Last Updated October 30th, 2019 at 09:26 am by Lisa
Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a perfect snack and add just the right crunch to a Fall salad like spinach and cranberry for Thanksgiving dinner.
Roasting pumpkin seeds is a Fall family tradition for us. Try this delicious recipe, I hope it becomes a Fall tradition for your family too!
Why You’ll Love Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- No more pumpkin seeds in the trash. It’s kind of a tragedy to waste all of those pumpkin seeds from Halloween carvings and Fall decor! If you plan ahead for baked pumpkin seeds, you can freeze the seeds in a zip lock bag until you’re ready to roast them.
- The flavor and texture are magical. They are worth the effort because something magical happens in the spices and butter. Yes, butter. They come out golden brown and have a nice crunch.
- They are low in carbs. With only 2g carbs per serving, they are perfect for low carb diets and keto diets.
- Pumpkin seeds are full of nutrients. See my section below, “Are Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Healthy?” for more information about this healthier, crunchy snack!
Ingredients for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
You need just a few simple ingredients…
- 2 cups rinsed pumpkin seeds (to make this recipe even easier, save these in the freezer from your Halloween or fall pumpkin carvings!)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 black cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
How to Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
You can use seeds from winter squash like acorn squash, sweet dumpling squash, and buttercup squash, that’s what I used!
Step 1: After carving pumpkins and squash, remove the seeds into a bowl. Step 2: Rinse pumpkin seeds under running water in a colander until most of the pumpkin pulp is washed off. Pick out any larger pieces of pulp and discard. Step 3: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Step 4: Place rinsed seeds in a large bowl and add garlic powder, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, sea salt, and melted butter. Yum…. doesn’t that combo look so good? Step 5: Mix well to coast all the pumpkin seeds and pour in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet or roasting pan. Step 6: Roast 375 for 35 minutes. BE SURE TO STIR and turn over at about 20 minutes to get even golden brown. IF YOURS ARE DONE, take them from oven! (My oven took longer, as all our ovens are calibrated differently)
How to Serve Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Baked pumpkin seeds make a great snack or appetizer, and they are also perfect to top a salad. Serve as an appetizer or snack with drinks or sprinkle on a Fall spinach and cranberry salad with a lemon vinaigrette.
Should Pumpkin Seeds Dry Before Roasting?
I don’t go through the effort of drying my pumpkin seeds before roasting them, although I do give them a good shake in the colander after I’ve rinsed them. Because my roasted pumpkin seeds recipe calls for adding melted butter, a little water residue certainly won’t hurt!
Are Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Healthy?
You bet! Here are some of the health benefits of roasted pumpkin seeds:
- They are low in carbs, making them ideal for low carb diets and keto diets.
- They are high in vitamins and minerals like zinc, magnesium, manganese.
- They are high in antioxidants.
- They are high in fiber, which is great for digestive health.
- They contain plenty of tryptophan, the amino acid also found in turkey that is known as the “sleep hormone.” If you need to get a good night’s rest on Thanksgiving, a serving of turkey and an evening snack of Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds should do the trick!
Source: Dr. Mercola
How Do I Store Baked Pumpkin Seeds?
Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds probably won’t last as long as they could…. because they’ll be gobbled up by your hungry guests! But if you want to make them ahead of time, they will last for up to two weeks if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Fall and Thanksgiving Snack Ideas:
Speaking of pumpkins and Fall…. take a look below for some great Thanksgiving and Fall ideas!
All The Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 2 cups rinsed pumpkin seeds
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 black cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- After carving pumpkins and squash, remove the seeds into a large bowl.
- Rinse pumpkin seeds under running water in a colander until most of the pumpkin pulp is washed off. Pick out any larger pieces of pulp and discard.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place rinsed seeds in a large bowl and add garlic powder, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, sea salt, and melted butter.
- Mix well to coast all the pumpkin seeds and pour in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet or roasting pan.
- Roast 375 for 20 minutes, check them, stir and turn them over, roast more if needed to get an even golden brown color
Just popped in to forward this link to a girlfriend of mine who said she is going to be planting a pumpkin patch in her yard this year. I told her she needs to roast up this addictive l fall snack and give them out to friends like me. 🙂 Also sending your pumpkin puppy dog treats recipe because she has a pair of pugs who I think would love those. Bring on the pumpkin recipes Lisa!