I have tried dozens of ways to make roasted pumpkin seeds, some to better effect than others. My favorite method of the moment is detailed below. Spicy and sweet variations follow the basic recipe.
Ingredients
- One medium-sized pumpkin
- fine sea salt
- olive or coconut oil
Instructions
- Cut open the pumpkin by carving a circle around the stem and pulling off the top. Use a strong, long-handled metal spoon to scrape the insides of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place the mass of pumpkin seeds in a colander and run under water to rinse and separate the seeds from the everything else.
- Measure the pumpkin seeds in a cup measurer. Place the seeds in a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to the pan for every half cup of pumpkin seeds. Bring the salted water and pumpkin seeds to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle a cookie sheet with oil, about a half-tablespoon. Or skip the oil and place a piece of parchment paper atop your cookie sheet. Spread the seeds over the pan in a single layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 5-20 minutes, depending on how many seeds you are roasting and the size of the seeds.
Variations
For Sweet Pumpkin Seeds, mix 2 cups boiled, drained seeds in a medium bowl with a tablespoon of oil, 5 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Spread the seeds out on a cookie sheet and follow the roasting instructions.
For Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds, mix 2 cups boiled, drained seeds in a large bowl with a tablespoon of oil, 5 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 tsp. ground cumin, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 (or less) cayenne pepper. Spread the seeds on a cookie sheet and follow the roasting instructions.
Note
I love the idea of roasting the pumpkin seeds in coconut oil and tried several batches using it. Here’s what I learned the hard way: Coconut oil comes in many varieties. If choosing to roast with coconut oil make sure yours has a smoke point that is higher than 400°F or your seeds will burn. Trust me.