It’s pumpkin carving time! With all the hard work it takes to clean out those slimy pumpkins in preparation to carve them, make sure you don’t toss the best part — the seeds!
Whether you like them salted, sweet or spicy, there are ways to toast pumpkin seeds to your liking. Here is your guide to the best way to clean pumpkin seeds and multiple recipes to toast them.
Clean and prep
As you prepare to clean out the pumpkin, place a colander in a bowl filled with water. Then as you scoop out the guts of the pumpkins, put the seeds directly into the colander. The seeds will float to the top, which makes separating the seeds from any stubborn pumpkin flesh much easier. Then rinse the seeds under running water and remove as much of the stringy pumpkin pulp as possible. For a final rinse, place the seeds in a very deep bowl of water and the remaining pieces of pumpkin will sink, while the seeds will float to the top.
Traditional salted pumpkin seeds
These are what you generally think of when you talk about roasting pumpkin seeds. And they always deliver on salty taste. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, toss the cleaned pumpkin seeds with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Transfer to baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the seeds appear golden. Allow to cool before popping those seeds!
Cinnamon toast pumpkin seeds
If sweet is your jam, make those pumpkin seeds remind you of buttered cinnamon-sugar toast! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together 3 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss the cleaned seeds evenly to coat and spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes until seeds are lightly browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of white sugar over seeds to coat evenly. These sweet gems will be a favorite of your little ones as well.
Garlic parmesan pumpkin seeds
Give your pumpkin seeds an Italian spin by adding a garlicky Parmesan taste. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Toss cleaned pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake for 30-40 minutes until seeds turn golden. Serve as a snack before a big Italian pasta night.
Ranch pumpkin seeds
Punch up the flavor of those plain seeds with a Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet. It might even make you want to eat some veggies along with your ranch-flavored seeds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 2 tablespoons of melted butter with 1 1/2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning mix. Bake for 30-40 minutes until seeds appear golden.
Spicy BBQ pumpkin seeds
Serve up some southern BBQ with these spicy pumpkin seeds that will have a kick! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon light brown sugar. Spray cleaned seeds with olive oil spray and toss in 3/4 of the spice mixture to coat. Spread on baking sheet and roast 25-30 minutes until brown and crunchy. Remove from oven and spray with olive oil and toss in remaining 1/4 spice mixture. Make sure to have some water on-hand because they will have a spicy kick to them.
Honey roasted pumpkin seeds
Bring some sweetness to the seeds by combining honey and sugar. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1/4 cup melted butter with 1/2 cup honey, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss seeds to coat and spread on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, stir seeds and bake for 10 minutes more. Sprinkle seeds with 1/4 cup white sugar and bake for 10 more minutes until lightly browned.
All toasted pumpkin seeds can be stored in airtight containers and kept in the fridge for up to three months. So roast and snack away all fall long!
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