How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds (Plus 6 Awesome Recipes for Pumpkin Seeds Seasoning)

I know roasting pumpkin seeds is a tradition a lot of folks had in their families growing up, but it just wasn’t something we ever did in my family. Don’t worry, we had a lot of other wonderful, cozy, comforting autumnal traditions, but baking pumpkin seeds just wasn’t one of them.

Now though? Now, I am a total convert. I love roasted pumpkin seeds! And I can guarantee that it is something that my daughter will grow up doing. Roasted pumpkin seeds are tasty, healthy, and really easy to make at home. They are fun to customize (I have six different pumpkin seed recipes for you to try!) and fun to snack on. There is a full printable recipe with all six flavors down below, but before we dig in, let’s deep dive into roasting pumpkin seeds for those of us who didn’t grow up doing it!

Are roasted pumpkin seeds good for you?

First and foremost, since Wholefully is all about finding foods that make you feel great, let’s dive into the nutrition of roasted pumpkin seeds. Many nutrition experts consider pumpkin seeds to be a superfood thanks to their high levels of vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of:

• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Iron
• Antioxidants
• Fiber
• And more!

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy, crunchy snack that is gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and totally delicious! One caveat here: some folks struggle with digesting unsoaked nuts and seeds. If that’s you, and you find that pumpkin seeds cause digestive issues, make sure you soak or boil your pumpkin seeds before cooking—more info on soaking pumpkin seeds down below.

How do you eat pumpkin seeds? Do you take off the shell?

This is a question I had before the first time I ate a roasted pumpkin seed! Is it like a sunflower seed and you’re supposed to peel it and eat the inside? Or do you eat the whole seed at once? The answer is: both or either! Many people eat the whole pumpkin seed—shell and all—especially when it’s roasted with flavoring like we do down below. You can also crack the shell and just eat the pepita—the green inner pumpkin seed without the shell. 

What do roasted pumpkin seeds taste like?

Roasted pumpkin seeds are very mild in flavor, making them a great base for seasonings like we use in the recipes below. The texture after roasting is super crispy and crunchy. It’ll definitely satisfy your crunchy snack cravings!

What are the best pumpkins for roasting seeds?

You might be wondering if you can use just any pumpkin for pumpkin seeds, and the answer is YES! The best pumpkin for pumpkin seeds is the pumpkin you have on hand! Unlike when we made our own pumpkin puree, you are free to use seeds from a giant pumpkin you used to carve a jack o’ lantern. You can also use seeds from a pie pumpkin. The only thing to keep in mind: typically, the bigger and heavier the pumpkin, the more seeds it has. And since roasted pumpkin seeds are SUPER delicious, I always recommend roasting more rather than less. 

Do you need to clean pumpkin seeds before roasting?

Yes, you do need to clean your pumpkin seeds before roasting. It might seem tedious to get all the “junk” off of your seeds, but if you want crunchy, crispy pumpkin seeds, you’ll need to remove as much of the pumpkin strings and flesh from the seeds before roasting as you can. Thankfully, I have a super cool trick for making this process a breeze!

How do you clean pumpkin seeds before roasting?

To clean pumpkin seeds, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Scoop all your pumpkin seeds out from the pumpkin. I like to lay them out on a clean kitchen towel or newspaper.
2. Pick any large chunks of pumpkin “guts” out and compost (or do like we do, and feed it to your chickens). 
3. Once you have the seeds mostly separated, fill up a big bowl with warm water and dunk in the seeds. Use your hand to swirl them around a bit to loosen any pumpkin guts remaining. Then, let the seeds rest for about five minutes or so. In those five minutes, magic happens! The seeds all float, and the remaining pumpkin guts sink.
4. Fish out the seeds using your hands, a slotted spoon, or a sieve, and then put them onto a dish towel and pat dry. You now have clean seeds ready to be roasted!

Do you need to soak pumpkin seeds before roasting?

