The Best Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Pumpkins are the stars of harvest time. Not only do pumpkins make fantastic pumpkin pies for the holidays, but many people use pumpkins for seasonal décor and carving. And, of course, pumpkin seeds make a delicious snack too!

A plate of nicely roasted pumpkin seeds — Pumpkin seeds are delicious, nutritious, and easy to prepare.

After you’ve carved up your pumpkins for Halloween or baked pie pumpkins into desserts, you’ll be left with handfuls of nutritious pumpkin seeds, which can be eaten raw. However, if you want to pack even more flavor and crunch into homegrown pumpkin seeds, you may want to roast them. With just a bit of olive oil and a few spices, you can transform plain pumpkin seeds into a seasonal treat that will easily rival any snack food!

Jump to:

How to make roasted pumpkin seeds in 4 easy steps
What you’ll need:
The process:
1. Clean out your pumpkins.
2. Wash your pumpkin seeds.
3. Add some seasoning.
4. Start roasting.
How to serve roasted pumpkin seeds
How to store roasted pumpkin seeds
Should you shell pumpkin seeds?
Best pumpkins for edible seeds
Frequently asked questions
Summary
The Best Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

How to make roasted pumpkin seeds in 4 easy steps

Flavored roasted pumpkin seeds — You can make different flavor of pumpkin seeds by changing up the spices you use when roasting.

Pumpkin seeds can be eaten raw, but their flavors become deeper and nuttier with roasting. Depending on your tastes, you can switch up the seasonings when making roasted pumpkin seeds, and you can choose to shell your seeds before roasting or leave them with their shells on. Below is a simple pumpkin seed roasting recipe, but feel free to tweak it with different seasonings to make the recipe all your own!

What you’ll need:

Approximately ¾ to 1 cup of pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of paprika (optional)
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder (optional)
⅛ teaspoon of black pepper
Baking sheet

The process:

1. Clean out your pumpkins.

A person scooping out pumpkin seeds for roasting — If your pumpkin has a lot of seeds, double or triple the seasoning mix.

To get started, preheat your oven to 350F.

Then, give your pumpkins a rinse under the kitchen sink and carefully cut into their tops. Once you’ve opened up your pumpkins, scoop out the insides into a colander with a large spoon or scoop.

Depending on the size of your pumpkin, you may end up with just a few seeds, or you may gather more seeds than this recipe calls for. If you have lots of seeds, go ahead and double or even triple the size of this recipe. However, if you have just a few seeds, you may need to cut into more than one pumpkin!

2. Wash your pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds being washed to remove pulp — Clean off as much of the pumpkin pulp as possible.

After you’ve scooped out your pumpkin seeds, pick out as much of the stringy pulp and bits of pumpkin flesh as you can, but leave your pumpkin seeds behind in your colander. Don’t throw out that pulp, though! You can use pumpkin pulp to make veggie broth, puree it and add it to baked goods or soups, or plunk it into your compost pile as a nitrogen source.

When you’ve separated out the pulp, give your pumpkin seeds a good rinse in your sink. It’s okay if there is still a bit of pulp left behind, but you do want your seeds to be as clean as possible. Then, allow your seeds to drip in your colander until they’re good and dry!

Tip: When making roasted pumpkin seeds, you want your seeds to be as dry as possible. Moist seeds will make your oven steamy, and this can increase roasting time!

3. Add some seasoning.

Seasoned pumpkin seeds — Pumpkin seed seasoning can be sweet or savory. Experiment and enjoy!

Now, spread your pumpkin seeds out on your baking tray and drizzle on the olive oil. Sprinkle on salt and pepper and any spices you’d like to use too. I like to season my pumpkin seeds with paprika and garlic powder, but you can use other flavors like onion powder, chili powder, turmeric, ginger powder, cumin, or even cinnamon!

After adding your spices, give your pumpkin seeds a good mix, so they’re thoroughly coated with the oil and seasonings and then spread them out in a single layer on your baking sheet. Avoid piling up your seeds against each other, as this will make them stick together, and it can increase cooking times as well.

4. Start roasting.

Prepared pumpkin seeds ready for roasting — Roasting is as simple as popping your pan of pumpkin seeds into the oven for 15 minutes.

Finally, pop your baking sheet full of seeds into your preheated oven and allow the seeds to bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, give your seeds a stir so they cook evenly and turn a nice, golden brown color. You’ll know your pumpkin seeds have finished cooking when they smell rich and nutty, and their shells have developed a deep golden hue!

How to serve roasted pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds in a bowl — If you shell (remove the shells) of pumpkin seeds you can use the hearts in baking and cooking.

Roasted pumpkin seeds with their shells on are usually just eaten as a snack, much like how you would eat potato chips! However, if you remove pumpkin seed shells, you can use pumpkin seeds in tons of different ways, such as:

As a garnish on top of soups and salads.
Mixed into granola or homemade snack bars.
Crushed and used as a crust for fish and meats.
Ground into pumpkin seed butter.
Baked into muffins, cookies, and other sweet treats.
Blended into a mole or homemade pesto.
Added to tacos or hummus for extra crunch.

