How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

A Classic Fall Treat: How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

When you’re scooping out all of that slimy, seedy goop before carving your pumpkins this season, don’t pitch it in the trash. Those white almond-shaped seeds bring a wonderful, seasonal flavor, and they can be roasted into a delicious and healthy snack. Learning how to roast pumpkin seeds at home is incredibly easy and something you can do with the whole family for a special and memorable tradition.

Picking the Right Pumpkin

Before you can indulge in the scrumptious seeds, you need to pick the perfect pumpkin. First thing’s first: Head to the patch. You’ll find roast-ready pumpkin at the Eckert’s pumpkin patches at our Belleville, Grafton and Millstadt locations in the late fall. Once you get there, make sure to look for a big, hearty pumpkin — the bigger the pumpkin, the more the seeds! You should also keep your ears open for hollow-sounding pumpkins and your eyes peeled for ripe pumpkins. The ripe ones will have a classic orange pumpkin color and a hard rind that resists puncturing with your fingernail. Got your pumpkin? You’re ready to go.

The Best Way to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

There are a few different ways to roast pumpkin seeds, but we prefer the simple and classic pumpkin seed recipes. Focus on finding the sweet spot and don’t cook them for too long and you’ll wind up with a delicious result you’ll want to enjoy by the handful. Here’s how to do it.

1.    Use a sharp knife to cut the crown off your pumpkin. Using a large, sturdy spoon or an ice cream scoop, scrape out the fibers, guts and seeds. Set your pumpkin aside to carve or eat later.

2.    Separate the seeds from the insides of the pumpkin, removing all of the fibers, slime and flesh so you’re only left with seeds. Toss them in a colander and give them a rinse. Pat the seeds dry with a paper towel.

3.    Here’s where you can get creative! You can either keep the seeds pure and unadorned (maybe just a little salt) or pump up the flavor with a light coating of melted butter, sea salt, cinnamon sugar, garlic, Parmesan or maybe even some herbs.

4.    Bake in a pre-heated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes or until the seeds turn a golden-brown color. Regularly monitor their color and stir occasionally.

Baked Pumpkin Seeds Nutrition

Are pumpkin seeds good for you? Absolutely! These yummy little seeds are jam-packed with potassium, calcium, antioxidants, folate, iron, zinc, magnesium and vitamin B2. One cup of pumpkin seeds contains about 300 calories, 12 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbs, 12 grams of protein and 12 grams of dietary fiber.

More Pumpkin Fun

There are so many more things you can do with pumpkins and their seeds, including making pumpkin seed oil and even pumpkin seed brittle. Love all things pumpkin? Pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie, pumpkin everything? Head on over to the Eckert’s Family Blog for some easy pumpkin recipes that will get you into the spirit of the season.