Pumpkin seeds can be tricky for some folks to digest. If you find that pumpkin seeds give you tummy trouble, you can alleviate this problem by either soaking or boiling your pumpkin seeds before roasting:

• Soak pumpkin seeds: Soak the clean pumpkin seeds in a quart of filtered water mixed with 1 tablespoon of salt for at least eight hours or overnight at room temperature. Remove from the water, towel dry, and then roast as directed—you may need to add 5-10 minutes worth of cooking time to get properly crunchy pumpkin seeds.
• Boil pumpkin seeds: Speed up the process by instead boiling pumpkin seeds in salted filtered water. Bring a saucepan of filtered water (1 tablespoon salt per quart of water) to a rolling boil, and then add the cleaned pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the water, towel dry, and then roast as directed—you may need to add 5-10 minutes worth of cooking time to get properly crunchy pumpkin seeds.

How long do the seeds need to dry before baking?

Some folks out there claim that you need to dry pumpkin seeds overnight before roasting. I’ve tried it both ways—dried overnight and just towel drying—and the difference in baking time was only a handful of minutes. Definitely not worth the overnight wait in my mind! Ever since, I’ve been fine with baking pumpkin seeds right after towel drying.

How do you roast pumpkin seeds?

Now that your pumpkin seeds are clean, soaked (if you want), and towel-dried, you can move on to the seasoning and roasting stages. Down below you’ll find a full printable recipe, but the steps are really quite simple:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet (or two, depending on how many seeds you have) with parchment paper.
2. Toss the towel-dried pumpkin seeds with oil, salt, and seasoning, making sure each seed is well-coated.
3. Spread the seeds in one even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes during baking time. 
5. Pumpkin seeds are ready when they are golden brown. The seeds might be chewy right when they come out of the oven, but will crisp up nicely after cooling.

What temperature do you use to roast pumpkin seeds?

Unlike when you roast vegetables, you want to roast pumpkin seeds at a lower oven temperature to prevent burning. I like to roast them at 300°F for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until they are golden brown. Depending on your oven, you might be able to get away with upping the temp to 350°F (as long as there are no hot spots in your oven), but I prefer to go low and slow with my pumpkin seeds!

Why are my pumpkin seeds chewy?

Roasted pumpkin seeds are usually still pretty chewy when they are hot out of the oven. Let them cool completely and then try again. If they are still chewy, pop them back in the 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes to finish crisping them up.

How do you store roasted pumpkin seeds and how long do they last?

I like to store cooled roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container (I use Stasher bags or canning jars) in the pantry for up to three months. No need to refrigerate roasted pumpkin seeds. 

How can you season roasted pumpkin seeds?

The possibilities for how to season roasted pumpkin seeds are only limited by your spice rack and your imagination! We’ve got six pumpkin seed recipes below that I think are all amazing, ranging from sweet to salty to spicy. But feel free to mix things up and come up with your own blends. Whatever you come up with, the method for seasoning pumpkin seeds is the same:

1. After drying your clean pumpkin seeds, toss in olive or avocado oil (1 teaspoon per 1/2 cup of seeds).
2. Toss the seeds with the seasoning mixture, making sure to coat each seed well with the mixture.
3. Roast as listed.

What are some good seasoning recipes?

Alright, let’s dig into my six favorite flavor combos for roasted pumpkin seeds.

Ranch Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It takes a little bit of a lot of different spices to get the classic ranch flavor! If you end up liking this mixture, you can make it up in bulk and stash it in your pantry in a jar (these Ball spice jars are my favorite for seasonings like this). Ranch can be a hard flavor to replicate at home, so if you have a specific powdered ranch dressing packet or recipe that you like, you can also just toss the seeds with that after they have their olive oil bath.

