This is the easiest roasted pumpkin seed recipe! Learn how to roast pumpkin seeds so they’re perfectly crispy, toasty, and delicious every time. This guide covers how to clean pumpkin seeds and the best method for roasting, along with my favorite sweet and savory seasonings. It's sure to become a fall tradition!
Don’t throw away your pumpkin seeds! Once you’ve removed the seeds from the pumpkin, they’re surprisingly easy to clean and roast. They crisp up nicely and take on a lovely nutty flavor.
Learn how to roast pumpkin seeds for a cozy snack that’s almost instantly nostalgic—even if it’s your first time trying them. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a fun, healthy snack to go along with other snack-time favorites like Roasted Chickpeas or Popcorn, and today, I'm giving you 3 ways to season them — simple, sweet, and Mediterranean!
Sometimes, I just add a drizzle of good olive oil and a pinch of salt. Or, if I'm in the mood for something sweet, cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds will do the trick. However, I can't leave out my beloved Mediterranean spices. When I want to throw a flavor party I roast pumpkin seeds with a little 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 for this Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe
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: There's a lot of variety in terms of size and amount of seeds in a given pumpkin. In general, expect about ½ to 1 cup of seeds per small to medium size pumpkin. Keep a close eye on them as they roast. The time time will depend on how toasty you like them and the size of your seeds.
- 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 in this roasted pumpkin seed recipe.
From there, you can add seasonings in the final minutes (don't add them in the beginning or they may burn and dry out). You can get creative with seasonings from your spice drawer, like our shawarma blend or Italian seasonings. Here are my two go-to's:
- 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, midly spicy, and bright. Learn all these wonder spices and Mediterranean pantry essentials in our essential guide to za'atar, sumac, and Aleppo pepper. Don't forget to stock up at our spice shop!
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
There are many different roasted pumpkin seed recipes out there. I tested many methods, most of which involved unnecessary added steps and dishes. Here are the simple steps I found for the best, crispiest roasted pumpkin 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 paper 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 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 Clean Pumpkin Seeds
Cleaning pumpkin seeds is less of a hassle than it seems. Once you've scooped out all the pulp from your pumpkin:
- Soak. Simply throw the seeds into a bowl with any goop still attached. Cover with cold water.
- Clean. Use your hands to swirl the seeds in the bowl, rubbing them a bit to remove any stubborn pieces of pulp.
- Rinse and dry. The seeds will float to the top of the water. Scoop them into a strainer and run under your tap (I like to use the spray function). Dry well before roasting.
Do I Need to Boil Pumpkin Seeds Before Roasting?
Many people swear by a few tricks for the best, crispiest roasted pumpkin seeds. I tested many of these “musts," like boiling them in salted water, roasting them without oil for 5 minutes, and a handful of other experiments and combinations in between.
I didn’t find any discernible difference between the added steps and simply tossing the seeds with oil and throwing them in the oven. Instead, I had more dishes and more fuss for essentially the same thing.
What does make a big difference is drying the seeds well. If they’re still wet from washing, they will steam rather than crisp. Be sure to pat them very dry with paper towels or spread them on a sheet tray and leave to dry overnight.
Can You Eat Pumpkin Seed Shells?
You can eat pumpkin seeds whole, shell and all. Pepitas, which are more commonly sold in the grocery store, are simply pumpkin seeds with their shell removed. When you roast the whole seed as a fun seasonal treat, though, this extra step is not worth the added time or effort. Simply toss with your spices of choice and enjoy them whole.
In fact, according to the USDA, the shell will earn you double the fiber. Per 100 grams of seeds, whole pumpkin seeds boast over 18 grams of fiber (compared to 7.1 grams in a naked seed) and nearly 26 grams of protein. That’s six times the amount of fiber in prunes and 3 ½ grams more protein than chicken breasts. Talk about a healthy snack!
What to Serve with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
I like to enjoy freshly roasted pumpkin seeds while they’re still warm. Just throw them in a bowl and eat them on their own (shell and all) as a healthy snack.
For leftovers, stir them into granola or popcorn, use them as a garnish for dips like traditional hummus, pumpkin hummus or baba ganoush. Or add them to salads in place of croutons.
And don't forget this roasted pumpkin seed recipe is easy to adapt to your own personal tastes. Feel free to experiment with your favorite flavors to come up with new and exciting combinations.
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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 white sugar
Savory Seasonings (optional)
- 2 teaspoons za’atar
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- ½ 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 paper 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
- 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.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Thank yoU! delicious