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Musings on the Seedier Side

in Edible Garden

9 reasons to roast crunchy & addictive pumpkin seeds today

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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 colendar. 
 
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. 

Are you a pumpkin seed fan? Do you buy them or roast them yourself?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  7. Michelle Heughan says

    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

  15. Suzanne B says

    I have not roasted pumpkin seeds in ages. I really should get back to doing it. Last year we did not even carve pumpkins.

    Reply

  18. Laurie Nykaza says

    We have been in since 3/13 & my daughter was just saying how do we get a pumpkin this year . Were ordering them this next week to carve and bake the seeds too. We love the taste of the seeds they are so good.

    Reply

  21. Diane Warstler says

    I’ve loved eating pumpkin seeds since I was a little girl! Thank you for sharing some new ways to fix them for my grandchildren!

    Reply

  27. Sara Underwood says

    I always eat the outside “shell” – and I didn’t know that you’re supposed to dry the seeds before roasting them. I will definitely be doing that this year!

    Reply

  31. Michael Coovert says

    It has been so long since I have had pumpkin seeds. We used to eat them like crazy when I was a youngster.

    Reply

  39. Katherine Tino says

    I love pepitas! I try to roast them every fall, but with no success. Just not as good as store bought. Always look for them in granolas & trail mixes, too.

    Reply

  47. Nancy Jachcik says

    I typically buy my pumpkin seeds and just love them. In fact they are adducting once you start snacking on

    Reply

  50. Maureen says

    Learned about the goodness of pumpkin seeds few years ago as they help with sleep but also help in perhaps keeping kidney stones at bay.

    Reply

  52. Jennifer Phillips says

    I love pumpkin seeds, oh so yummy, and it is good to know there is no trick to hulling them, I have wondered about that for awhile now.

    Reply

  53. Courtney Scarbin says

    I love roasted pumpkin seeds! They’re a much healthier alternative to those other crunchy snack options out there and satisfy my craving just the same.

    Reply

  54. Deborah Rhoades says

    I adore roasted pumpkin seeds, and I think I am going to try this project! Thank you for such an informative and interesting article. I truly did not know most of those good benefits of eating pumpkin seeds.

    Reply

  70. cindy quisenberry says

    introduced my grandson to roasted pumpkin seeds last year. This year he has already asked when are we doing them this year!

    Reply

  73. Marilyn Holt says

    We have skipped some years on roasting them but after reading your advice, this year we will for sure be doing it.

    Reply

  75. rhonda Hagy miller says

    We LOVE pumpkin seeds!! We cant wait to find a big ol pumpkin and ravage that thing!! My kids really get into it!! And roasting and toasting is the best!

    Reply

  79. Stephanie Grant says

    I absolutely love pumpkin seeds, I make them every October. I think I’m going to try a couple different flavors this year.

    Reply

  82. Patti says

    It happens with age…crunchy is not your friend anymore, due to dentures.
    Any ideas how I can still get this nutrition and not the cruch? Can you make these edible but soft?
    Thanks~You will be my hero.

    Reply

  84. Sharon Finn says

    This time of year always brings back fond memories of my childrens little hand all covered with the orange goop and seeds as they cleaned their pumpkins. They were so excited to roast the seeds and eat them. Fond memories.

    Reply

  86. Janet Fletcher says

    It’s been awhile since we roasted seeds. Thanks for the recipe! Also I didn’t know there were so may health benefits to eating them.

    Reply

  94. Itzel Molenaar says

    I love this time of year, and all the delicious food that comes out of it like roasted fresh pumpkin seeds!

    Reply

  100. LeAnn Harbert says

    I always roasted the pumpkin seeds from our Jack O Lanterns when my boys were little. Last year my granddaughter didn’t really like them but I hope she’ll try them this year.

    Reply

  109. Phyllis Skoglund says

    Memories are made with such seeds. 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.

    Reply

  111. Paula Adams says

    We roast pumpkin seeds every year around Thanksgiving and love them! But we’ve never tried any of these other interesting ideas and recipes. Added to our holiday To-Do list!

    Reply

  137. Penny LeBaron says

    Pumpkin seeds have always been my favorite part of the pumpkin at any time, not just Halloween and they taste so much better when you roast them yourself!

    Reply

  150. Tara Enright says

    I never knew so many ways to eat pumpkin seeds. I used to have them awhile ago but haven’t really did current.

    I like the one you mentioned about “Grind your pumpkin seeds with garlic, parsley and cilantro. Mix in a little olive oil and lemon juice for a knock-out salad dressing! ”

    Sounds really yummy. Now I cannot wait for Halloween to come around ahaha. Are they fresher and better with Pumpkins or store bought?

    Reply

  155. Betsy Pauzauskie says

    I appreciate the methodology you shared and love that pumpkin seeds are rich in nutrients. Plus, crunchy snacks are one of my favorites! Thank you!

    Reply

  157. Jacqueline Davison-McLean says

    One of the reason I like Halloween so much is for the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkins we carve. It’s work to clean them for roasting. But worth it when they’re done.

    Reply

  162. Michael Coovert says

    This takes me right back to my childhood. My stepmother used to roast pumpkin seeds. I didn’t really like roasted pumpkin seeds but she did it differently from everyone else and I love hers. They were incredibly hot and spicy. I ate them by the bag full.

    Reply

  165. Sue E says

    We love roasting our pumpkin seeds! One half of the roasted seeds are seasoned with sea salt. The other half of our roasted pumpkin seeds, we season with garlic salt. They don’t stay long in our house either. They are like potato chips – you can’t eat just one! I forgot all of the health benefits they have!! Good to know! I would love to win the hammock so I can relax on it and pig out on my pumpkin seeds!! Thank you for the opportunity!!

    Reply

  166. Elizabeth Krill says

    I haven’t made these in years. Good to know the benefits. Now I want to go buy a pumpkin just for the seeds. A few years ago, the animals bit holes in my pumpkins and ate the seeds before I got to them.

    Reply

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