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November 2, 2019 in Edible Garden

9 reasons to roast crunchy & addictive pumpkin seeds today

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I'll make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
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It’s that time of year again. Time to roast your pumpkin seeds!
Between Halloween and Thanksgiving is the ideal time to roast away with so many pumpkins up for grabs. 
Few snacks are more delicious or nutritious than roasted pumpkin seeds. 
Pumpkin seeds always settle my stomach in the mid-morning when I find my blood sugar dropping. Perfect to chomp on while running errands.
Pack roasted pumpkin seeds in your lunch, the kids lunch, and to give your husband the fiber boost he needs.
Salty, scrumptious and crunchy, who’s craving potato chips now?
Best of all?! Roasting pumpkin seeds is such a cheap and easy fall activity. They’ll last for months in airtight containers.
Pumpkins are in abundance this season, for sale everywhere. 
Farmer’s are desperate to dump so you’ll be able to get a few at a great price, probably for $1 or less each. 

Here’s how and why you should get roasting today!  

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Pumpkin seeds with their husks or seed coats still in tact.
Let’s be clear.

The shells of pumpkin seeds, also called husks or seed coats are just as edible as the kernel they protect.

Yellow-white in color they have a crunchy texture when roasted. The pumpkin shell provides extra fiber while most of the nutrients are in the green “hulled” seed.

Also known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds are dark green, flat and tender. Pumpkin seeds have a subtle sweet flavor with strong nutty accents.

  • They make a wonderful substitute for sliced almonds in salads at a fraction of the cost but with all that nutty flavor.     
  • Add pumpkin seeds to healthy sautéed vegetables.
  • Use pumpkin seeds in hot or cold cereals (oatmeal in particular).
  • Try pumpkin seeds in your favorite granola bar or cookie recipe. Pumpkin pairs nicely with raisins.
  • Grind your pumpkin seeds with garlic, parsley and cilantro. Mix in a little olive oil and lemon juice for a knock-out salad dressing! 
  • Chock-full of nutrients, make pumpkin seeds your 3 p.m. pick-me-up snack! 


While it is possible to extract the seed from the shell, it’s hardly worth your time.

If it’s the “hulled” seed you’re after, it’s better to buy them in bulk from the grocery store because they’re so cheap. We are encouraging you to snack on both the shell and seed.

“hulled” green pumpkin seeds ~ no shell

Method ~ How-to roast your own pumpkin seeds!

1.) Wash pumpkin seeds well using a bowl or colander.
I prefer a colander to a bowl because the water drains out while you’re removing the pumpkin guts from the seeds.

But if you choose to use a bowl, the one advantage is that the seeds float to the top (but easily spill over and down the sink they go.) 

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2.) Make sure all the pulp is removed and the seeds are clean. [They will still feel a tad slimy].

Dry seeds on a paper towel.

I got impatient and ended up using my hair dryer on high heat but low pulse setting. And it worked well! Just don’t blow them off the counter top.

*If you have the time, it may be beneficial to lay your pumpkin seeds on a paper bag or towel and let them dry out overnight. But that makes this a two-day project and I was ready to roast*

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3.) Oil a large baking sheet with about 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil or 1 tablespoon of butter if you prefer.
Spread the seeds out as thinly as possible.
The best way to do this is to grip the sides of the pan and give it a good shake. No overlapping.
Sprinkle with sea salt or whatever spices you prefer like garlic, onion powder, seasoned salt, rosemary or even cinnamon.
 
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See how evenly distributed these seeds are?
4.) Roast seeds for 8-10 minutes at 325F. Remove from oven and use a spatula to flip them over and roast for another 8-10 minutes.

They are ready when the shell is super crispy and easy to bite through.

Pop a few into your mouth when they cool to test them. You don’t want the inner seed to turn brown.

The key is to not burn them. So depending on your oven, check them before the 8 minute mark if it runs hot. 

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5.) Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. I like the Lock & Lock containers for storage.
Last year, my seeds lasted over a month. I’m convinced they would have lasted several months if I didn’t eat them so quickly. 
 
A last tip? I would save this for a day when you already have leftovers lined up because it makes a bit of mess in the kitchen.

But just wait till you taste them in your next salad, you won’t regret that added flavor.

And the smell wafting from your oven….unbelievable. 

