Roasting Pumpkin Seeds
It’s pumpkin carving time and we all know what we get when we carve pumpkins with the kids? No, not a big mess. Pumpkin Seeds! Don’t throw them out. Here’s how to make a delicious and nutritious snack with those slippery little seeds.
Ingredients
Freshly plucked pumpkin seeds
Butter - about 2 ounces of butter per cup of seeds
Salt, to taste
How To Prepare At Home
Start by preheating the oven to 400ยบ F
Separate the seeds from the pumpkin flesh. We use a colander under running water to make the job a little easier. It takes a little effort but once you get the hang of it, it's easy. Be sure to remove all the flesh and the strings so they don't burn in the oven.
Dry them with layers of paper towels or dishtowels.
Some people will tell you to soak the seeds in salted water for a day and that may make them taste better, but we don't have time for that. We want immediate gratification.
Put the butter onto a baking sheet and place it in the oven. As soon as the butter melts, add the pumpkins seeds to the pan, season with salt, mix everything together and put the pan back into the oven.
Roast for 15 to 30 minutes until the pumpkin seeds are golden brown. Be sure to shake the pan every once in a while so the seeds don't burn.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the seeds cool. Have some control and don't start snacking on them right away or you may burn your mouth.
Alternatives:
Some people get very creative with their pumpkin seeds and season with various herbs and spices. You may want to try mixing in some garlic powder, celery powder, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce, red pepper flakes (be careful) or even some Worcestershire sauce. For more info check out my How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds recipe.
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Thanks so much for this post. I wish I’d found it sooner. Every year I struggle with how to make pumpkin seeds. This year I asked my mom to help and she doused them with Lawry’s salt. She said you can never get enough. They were so salty I couldn’t eat them. I wanted to use butter, but she said no b/c they need to dry out, now I know better b/c of your post. Thanks!