'Tis the season for pumpkin everything. And sure, everyone loves their pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice candles, and pumpkin spice pastries, but what I believe to be a seriously underrated fall snack is the humble pumpkin seed. Nothing fancy. Just pumpkin seeds roasted to perfection and flavored with any number of your favorite spices and seasonings.
If you don't already have a love affair with pumpkin seeds like me, allow me to introduce you to a simple way of making your seeds that might change your opinion.
Roasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy, yummy alternative to store-bought snacks. Plus, they fit the season! Here's how to roast pumpkin seeds in a few easy steps.
1. Cut open the pumpkin
The most difficult part (in my opinion) of the whole process is carving up the pumpkin. My suggestion: cut like you would if you were making a jack-o-lantern and scoop out all the pumpkin "guts." Yuck!
2. Scoop out the seeds
For our purposes, the pumpkin carcass is useless now. However, if you're interested, you can make some pretty sweet pumpkin carvings if you have the creativity.
3. Rinse the seeds
You need to rinse off the seeds to get rid of all the pumpkin guts. I recommend using a colander of some sort and cool water. Keep a trash can nearby because not all of the innards are going to be small enough to be rinsed off.
4. Spread out the seeds
Once you get them all clean, spread the seeds on a baking sheet and pre-heat the oven to 300ºF. My best trick for this step is to put the seeds in the oven as it's pre-heating. The key for good pumpkin seeds is to make sure they're dry when they start roasting, so starting the process now will dry them out a bit before the real cooking begins.
Once the oven is pre-heated, take the pumpkin seeds out. Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and pour it over the seeds. Season with salt to your liking and put the pan back into the oven for 45 minutes.
5. Stir the seeds
Stir the pumpkin seeds around every 15 minutes so they don't get stuck or burn.
6. Season to your liking
Once they are dry and slightly brown, take them out and the fun part begins. The seasoning is your choice! You can create whatever flavor combinations you want. I used garlic salt and paprika. Other seasoning options could be:
-Salt and pepper
-Salt and vinegar
-Chili powder
-Honey and a pinch of salt
-Garlic and Parmesan sprinkles
#SpoonTip: Put the seeds into a container with a lid, sprinkle them with the spices, and shake.
Enjoy!
The last step is to simply enjoy. This healthy, seasonal treat is perfect for those fall nights when the snack cravings come. They taste amazing and you don't even have to peel or crack them. Sunflower seeds' bigger sibling just got easy.
These roasted pumpkin seeds make for a fun activity to do with friends, too! I've made these with family members and roommates and it always makes me feel like fall is here. It's a little work, but the end result is delicious and good for everyone. Now that you know how to roast pumpkin seeds, there's no reason for you to not to make them this fall.