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9 Reasons to eat pumpkin seeds every day!

1.) Plant-based Omega Fatty 3-fats (essential fatty acids). It’s critical to get some of your omega 3’s from animal sources like fish. However; raw nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds in particular are one of the best sources of of EFA’s. 

2.) Zinc so you don’t get sick. Your body loves zinc for immunity, cell growth, sleep & mood boosts, and overall skin health.

3.) Anti-inflammatory benefits. No drug side effects here!

4.) Heart healthy magnesium. 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds contain half of the amount of magnesium you need each day. And magnesium has been shown to benefit blood pressure, and help prevent sudden heart attack, stroke, and cardiac arrest. What’s not to love?

5.) Anti-diabetic effects. Pumpkin seeds help improve insulin regulation and decrease oxidative stress.

6.) Prostrate health. Men love pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seeds love men’s health. Make your man some pumpkin seeds now.

7.) Postmenopausal woman. Pumpkin seeds have a lot of that good HDL cholesterol. And studies have shown it can decrease blood pressure, hot flashes, headaches, & joint pains. All good things!

8.) Heart & liver health. Yes, high in calories, but also high in those healthy fats and antioxidants that your heart and liver love.

​9.) Tryptophan for restful sleep. Your body takes that tryptophan and turns it into serotonin which gets converted into melatonin, the “sleep hormone.”

And we’ve all bought those bottles of melatonin from the grocery store, right?  But pumpkin seeds are right in your diet and free! And sleep truly rules. 

This post contains affiliate links. This means I make a very small amount if you make a purchase off the link. But at no additional cost to you. Anything I make goes right back into the site. Thank you so much for the support! I am so very grateful…more than I can communicate in this short quip! So if you were to make a purchase through Amazon anyhow, I’d be so appreciative if you used my link as it helps me pay for my website and email list.
Are you a pumpkin seed fan? Do you buy them or roast them yourself?

Secret code: owl

186 Comments

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol Yemola says

    October 1, 2020 at 11:47 pm

    I love freshly roasted pumpkin seeds. I do it every year.

    Reply
    • Donna L Holder says

      October 4, 2020 at 1:50 am

      i love these

      Reply
    • Bernardina Sims says

      September 18, 2022 at 9:01 am

      I love pumpkin seeds, but have to admit I usually buy them! Now that I see how easy it is thanks to you I’m going to try it! Thanks

      Reply
  2. Estella Osorio says

    October 1, 2020 at 11:51 pm

    Learning everyday

    Reply
  3. Jennifer Sitz says

    October 1, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    I love roasting pumpkin seeds.

    Reply
  4. John Dickson says

    October 1, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    Love pumkins.

    Reply
  5. Belinda Rowden says

    October 1, 2020 at 11:56 pm

    I have tried roasting them but I always seem to burn them.

    Reply
  6. Sam says

    October 2, 2020 at 12:30 am

    I love pumpkin seeds. We always season and roast our own.

    Reply
  7. Michelle Heughan says

    October 2, 2020 at 12:38 am

    We love roasting pumpkin seeds! One year after Thanksgiving our neighbor put her fall display to the curb. She had 4 whole pumpkins and my youngest kids came lugging them home exclaiming “Look at all the pumpkin seeds they were wasting!” 😂

    Reply
  8. Tommy Eversole says

    October 2, 2020 at 12:39 am

    Roast them myself, there good for my heart.

    Reply
  9. Tressa says

    October 2, 2020 at 12:40 am

    Not a pumpkin seed fan, but my family might like some of these ideas

    Reply
  10. joni Giacoma Chadwell says

    October 2, 2020 at 12:42 am

    I have roasted them myself. I love them. add a little salt and they are tasty!

    Reply
  11. Chad Boyd says

    October 2, 2020 at 12:56 am

    I love pumpkin seeds!

    Reply
  12. Calshondra Williams says

    October 2, 2020 at 1:01 am

    I look forward to roasting fresh pumpkin seeds every year.

    Reply
  13. Kari Judd says

    October 2, 2020 at 1:05 am

    pumpkin seeds are the best!!

    Reply
  14. Dana says

    October 2, 2020 at 1:18 am

    I love pumpkin seeds but I did NOT know all these facts.

    Reply