easy.
Related: Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix
Step 1
Cleaning pumpkin seeds is easier than it looks. Cut a circle in the top of the pumpkin and scoop out all the seeds with a strong metal spoon. Place the seeds and pulp into a colander and rinse thoroughly until all the stringy pulp is gone. You’ll have to get in there with your hands and give them a good toss around, I promised this would be easy, not clean!
Step 2
Boil the seeds in salted water. But why? Pumpkin seeds naturally have a hard shell around them (which is totally edible), but means any flavours you add to the seeds while roasting them can’t permeate the shell and add any flavour. By boiling the seeds in salted water, you allow this salt to get right into the middle of the seed and add just a hint of saltiness. This flavour transforms the seeds from bland to epic snack. The ratio of salt to water seems extremely high, but don’t worry, you won’t be eating all of that salt, the water just needs to be that salty for the seeds to take on as much flavour as possible.
For every 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds, add 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Boil for 20 minutes and drain in a colander.
Step 3
Roast! Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Lay the seeds flat on a baking tray and toss in a little olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and any other spices you like. I used a little garlic powder as well which was delicious! Roast for 10-15 minutes or until the seeds just start to turn golden brown as in the picture below. They will turn quite quickly so keep a close eye on them
And that’s it! Store the seeds in an airtight container and snack on them alone, or sprinkle on salads for a tasty crunch. You can shell the seeds before you eat them if you prefer, but the shell is completely edible and very tasty! Let me know in the comments if you try roasting the seeds from a pumpkin you are using for another recipe!
this is useful, some people don’t do it the right way, or they totally burn it, this way is safe.
Thank you! Agree I think boiling them first ensures the flavour will be there without having to over roast them in the oven. Definitely keep an eye on them though :D
This is so useful – first time I’ve seen any mention of boiling them in salted water and I can see that I would make a huge difference in flavour! Will give this a whirl next time I have some leftover seeds from making this salad hehe :)
Yes Persephone, definitely try it out! Also, that salad looks incredible, definitely going to try that one out!