Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: Three Ways

Toasted pumpkin seeds are the tiny, edible trophies you get for carving pumpkins. Don’t carve a pumpkin (or any winter squash for that matter), without toasting or roasting the seeds. That’s just how it needs to be. The question is, what’s the best technique? There is some debate about the best approach, but I’ve settled on a foolproof method over the years. It’s super easy, and I’m going to share it here. 
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Take note, there are a couple points of departure you’ll see in my technique (compared to most). First! Some people boil the pumpkin seeds prior to toasting. No need. Second, I now season and spice the pumpkin seeds after baking, and I’ll talk more about why.

Different pumpkins, Different seeds

Pumpkins aren’t the only winter squash with seeds. And seeds from different squashes have different sizes, shapes and textures. Have fun experimenting! Play around with white “ghost” pumpkins, blue Hokkaido, butternut squash, and all the other beautiful winter squash varietals out there for a range of seeds. Also, if you’re going to roast the squash as well, they’re often much better tasting versus carving pumpkins.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Different Sized Seeds

Smaller seeds roast more quickly, so adjust your baking time (less). Aside from that, treat them the same as you would regular “carving” pumpkin seeds. Pictured above (top to bottom): delicata squash seeds, butternut squash seeds, carving pumpkin seeds.
 Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

How to Clean & Make Pumpkin Seeds

Place a colander (or strainer) in a bowl filled with water. The seeds float, so this set-up makes separating the seeds from any stubborn pumpkin flesh much easier. Scoop the seeds from your pumpkin and transfer to the colander. Separate the seeds from any pumpkin flesh and pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth.

The Best Technique

Bake the pumpkin seeds after a good rinse. You need to dry them well. Get as much water off the seeds as possible. I’m convinced the seeds steam less using this method, and crisp more.

When to Season?

I used to heavily season seeds prior to baking, but I find that if you bake with lots of spice coating the seeds, the spices tend to over bake or even burn. I do most or all of my spice additions post-bake now.

Flavor Variations Beyond Classic Pumpkin Seeds

The directions you can go related to seasoning you seeds are endless. That said, I’m going to include three of my favorite variations down below.

  • Meyer Lemon Zest, Cayenne, and Olive Pumpkin Seeds
  • Sweet Curry Pumpkin Seeds
  • Garlic Chive Pumpkin Seeds

And, because I can’t resist. If you don’t mind stained fingertips, tossing the hot seeds with a dusting of turmeric, minced garlic, and cayenne or black pepper is also really great. Wasabi paste or powder is a great flavoring option, as is ponzu sauce. Have fun & play around!

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Heidi Swanson
September 03, 2020 at 10:20AM

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