Save the Seeds!
If you plan on carving a Jack O’Lantern sometime between now and Halloween (or even after), don’t throw out your seeds! Ugh, I cringe thinking about the pounds of pumpkin seeds I’ve thrown away over the years when I could have been making roasted pumpkin seeds. This is a simple, salty snack that can be easily customized with your favorite spices. I have a few key tips that will make these the best roasted pumpkin seeds you’ve ever had. Get them in the oven while you’re carving the face of your Jack O’Lantern so the kitchen smells amazing while you’re working and you have a great snack by the time you’re finished.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
The first thing you need to do is clean the seeds. Place them in a large colander and run them under cold water. This helps to separate out the stringy strands and any chunks of pumpkin flesh so you can easily remove them from the seeds. If there are any small stringy bits of pumpkin left, don’t sweat it. The tiny bit that we don’t lose while boiling will add a bit of extra flavor when the seeds roast. After you’ve removed them, you’re going to boil the seeds.
Why Boil Pumpkin Seeds?
Boiling the pumpkin seeds before roasting is a great tip I learned about when experimenting with the many different ways to roast pumpkin seeds (Zach’s probably carved over a dozen pumpkins so far, just for this research!). We’ll be boiling the seeds in very well-salted water. Doing this imparts a saltiness into the pumpkin seeds (rather than just relying on the salt and seasonings that we’ll add on the outside later on). Boiling also helps the seeds to roast more evenly and, as a bonus, helps with digestion (some people soak the seeds to help with this, but boiling works just as well). I use about a half teaspoon of salt for every cup of water that I use, but you can use even more for extra salty pumpkin seeds. Note: After boiling, the pumpkin seeds will look gray, this is normal!
Seasoning
Now it’s time to season. Toss the seeds in a bit of olive oil or melted butter first to help the seasoning stick (and to add some extra flavor and keep the seeds from burning). For seasoning, you could just use salt and call it a day, nothing wrong with that! However, I like to use a blend of some of my favorite spices including seasoned salt, smoked paprika, and Worcestershire sauce, but here are some other great savory seasoning options:
Cayenne pepperOld Bay seasoning Chili powderLemon pepper and garlic saltRanch seasoning (or this homemade blend)
After tossing with seasoning spread them evenly on a baking sheet and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until they’re crisp and golden brown. Tip: Be mindful of the sizes of your seeds! Smaller seeds will need less time in the oven and larger seeds will need more, keep an eye on them!
More Fall Recipes You Might Like
Enjoy! Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
