One of my favorite things about Halloween and carving pumpkins is the leftover pumpkin seeds.
Roasting them afterward is a tradition I love doing with my family. Pumpkin seeds are so good for you – they’re high in protein, copper, zinc, and iron. They’re also a good source of vitamin E and K. I like to grab a small handful and crunch on them as a snack or sprinkle on top of my salads and soups.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (4 Flavors)
Ingredients
- Pumpkin seeds
- Olive oil
- Seasonings (sea salt and ground pepper, etc)
Instructions
- WASH AND SORT: After carving your pumpkin, throw away as many large chunks of pumpkin flesh as you can and toss in the compost bin. Add the seeds and smaller flesh bits to a big bowl of cold water (you can also just fill the sink). Give everything a good swirl, then wait 10 minutes. Most of the flesh will sink while the seeds will stay up top.
- BOILING THE SEEDS: Strain the seeds and add them to a large pot of boiling water with 1 Tbsp salt. Let simmer for 10 minutes - this will help to remove phytic acid which is hard on the digestive system. It will also help to make the seeds crispier once roasted.
- ROASTING INSTRUCTIONS: Drain and toss the seeds with olive oil and spices of your choice. I'm a classic gal, so I like to season with sea salt and ground pepper. Then spread on to a baking sheet and bake at 400 °F for 20-25 minutes. Toss the seeds halfway. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an air-tight container in the cupboard (you don’t need to keep these in the fridge). These will last a few weeks. Sprinkle on soups and salads, grab a handful for a snack, add to kids lunches, add to your morning oatmeal… the options are endless!
Notes
DIFFERENT FLAVORS TO TRY:
- MAPLE SYRUP AND CINNAMON: Add pumpkin seeds to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, toss seeds, then drizzle of maple syrup and sprinkle on cinnamon. Bake another 10 minutes.
- PEPPER AND LIME JUICE: Add pumpkin seeds to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, half a lime squeezed, pinch of sea salt and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes.
- PIZZA FLAVOR: Add pumpkin seeds to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp garlic powder then bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 40Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Please note: This nutrition information is only an estimate and was created using Nutritionix