To make ranch pumpkin seeds, for each half cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dill
• 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Pizza Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

These are my absolute favorite of the savory pumpkin seeds! The Parmesan cheese gets such an awesome, nutty flavor during roasting. Feel free to swap out the Parmesan for nutritional yeast if you want to make these pumpkin seeds vegan. If you happen to have some tomato powder kicking around (yeah, I know, only us weirdo food preservers do), adding a pinch or two of that to the pizza mix is delicious!

To make pizza pumpkin seeds, for each half cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Dill Pickle Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I’m kinda a bit of a dill fanatic. It is absolutely my favorite herb (and is super easy to grow—do it!). These dill pickle pumpkin seeds are flecked with dill and garlic—like a crispy version of your favorite pickle. The vinegar just adds a touch of the acidic flavor that pickles are known for. If you happen to have citric acid around from canning, that will work in place of the vinegar to add that tang, too. Add just a pinch instead of the white vinegar.

To make dill pickle pumpkin seeds, for each half cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

 

Salt and Pepper Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

These pumpkin seeds prove just how spicy black pepper can be! For a full nose-tickling kick, add the full amount; for just a little bit of black pepper flavor, add less. Since the black pepper is the predominant flavor in these seeds, fresh cracked is the way to go!

To make salt and pepper pumpkin seeds, for each half cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8–1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

Crunchy and sweet, these are my favorite pumpkin seeds of the lot! The brown sugar in these has a tendency to burn in the oven, so keep a close eye on them. You might be tempted to skip the salt here, but it really helps develop the flavor and sweetness. It doesn’t make the seeds taste salty or savory, it just adds a nice depth to the flavor.

To make cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds, for each half cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

You can’t beat the interesting combo of sweetness with just a touch of kick! These aren’t super spicy, but the heat does build after a handful (or two). If you’re afraid of the heat, leave out the black pepper. It doesn’t seem like it would do much, but it adds another dimension of spicy that can be overwhelming to some palates.

To make sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds, for each half cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

My protips for PERFECT Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• Roast at a low temperature:  You’re looking to dry out your pumpkin seeds, not burn them. A low temperature of 300°F is the way to go when baking pumpkin seeds.
• Remove the pumpkin guts: You might be tempted to try roasting pumpkin seeds without cleaning them, but that’ll give you chewy pumpkin seeds. Remove as much of the pumpkin strings and flesh as possible before roasting.
• Parchment paper is going to give you the best roast: I love using reusable kitchen items wherever possible, but this is a job for parchment paper instead of your silicone baking mat. I’ve tested it both ways, and the parchment seems to wick away moisture from the pumpkin seeds better than the silicone.
• Roasted pumpkin seeds crisp up as they cool: Don’t freak if your pumpkin seeds are chewy out of the oven! They’ll crisp up as they cool.
• Keep a close eye on your oven: If your oven has hot spots or if you’ve never roasted pumpkin seeds before, make sure to keep a close eye as they roast to prevent burning. Rotate the pan if you see some seeds getting darker, and make sure to stir 2-3 times during the baking time.

Well, that was fun! I loved making all these different flavors of roasted pumpkin seeds (and eating them, too!). I hope you like them, too. And I hope you’ll experiment and make up your own creations! You really can’t go wrong here, so don’t be afraid to have some fun. Make sure to come back here and share your favorites in the comments and inspire other folks! Happy fall, friends!

Want some recipes for using the rest of the pumpkin? Try one of these!

• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte. Save yourself some cash and make your own PSL at home.
• Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. This pretty much tastes like a drinkable pumpkin pie—but it’s better for you!
• Pumpkin Butter. Using your slow cooker to make pumpkin butter means you don’t have to babysit the stove all afternoon! Spread it on biscuits or stir it into yogurt.
• Pumpkin Brownies. These decadent brownies are great for fall celebrations.
• Vegan Enchiladas. These easy-to-make enchiladas have a pumpkin and black bean filling.
• Pumpkin Puree. Instead of buying cans of pumpkin at the store, we’ll teach you how to make your own—it tastes better than the stuff from the can, too!