Roasting Pumpkin Seeds How To Guide and Recipes

When you are ready to carve your Halloween pumpkins, don’t discard the pumpkin seeds.  Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas are low in calories and a great snack.  They have many health benefits including natural minerals, amino acids and anti-inflammatory properties.  You can purchase pumpkin seeds at the store, but why not make your own?  Use roasted pumpkin seeds for all types of things such as salad and soup toppers, granola bars, cookies and even pesto.

For the best results, wipe pumpkin seeds dry to remove pulp, spread them on a paper bag and let them dry out overnight.  When you are ready to prepare them, preheat your oven to 300 degrees, coat about 2 cups of seeds with a little olive oil and add your favorite toppings.  Toast the seeds for 20 to 30 minutes. Shake them up a bit after 15 minutes.

Here are some of the flavors our family enjoys.  If you are trying the recipes below, mix all the ingredients together, coat the pumpkin seeds and then bake.

Ginger soy:  2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger  (no olive oil)
Maple Chipolte (sweet & spicy): 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon chipolte powder, 1/2 tsp ground cumin & 1/2 tsp sea salt (no olive oil)
More Sweet & Spicy:  2 eggs whites, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt (no olive oil)
Sweet & Salty:  2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon & 2 tbls of melted/unsalted butter in place of the olive oil
For spicy without the sweet:  mix 1/2 teaspoon each garlic salt, cumin, coriander and cardamom (use olive oil)
Old Bay Seasoning or just Garlic powder also tastes great  (use olive oil)

Store your pumpkin seeds in an air tight container in the fridge, and they will last a few weeks.