Do you throw away the seeds when you clean out your pumpkins? I know they are a pain to clean, but Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a real treat for a snack! They are easy to purchase, but fun to make at home, too.
What is the nutritional value of roasted pumpkin seeds?
Whether you create jack o' lanterns or roast pumpkins to puree for soups or baked goods, you should save those seeds! There's tons of nutritional benefit in them and they taste like popcorn. They have 8-10 grams of protein per ¼-cup serving, as well as being a good source of magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, and copper. They are also full of antioxidants and beneficial fats.
How to prep pumpkin seeds for roasting
Once you've cut the top off of the pumpkin, you can either use your hands or a large serving spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy bits. I usually put them in a colander trying to pull as much of the pulp off as possible.
Then rinse under cold water still picking away at the pulp.
And then, I lay them out in one layer on paper towels. It important to get them as dry as possible so that they roast rather than steam. Let them set out for about an hour before roasting.
The seeds tend to stick to the paper towel so it helps to use a spatula or some other tool to scrape them off. I put them on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, drizzle them with oil, and sprinkle them generously with salt. You can also add other herbs and spices should you choose!
Finally, roast them at about 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
How to eat Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
There's no need to remove the hull from the seeds. However, I find they can get kind of hard to chew near the end of a bite so I like to eat them with apple slices or grapes. The juiciness of the fruit makes swallowing the last bit of pumpkin seeds just a bit easier! And did you know that eating nuts and seeds with fruit aids in the digestion process, too? It's a win win.
Recipe
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Equipment
- Knife
- Baking sheet
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin I used a Sugar Pie Pumpkin
- 1-2 teaspoons avocado oil
- salt to season as desired
- other spices such as curry powder, garlic, cinnamon your imagination is the limit!
Instructions
- Using a sharp, sturdy knife, cut the top off of the pumpkin leaving enough space to be able to get your hand or large spoon in.
- Using your hand or large spoon, scrape out the seeds and stringy bits.
- Separate the seeds and stringy bits as much as possible, then rinse the seeds with cold water, continuing to pick out the pulp.
- Lay the wet seeds out in a single layer on paper towels and let them dry for about an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Scrape the seeds from the paper towels onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and season generously with the salt and other spices if you choose to use them. Be sure the seeds are in a single layer.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes. If they aren't as dark as you want them to be, leave them for another 5 before checking again.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then munch away! I love them with apple slices or grapes and this combination also helps with digestion of the seeds.
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