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These gently spiced roasted pumpkin seeds are compulsively snackable! Flavored with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and chili powder with a dash of salt and pepper, these crunchy pumpkin seeds are a family favorite.
Roasting pumpkin seeds is one of our most-loved Halloween traditions. After scooping the innards out of our pumpkins in preparation for Jack-O-Lantern carving, we set aside the seeds for roasting with a quick spice mix. The pulp always goes to the chickens – the hens love it! In fact, pumpkin is one of their favorite treats.
These roasted pumpkin seeds come out so flavorful and crispity-crunchy. They’re quite addictive. We like to serve them with popcorn and a side of candy while watching a scary movie!
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
- Easy. Just toss your cleaned pumpkin seeds with a bit of oil and a mix of spices, then place them on a pan and roast in the oven.
- Crunchy. The finished pumpkin seeds are perfectly crunchy and satisfying.
- Flavorful. Thanks to a simple spice mix, every pumpkin seed has an incredible flavor profile. You won’t be able to stop munching on them!
Separating Pumpkin Seeds from the Pulp
The hardest part of this recipe is separating the seeds from the pulp, and that is not difficult really, it just requires patience. Here’s how to do it:
- Pick out the seeds. I start by picking out the seeds by hand. They all go into a large bowl.
- Add warm water. Now fill the bowl with warm water. Mix the seeds about a bit to separate even more pulp, removing any stringy parts with your hands.
- Strain and dry. Lastly, the seeds are strained in a colander and laid out to dry for a bit on a couple of layers of paper towel. You can also use a kitchen towel but be sure not to use one with fluff on it as it tends to get stuck to the seeds.
That’s the most elaborate part of this pumpkin seeds recipe. The rest is just adding the oil, spices and roasting the seeds in the oven.
Tips for the Best Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Roasting time. The time in the recipe below is assuming that you have dried your pumpkin seeds. If you haven’t, the roasting time will be about 2 times longer and you’ll need to stir the seeds halfway through to make sure all parts of the seeds dry out.
- Want extra crunchy? A little trick I learned from dehydrating food is the power of low heat over an extended period of time. So when I want some extra crunch in my pumpkin seeds, I turn off the oven after they have finished roasting and then leave the seeds in the oven for at least another hour. The low, dry heat makes them extra crunchy and satisfying.
How to Store
The most important part about storing roasting pumpkin seeds is making sure they have cooled completely before you store them. If you don’t wait for this to happen, your seeds will lose their crunch once they are stored.
Once they are 100% cool, transfer them to an airtight container. They will last for up to 5 days stored on the counter. (Although if your family is anything like mine, they’ll be gone in a couple of days. We can’t seem to walk by that container without grabbing a handful to munch on!)
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
- Pumpkin Mug Cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Scones
- Pumpkin Sweet Potato Brownies
- Pumpkin Pancakes
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ground
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash your pumpkin seeds. I usually do this by separating the seeds from the pulp as much as possible. Then I place them in a large bowl and fill it with warm water. Move the seeds around a bit in the water, pulling out any pulpy bits, then strain them with a colander. Spread them on a few layers of paper towel to dry.
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
- Grind your salt. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the kosher salt until each granule is smaller and the salt is more powdery.
- Add oil and spices. Transfer the seeds to a medium bowl and add the peanut oil. Stir with a spoon to coat. Then add the salt, garlic powder, paprika, chili, and black pepper.
- Roast the seeds. Spread the seeds on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Place in the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes, until the seeds are crisp and have some color. Stir them with a spatula or spoon every 10 minutes or so.
- Cool. Once your seeds have achieved the desired crispness and color, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before snacking on them.