How to store roasted pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds in a mason jar to store — Pumpkin seeds can be stored for future eating, too.

After you’ve made your delicious pumpkin seeds, you’ll probably want to gobble them up right away. But if you have extra seeds left over, roasted pumpkin seeds can be stored in airtight containers or Mason jars at room temperature on your pantry shelves for about a month. Or you can pop pumpkin seeds into your fridge, where they’ll stay fresh for about 3 months.

For even longer storage, pumpkin seeds can be stored in your freezer in an airtight baggie or food-safe container for about 6 months!

Should you shell pumpkin seeds?

Shelling pumpkin seeds — There's a trick you can use to shell large quantities of pumpkin seeds.

Whether or not you shell pumpkin seeds is up to you; pumpkin seed shells are perfectly edible, and they are packed with gut-healthy fiber, which can make them even better for you than shelled pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds with shells are also delightfully crunchy if you love foods with a bit of “bite.”

If you prefer shelled pumpkin seeds, you can shell seeds individually by folding pumpkin seed shells until they crack open. However, if you’d like to de-shell a large batch of pumpkin seeds all at once, gently roll a rolling pin over your pumpkin seeds to crack their shells and then boil the seeds for about 10 to 15 minutes. After boiling, pumpkin seed shells should slide right off, and you can eat your shelled seeds as is, or you can roast them for a few minutes with a bit of oil, salt, and seasoning.

Best pumpkins for edible seeds

Dark colored pumpkin seeds — You can eat the seeds of any pumpkin, but some may be better than others.

Almost all pumpkin seeds are edible, although seeds from very large pumpkins may be too tough to eat. Most gardeners gather seeds either when they’re carving jack-o-lanterns or cutting into pie pumpkins when making desserts. But you can also intentionally grow pumpkins just for their edible seeds if you love them as a snack food!

Some pumpkins grow hulless seeds naturally, so if you love eating shell-free pumpkin seeds, you may want to try growing pumpkin varieties like:

Pie-Pita F1 Hulless
Styrian Hulless
Kakai Hulless
Williams Naked Seeded
Naked Bear
Emerald Naked Seeded

But for multi-purpose pumpkins that are good for seeds and carving and pie making, these varieties are hard to beat:

Connecticut Field Pumpkin
Sugar Pie
Long Island Cheese
Ol’ Zeb
Howden
Fairytale
New England Pie
Winter Luxury

Frequently asked questions

Fall pumpkins gathered in a field — Did you know? Pumpkin seeds can be eaten raw, dried, or roasted.

Do pumpkin seeds need to be dry before roasting?

For best results, you do want to get your pumpkin seeds as dry as possible before you roast them. Roasting wet pumpkin seeds will create a lot of steam in your oven, which can slow down the cooking process significantly.

How long do you dry pumpkin seeds before roasting?

If you’re in a hurry, you can allow pumpkin seeds to drip dry in a colander for about 30 minutes to an hour. But if you want to get your pumpkin seeds really dry, you can dry them even longer! One option is to put cleaned pumpkin seeds in an open container in your fridge for a day or two until they’re completely dry… and then bake them!

Is it better to eat raw or cooked pumpkin seeds?

Pumpkin seeds are perfectly edible raw, but many people think cooked pumpkin seeds have even more flavor. Roasting pumpkin seeds brings out the seeds’ natural nutty flavor, and it also gives you the opportunity to coat your seeds with your favorite seasonings, like garlic powder or fiery cayenne pepper!

Why do you rinse pumpkin seeds?

Pumpkin pulp is edible, but it can create a sticky mess. When cooked along with your seeds, pumpkin pulp will stick seeds together, and the higher moisture content will make seeds not cook as quickly.

Do you shell pumpkin seeds before roasting?

You can shell pumpkin seeds prior to roasting, or you can roast your seeds with the shells on. Pumpkin seed shells are edible, and they’re an excellent source of fiber, but they do make pumpkin seeds more crunchy. If you want to use pumpkin seeds as a garnish for soups, salads, and other dishes, you may want to remove their shells before roasting.

Why soak pumpkin seeds before roasting?

You don’t need to soak pumpkin seeds before roasting, but some home chefs do. Presoaking pumpkin seeds in salty water for 6 to 24 hours prior to roasting makes the seeds easier to digest, and it increases their crunch factor! Simply mix ½ tablespoon of salt for every 2 cups of water and add in your seeds.

Summary

Dried pumpkin seeds with a pumpkin — Don't let these tasty, easy snacks go to waste!

Making your own roasted pumpkin seeds is super easy, and it’s the best way to get the most flavorful pumpkin seed snacks. But more than that, cooking pumpkin seeds eliminates food waste and helps ensure none of your delicious homegrown produce goes to waste. So, next time you’re carving pumpkins or baking up a pie, save those seeds for roasting!

If you celebrate Halloween and you happen to enjoy carving pumpkins, you may also like our article on how to make carved pumpkins last even longer!

Yield: 1 Cup