How To Cook Pumpkin Seeds At Home

It’s October, which means you’re probably making all things pumpkin. If you’re buying fresh pumpkin, whether it’s to cook with or even just decorate, you’ll want to make the most of the squash, which means utilizing its seeds. Pumpkin seeds are tasty and easy to make, and they’re even healthy too!

Here’s how to bake them at home:

1. Pick The Right Pumpkin

The best pumpkin seeds come from the smaller variety of pumpkins, but seeds from the carving kind work as well.

2. Remove The Seeds

Cut off the top of the pumpkin. If you’re using a smaller one, cut it into sections. Using a spoon, remove the seeds. Place them into a colander and rinse them off.

3. Dry And Season

Dry the seeds with a paper towel (drying helps the seeds become crispy vs. chewy), then drizzle with cooking oil (you can use vegetable oil, olive oil or even butter). Season as desired. Here’s where you can get fancy or just stick to basics. If you want a basic roasted pumpkin seed, you’ll only need to sprinkle with sea salt after drizzling the oil—or try something more flavorful like Italian-style (Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper), honey mustard (toss the seeds with brown spicy mustard and honey) or Sugar and Spice (Cayenne pepper, sugar, a splash of salt). (Get more seasoning ideas here.)

4. Bake

Bake seeds for 15-20 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Pumpkin seeds should be golden when taken out. Let cool, and enjoy.

There are a number of different ways to prepare pumpkin seeds, but if you want a more detailed guide, you can check out Better Homes and Garden’s step-by-step instructions here.

Photo by jaxzin