Almost every set of how-to instructions for pumpkins, whether it’s carving or cooking, will tell you not to discard the pumpkin seeds. Some may indicate that they are tasty when they are roasted, but many just stop at telling you not to be wasteful, not really helping you much with what to do with them now that you have set them aside for later.
I remember my mom roasting pumpkin seeds as a snack when my brother and I would carve pumpkins as kids (a few years ago now). So, I have always known that the seeds could be roasted, but I have to admit that I have thrown them away more often than not. The few times I did attempt to roast them, they would come out tasting like burnt popcorn, and then I would throw them out after roasting them.
Over the past few years, though, I’ve had my share of pumpkins (and made lots of puree), so I did a little bit of research on how to correclty roast pumpkin seeds. It seemed like the responsible thing to do, right? Though I may not be the pumpkin seeds expert, I thought I’d share what works for me!
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Sweet and Salty Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
(Ingredients for seeds from 1 large pumpkin)
- 1 - 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Remove as much of the pulp from the seeds as you can (but don’t be crazy about it!). Then, give the seeds a quick rinse in a collandar. While you can buy hulled raw seeds at a bulk store, I never bother to attempt to take the outer seeds off of mine. They are perfectly edible as-is, and I just don’t have the time and energy for that!
Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil. They will be pretty slimy at this point, so let them sit out and dry for a while (I usually let them go overnight).
Once the seeds have dried, preheat the oven to 300°F.
While the oven heats, drizzle the seeds with some canola oil (just enough to coat). Then, sprinkle the seeds with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Use your fingers to mix everything up and make sure the seeds are evenly covered. Spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet and pop into the oven.
Roast the seeds for about 40 – 45 minutes, stirring once or twice so that they don’t stick to the pan. They are ready to come out of the oven when they are golden brown and toasty.
Let them cool on the pan, stirring occasionally. Once they are cool to the touch, transfer them to a serving dish (or eat directly off of the pan!) and start munching.
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