This post on how to roast pumpkin seeds are an easy way to make a tasty snack! When you’re carving your pumpkins this year, save the seeds for a nutritional powerhouse.

Every year we carve pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns and a few more to roast for pies and pumpkin puree. When we do, I make sure to save the seeds because, roasted, they are a delicious and super healthy crunchy snack!

And roasting them couldn’t be simpler. It takes only 20 minutes, and a minimum of effort to make a huge batch! Healthy, easy, quick…win, win, win!

Nutritional Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

First let’s start out with why you would want to roast pumpkin seeds anyway.

To begin, one cup of roasted pumpkin seeds contains 747 calories – mostly from fat and protein, so eat them judiciously.

In fact, one cup of pumpkin seeds has 33.9g (or 68% of our recommended daily value of protein!)

They also contain 89% of our daily recommended Vitamin K, 26% of our riboflavin, 115% of our iron, 185% of our magnesium, 162% of our phosphorus, 96% of our copper and 208% of our manganese!!

To say they’re a nutritional powerhouse, may just be an understatement.

Even better, grow your own pumpkins!

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Remove the Seeds

Whether you’re carving a large pumpkin for a jack o’lanterns or to cook, cut an opening at the top of the outer shell with a sharp knife and scoop the seeds from the pumpkin into a separate large bowl with a large spoon or ice cream scoop. Try to leave behind as much of the pulp and stringy fibers as you can.

Save yourself a dirty dish by scooping them directly into a colander.

If you’re not carving a jack-o-lantern, roast the pumpkin, cut in half – cut side down – and make homemade pumpkin puree.

You can follow this recipe with butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash seeds and spaghetti squash as well.

Wash and Dry the Seeds

Once you’ve scooped the seeds, place them in a colander and run warm water over them while you remove the pulpy flesh from the seeds.

Once you’ve removed as much as the pumpkin flesh from the seeds, dry the clean seeds them thoroughly with paper towels or cloth. I’ll leave them in the colander in the sink for a few hours with a dry cloth on top to soak up as much as the liquid as possible.

If they are too wet when they go in the oven they’ll steam instead of roast, and they’ll be chewier than I like. Plus the oil and seasonings won’t stick to them as well.

If you have the time, dry them on a cookie sheet in a warm area overnight.

Season the Seeds

Once your seeds are dry, spread them out on a baking sheet in a single layer and cover with a drizzle of olive oil, vegetable oil or melted butter. (If doing a sweet version, use maple syrup instead – see below).

This is the basic set up for all roasted pumpkin seeds. The flavorings you choose can be as varied as you like.

For us, simplicity is King. We mix the dry seeds with just garlic powder and sea salt. Try any of the additions below:

• Italian seasoning blends,
• ranch seasoning,

• chili powder
• cinnamon sugar (or cinnamon and brown sugar) (for a sweet variety)
• salt and black pepper
• curry powder
• parmesan cheese
• onion powder
• nutritional yeast
• garlic salt
• pumpkin pie spice

Roast the Seeds

To roast your seeds, all you have to do is bake them at 350°F (177ºC), stirring occasionally to make sure they cook evenly on all sides for about 12-15 minutes or until they are golden brown.

That’s it! Serve it room temperature by themselves for a delicious snack, over a salad with pickled beets and feta, or on top of granola. To store them long term, store in an airtight container.