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Best Guide On How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Name: Best Guide On How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: seeds from one large pumpkin; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

by Liz DellaCroce 45 Comments / Jump to Recipe

The best guide on how to perfectly roast pumpkin seeds! Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder make these pumpkin seeds a crunchy, savory and addictive snack.

I love the month of October for so many reasons but carving pumpkins with my dad definitely ranks up there.

Every fall, sometime between my birthday and Halloween, he would gather me and my sisters and we would all head out to the driveway. When we saw the big round pumpkins and the piles of newspapers, we knew it was time.

We would lay the paper out on the ground to collect all of the seeds and grab the biggest metal spoon we could find in the kitchen for scraping. My younger sisters would use the protective kiddy knives and eventually I was able to use a real chef’s knife. The leaves were bright orange, the air smelled like wood-burning stoves and it was cool enough to wear a jacket but not too cold that you needed gloves. It was perfect.

The most basic way to roast pumpkin seeds without any flavoring is below in 5 easy steps:

Get a paring knife or get a pumpkin carving kit and cut the top of the pumpkin
Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon & rinse in a colander under cold water.
Soak the seeds in saltwater. You do this to make the seeds easier to digest and ensures the slimy stuff is off of them.
Boil the pumpkin seeds- this is to ensure even baking.

5. Season and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Of course, in case you haven’t figured it out by now, I am not crafty and I do not come from a crafty family. We are foodies, thru and thru. At the end of the day, we carved pumpkins with one goal in mind: roasted pumpkin seeds.

Over the years, I’ve perfected the crunchy, savory, addictive snack.

How do you make the best pumpkin seeds?

Heavier pumpkins = more seeds. It’s a labor of love and these crunchy, salty seeds will be eaten in no time so I always suggest getting the heaviest pumpkin you can carry.
Boil the seeds first to ensure even baking. Since the inside of the pumpkin seed takes longer to cook than the shell, boiling them in a bit of salty water ensures a crispy pumpkin seed that won’t be burnt.
Season them any way you wish. We grew up tossing them in a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. You can use just salt and pepper or kick them up a notch with curry powder and cayenne. The options are endless.

Do pumpkin seeds need to dry overnight before roasting?

No. I would just pat them down with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

What toppings can I add to pumpkin seeds?

If you’re not a fan of garlic powder and cayenne you could try these combinations:

Cinnamon and sugar
Salt and Pepper
Onion Powder and Seasoning Salt
Chili powder with some lime and salt

How do I get the slimy stuff off the pumpkin seeds?

Soak them in water and it comes off pretty quickly.

How long can pumpkin seeds be stored for after roasting?

Up to 7 days in an airtight container

Are pumpkin seeds good for you?

Yes! They are a good source of fiber and other minerals.

What are your favorite recipes?

Whatever you do, I encourage you to grab the family, head out to the driveway and make some delicious memories.

No forks required.