Description
Crunchy and flavorful salted roasted pumpkin seeds make a perfect healthy snack. This recipe involves cleaning, boiling in salted water, seasoning with olive oil and spices, and roasting to golden perfection for a deliciously nutty treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Seeds and Cleaning
- 1 ½ cups (about 36 grams) pumpkin seeds, fresh, whole, unseasoned
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fine sea salt, for boiling water
Coating and Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil (or coconut/nut oil), for coating seeds
- 2 teaspoons (approximate; 4 grams) spice blend of choice (examples: pumpkin spice, curry powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure even roasting and prevent sticking.
- Clean Seeds: After scooping seeds from the pumpkin, place them in cold water and swish around to remove stringy pumpkin bits. Thorough cleaning is vital for a grit-free snack.
- Boil in Salted Water: Bring 2 cups (480 ml) of water with 2 teaspoons sea salt to a boil. Add the cleaned seeds and simmer for 5 minutes to season and further clean the seeds.
- Dry Seeds: Drain the seeds, remove any pumpkin flesh remnants, and pat them very dry on clean dishcloths. Dry seeds roast crispier.
- Coat Seeds: Transfer dried seeds to the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle the spice blend, and toss well to coat evenly.
- Arrange: Spread seeds out in a single, well-spaced layer on the baking sheet to avoid steaming and ensure even roasting.
- Roast: Bake for 10 to 25 minutes, stirring at least once during baking. Start checking at 10 minutes for a nutty aroma and golden edges. Continue roasting, checking frequently, and remove when fragrant and golden brown.
Notes
- Ensure seeds are completely dry before roasting to achieve maximum crispiness.
- Choose your favorite spice blend to customize the flavor.
- Stir seeds during roasting to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.
- Store cooled roasted seeds in an airtight container for up to one week.
- If using larger seeds, roasting time may be closer to the full 25 minutes or slightly longer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
