How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Roasting your own pumpkin to make pumpkin puree, like most things, makes something so much tastier than canned! Click here to see how to make your own pumpkin puree! But don’t waste those tasty seeds inside the pumpkin. They can be used to make roast pumpkin seeds and you’ll be amazed at how good they are.
The first step to making them is cutting your pumpkin open and scooping them out. Kids LOVE doing this and it’s a great sensory experience for them. The smell and feel of pumpkin pulp is unique and fun. Separate the pulp from the seeds and rinse them clean. We dump ours in a colander and rinse well.
Next, you need to make a brine for your seeds. Fill a container with about 4 cups of warm water and 3 Tablespoons of salt. Mix it until the salt dissolves and then dump in your clean seeds. Let them soak for 8-24 hours to absorb some salt.
Drain your seeds and let dry thoroughly on a paper towel.
The next step can be done in a 350-degree oven, or in a skillet on medium heat, whichever you prefer. We usually do ours in the oven so the kids can watch through the window. Add a Tablespoon of olive oil to your drained pumpkin seeds and whatever seasoning you like. You can use a few teaspoons of taco seasoning, a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, a few teaspoons of ranch dip mix, or even a few teaspoons of sugar, cinnamon sugar, or whatever your imagination can come up with. For homemade taco seasoning or ranch dip seasoning mix, click the links in red.
Stir your olive oil and flavoring into the seeds and spread them on a cookie sheet or in a skillet. If you bake them in the oven, cook them for about 30 minutes, if you choose a skillet, stir and cook until lightly brown.
Let your seeds cool before eating. Pumpkin seeds, like other seeds, are nutritional powerhouses, so enjoy this crispy tasty snack!
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