Description
Roasted pumpkin seeds are a crunchy, salty snack made by cleaning, boiling, and baking the leftover seeds from a carved pumpkin. The shells toast up crisp, making them delicious to eat whole or cracked open. This simple method transforms pumpkin discard into a nutritious treat.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 medium pumpkin
- Salt, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, about 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Prepare the pumpkin: Cut a circle around the stem end of the pumpkin with a sharp knife, angling the blade inward, and remove the top. Use a strong metal spoon to scrape the insides of the pumpkin, scooping out the seeds and stringy pulp.
- Clean the seeds: Place the pumpkin seeds and pulp in a colander and rinse under running water, separating the seeds from the pulp and strings.
- Boil the seeds: Measure the pumpkin seeds using a cup measure and place them in a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt for every 1/2 cup of seeds. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds.
- Preheat and prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly coat the bottom of a roasting pan or a thick baking sheet with about 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Roast the seeds: Spread the drained seeds in a single layer on the oiled pan and toss to coat with oil. Bake on the top oven rack for 5 to 20 minutes, watching carefully. Smaller seeds may toast in about 5 minutes while larger seeds can take up to 20 minutes. Remove once seeds are lightly browned.
- Cool and serve: Let the roasted pumpkin seeds cool completely on a rack. They can be eaten whole with shells or cracked open to eat the inner seed.
Notes
- For added flavor, sprinkle spices like smoked paprika, cumin, or chili powder on the seeds before baking.
- Keep a close eye while roasting as seeds can burn quickly once they start to brown.
- Eating the seeds whole preserves crunch and fiber, cracking is optional.