3 Ways to Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

If you’re sculpting and slicing up pumpkins (or any winter squash, for that matter), save those seeds! Toasted pumpkin seeds are delicious with just salt and butter, but they go to a whole new level once you start adding seasonings! Here are three super snackable ways to do them up.

Linda Ly
Three ways to toasted pumpkin seeds

I’ll admit, reaching into the depths of a pumpkin to de-gut it is not my favorite thing to do. It’s slimy, it’s sticky, and it feels like one of those mystery boxes at haunted houses where you put your hands in and they tell you it’s a pile of brains.

But deep in the innards are the edible seeds of Cucurbita pepo, a family of squash that includes pumpkins, acorn squash, summer squash, and zucchini. The seeds from all of these cucurbits are equally edible, but I tend to come across pumpkin seeds more often, since one carving pumpkin will yield at least a couple of cups.

And if your whole house is sculpting and slicing up pumpkins, you’ll have enough seeds to do them up three different ways!

Once I got over the initial trepidation that a pumpkin could grow inside of me if I swallowed the seeds (a tale told to me by numerous adults when I was 5, tales that also included watermelon seeds and sunflower seeds), I grew to love toasted pumpkin seeds.

Salt and butter were all that I needed (and is still a classic no-fail recipe in my book), but I also love to experiment with different seasonings.

Here are three of my favorite recipes—and favorite way to eat them? Handfuls at a time, washed down with a cold pumpkin ale!

I like to brine my seeds before toasting, though this step isn’t totally necessary if your pumpkin-carving party guests are anxious to indulge. I feel it gives the seeds a good crunch when they’re toasted and infuses them with a subtle salty flavor that serves as a nice base for other spices.

The brine bath also removes the rest of the stringy guts from the seeds so you don’t have to rinse them before toasting.

Preparation

Remove as much of the pulp as possible from your pumpkin seeds.

In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups water and 2 tablespoons fine-grained salt to a boil (a drizzle of oil also helps to prevent boil-over). Add 1 cup pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes.

Strain the seeds and shake dry, then toast using one of the recipes below.

Remove as much pulp as possible from your seeds
Brine the seeds for 10 minutes
Strain seeds and shake dry
Spread seeds across a baking sheet in a single layer
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Garlic pumpkin seeds

Garlic Pumpkin Seeds

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a medium-sized bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds with oil, Worcestershire, and garlic.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not necessary, but helpful for scooping the seeds off later). Spread the seeds across the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the seeds are golden on all sides. Larger seeds take longer to toast and vice versa, so be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid burning. Generally, I know the seeds are properly toasted when I hear the shells start to pop.

Curried pumpkin seeds

Curried Pumpkin Seeds

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons curry powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a medium-sized bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds with oil and curry.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not necessary, but helpful for scooping the seeds off later). Spread the seeds across the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the seeds are golden on all sides. Larger seeds take longer to toast and vice versa, so be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid burning. Generally, I know the seeds are properly toasted when I hear the shells start to pop.

Sweet 'n spicy pumpkin seeds

Sweet ‘n Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a medium-sized bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds with oil and spices.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not necessary, but helpful for scooping the seeds off later). Spread the seeds across the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the seeds are golden on all sides. Larger seeds take longer to toast and vice versa, so be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid burning. Generally, I know the seeds are properly toasted when I hear the shells start to pop.

Yield: 1 cup

3 Ways to Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Three ways to toasted pumpkin seeds

If you're sculpting and slicing up pumpkins, save those seeds! Toasted pumpkin seeds are delicious with just salt and butter, but they go to a whole new level once you start adding seasonings! Here are 3 super snackable ways to do them up.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salt Brine

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons fine-grained salt
  • Drizzle of oil (optional)

For Garlic Pumpkin Seeds

  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For Curried Pumpkin Seeds

  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder

For Sweet 'n Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

  1. Remove as much of the pulp as possible from your pumpkin seeds.
  2. In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups water and 2 tablespoons fine-grained salt to a boil (a drizzle of oil also helps to prevent boil-over).
  3. Add 1 cup pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes.
  4. Strain the seeds and shake dry.
  5. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  6. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds with oil and seasonings of your choice.
  7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not necessary, but helpful for scooping the seeds off later). Spread the seeds across the baking sheet in a single layer.
  8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the seeds are golden on all sides. Larger seeds take longer to toast and vice versa, so be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid burning.

Notes

Generally, I know the seeds are properly toasted when I hear the shells start to pop.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1556Total Fat: 93gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 65gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 13405mgCarbohydrates: 155gFiber: 47gSugar: 23gProtein: 42g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

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This post updated from an article that originally appeared on October 23, 2013.

View the Web Story on toasted pumpkin seed recipes.

30 Comments

  1. oh yum! I’m about to roast a pumpkin and usually just throw random spices together, but maybe I’ll try one of these!

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