The easiest roasted pumpkin seed recipe! Get perfectly crispy, toasty seeds every time with simple cleaning tips, foolproof roasting, and tasty seasoning ideas.
Don’t throw away your pumpkin seeds! They’re surprisingly easy to clean and roast. They crisp up nicely and take on a lovely nutty flavor that’s perfect for all sorts of seasonings, from sweet to savory.
I treat the seeds just as I would popcorn: the perfect crunchy canvas for big flavor. This easy roasted pumpkin seeds recipe gives my three go-tos:
- Simple, with with a drizzle of good olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Sweet, with cinnamon sugar.
- Mediterranean, with za’atar, Aleppo pepper, and sumac.
This easy-to-make treat is just the thing you need for your fall snack bar or family movie night!
Table of Contents
Ingredients to Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Roasting pumpkin seeds should be simple. Just use the leftover seeds from carving a pumpkin and a few pantry essentials. You only need three things:
- Pumpkin seeds: In general, expect about 1/2 to 1 cup of seeds per small to medium size pumpkin.
- Kosher salt: Season with salt to taste. Remember that the seeds can handle quite a bit of salt (just like popcorn).
- Olive oil: Crisps the seeds and imparts a nice flavor. Use a high-quality extra virgin variety—any of the olive oils from our shop would work well with this recipe.
From there, you can add seasonings in the final minutes (don’t add them in the beginning or they may burn). You can get creative, like our shawarma blend or Italian seasonings. Here are my two go-tos:
- Cinnamon and sugar. Inspired by Spanish churros, this is a simple cozy fall mix that you likely have on hand. You can also experiment with adding pumpkin spice-style seasonings like nutmeg, allspice, and ground ginger.
- Za’atar, sumac, and Aleppo pepper. This savory blend is the perfect combination of aromatic, mildly spicy, and bright.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Many roasted pumpkin seeds recipes have you first boil the seeds, or roast them for a short time without the oil. I tested both methods and found it unnecessary. The seeds were no more tender or crispy. Here are the simple steps I found for the best, crispiest seeds without the fuss:
Clean and Dry the Seeds
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
- Clean the seeds. Place the pumpkin seeds in a mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Use your hands to rub the seeds, removing any clingy pulp. They will float to the top of the water, simply scoop them into a colander or fine mesh strainer. Rinse once more under your tap to remove any remaining pulp (a little here and there is okay).
- Dry the seeds. The drier the better for extra crispy seeds! Get them as dry as possible by pressing with clean towels (you can also leave them to air dry overnight).
- Transfer the seeds to a sheet tray. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat (about 2 teaspoons per cup of seeds) and season generously with kosher salt. Give them a good toss, then spread into one layer.
Roast and Season the Pumpkin Seeds
- Roast the seeds. Roast, tossing and rotating the pan every 10 minutes or so, until they’re golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes in total depending on the size of your seeds. If you’re making sweet or savory pumpkin seeds, stir together the seasonings in a small bowl while they roast.
- Season and enjoy. Remove the toasted seeds from the oven. For plain pumpkin seeds, simply toss on the pan with a dash more olive oil and more salt to taste. For sweet or savory pumpkin seeds, toss with a dash more olive oil, your seasoning blend of choice, and a pinch more salt. Roast in their seasonings for 3 to 5 minutes more, then serve warm.
How to Eat Pumpkin Seeds
You can eat pumpkin seeds whole, shells and all. “Pepitas” are simply pumpkin seeds with their shell removed. When you roast the whole seed, though, this extra step is not worth the effort. Simply toss with your spices of choice and dig in. Enjoy the freshly roasted seeds while they’re still warm. For leftovers:
- Use them as a garnish for pumpkin hummus and butternut squash soup.
- Add them to salads in place of croutons.
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How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
For the Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 cup whole pumpkin seeds in their shell (from about 1 large pumpkin or 2 small pumpkins)
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
Sweet Seasonings (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Savory Seasonings (optional)
- 2 teaspoons za’atar
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
- Clean the seeds. Place the seeds in a mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Use your hands to rub the seeds, removing any clingy pulp. They will float to the top of the bowl–scoop them into a colander or fine mesh strainer, then rinse once more under your tap to remove any remaining pulp (a little here and there is okay).
- Dry the seeds. The drier the better for extra crispy seeds! Get them as dry as possible by pressing with clean towels (you can also leave them to air dry overnight).
- Transfer the seeds to a sheet tray. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat (about 2 teaspoons) and season with a a big pinch of salt. Give them a good toss, then spread into one layer.
- Roast the seeds. Roast, tossing and rotating the pan every 10 minutes or so, until they’re golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes in total depending on the size of your seeds. If you’re making sweet or savory pumpkin seeds, stir together the seasonings in a small bowl while they roast.
- Season and enjoy. Remove the toasted seeds from the oven. For plain pumpkin seeds, simply toss on the pan with a dash more olive oil and more salt to taste. For sweet or savory pumpkin seeds, toss with a dash more olive oil, your seasoning blend of choice, and a pinch more salt. Roast in their seasonings for 3 to 5 minutes more, then serve warm.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Do I need to boil or dry toast the seeds before roasting? Many recipes call for boiling the seeds in salted water or a dry toast in the oven before roasting. I haven’t found a difference with these methods, and they just create unnecessary fuss. Feel free to experiment with your own signature recipe, but I personally find a well dried seed roasts right into the oven just fine!
- You can eat the seeds whole, shells and all.
- Keep a close eye on the seeds as they roast. How long to roast them will depend on the size of your seeds and how darkly roasted you like them.
Nutrition
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Bring the vibrant seasonings of the Mediterranean to your kitchen with Sumac, Aleppo pepper, Ras el Hanout, and Baharat.
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Thank yoU! delicious