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Baked » Recipes » Kitchen Basics

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Published: Oct 4, 2020 · Modified: Sep 14, 2022 by Baked · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Spicy roasted pumpkin seeds are crunchy, salty, smoky, and just a wee bit spicy. They’re also nutritious and make a super tasty snack!

A metal baking tray of spicy roasted pumpkin seeds with parchment paper underneath and a spoon nearby.

If you’ve visited our post on how to make homemade pumpkin purée, don’t toss away those nutrition-packed seeds! A quarter cup of spicy roasted pumpkin seeds has 25% of your daily iron intake, and roughly 20% of your daily protein. They’re an excellent source of manganese, magnesium and tryptophan, and a good source of phosphorus, copper, and protein. Sure, adding oil and salt may make them slightly less nutritious, but they still beat a bag of chips or crackers any day.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Method
  • Tips & Notes
  • Substitutions
  • Recipe

A small glass bowl of scooped out pumpkin flesh and seeds with a spoon.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

Ingredients

  • Raw seeds of one sugar pumpkin (also called pie pumpkin)
  • Neutral-tasting oil like olive, vegetable, or coconut
  • Hot smoked paprika
  • Onion powder
  • A few pinches of salt
Ingredients to make spicy roasted pumpkin seeds.

Method

Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Half fill a large bowl with fresh cool water.

Separate the seeds from the flesh from the inside of one sugar pumpkin. Removing the seeds from the flesh is pretty simple once you get going. First, remove any big chunks of pumpkin, then use your fingers to rub or comb the seeds out.

Hands separating pumpkin seeds from pumpkin flesh and placing them into a glass bowl of water to rinse.

Place all of the separated seeds into the bowl of water. Swish them with your hands and rinse them a couple of times to remove any remaining pumpkin.

Hands holding a glass bowl of water filled with raw seeds.

Once the seeds are well washed, place them in a sieve over the bowl and shake off as much excess water as you can.

At this point you can roll the seeds up in a clean kitchen towel to absorb more of the water and pat them dry if you want. This step is optional.

A colander filled with raw, rinsed seeds sitting over a glass bowl to drain.

Place the clean, drained seeds in a bowl with the oil, spices, and a pinch or two of salt. Stir well to coat.

A hand stirring seeds, olive oil, and spices in a small glass bowl using a spoon.

Spread the pumpkin seeds out evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the seeds until they’re just starting to brown.

If you’re not sure if the seeds are done, let one cool for a minute and give it a taste. It should be crunchy with a slight chew. If it isn’t crunchy, return the pan to the oven and continue to cook the seeds for another few minutes.

Raw pumpkin seeds tossed with oil and spices.

Give the spicy roasted pumpkin seeds another sprinkle of salt after removing them from the oven, then place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Once cool, store the seeds in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 4 days.

A metal baking tray lined with parchment paper and topped with spicy roasted pumpkin seeds.

Tips & Notes

The baking time and crunchiness factor of your seeds is dependent on how dry the seeds are. If they are quite wet, they will take longer to turn crunchy and brown.

You can use this method for any variety of pumpkin, or even squash.

Take the seed-drying process a step further by patting the seeds dry with a kitchen towel, then letting them sit overnight. Some say the extra drying time yields a crunchier seed.

Substitutions

Swap in any oil or spices you like. A teaspoon of brown sugar is also lovely if you like a sweet and spicy combo!

Close up of roasted seeds.

More Seedy Goodness

Multi-Seed Oat Flour Crackers (gluten-free)

Tahini Banana Bread With Sunflower Seeds

Nut-Free Granola With Honey

Recipe

A metal baking tray of spicy roasted pumpkin seeds with parchment paper underneath and a spoon nearby.

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

5 from 1 vote
Author: adapted from Kelly Brisson
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comments

Description

 

Spicy roasted pumpkin seeds are crunchy, salty, smoky, and just a wee bit spicy. They’re also nutritious and make a super tasty snack!

Equipment

  • Measuring spoons
  • baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Mixing bowl
  • Tea towel

Ingredients
 

  • 1 sugar pumpkin, also called pie pumpkin
  • 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil, olive, vegetable, coconut
  • ½ teaspoon hot smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • A few pinches of salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºC (180ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Half fill a large bowl with fresh cool water.
  • Separate the seeds from the flesh from the inside of one sugar pumpkin. Removing the seeds from the flesh is pretty simple once you get going. First, remove any big chunks of pumpkin, then use your fingers to rub or comb the seeds out.
  • Place all of the separated seeds into the bowl of water. Swish them with your hands and rinse them a couple of times with fresh water to remove any remaining pumpkin.
  • Once the seeds are washed, place them in a sieve over the bowl and shake off as much excess water as you can.
  • At this point you can roll the seeds up in a clean tea towel to absorb more of the water and pat them dry if you want. This step is optional.
  • Place the clean, drained seeds in a bowl with the oil, spices, and a pinch or two of salt. Stir well to coat.
  • Spread the pumpkin seeds out evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake the seeds for 20 to 25 minutes, or until just starting to brown. If you're not sure if the seeds are done, let one cool for a minute and give it a taste. It should be crunchy with a slight chew. If it isn't crunchy, return the pan to the oven and continue to cook for another few minutes.
  • Give the spicy roasted pumpkin seeds another sprinkle of salt after removing them from the oven, then place them on a wire rack to cool. Store the seeds in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 4 days.

Notes

The baking time and crunchiness factor of your seeds is dependent on how dry the seeds are. If they are quite wet, they will take longer to turn crunchy and brown.
Check out our post on how to make homemade pumpkin purée to use up the rest of your sugar pumpkin!
You can use this method for any variety of pumpkin, or even squash.
Take the seed-drying process a step further by patting the seeds dry with a kitchen towel, then letting them sit overnight. Some say the extra drying time yields a crunchier seed.
Substitutions
Swap in any oil or spices you like. A teaspoon of brown sugar is also lovely if you like a sweet and spicy combo!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g
Did you make this recipe?Let us know on Instagram @baked_theblog or tag #bakedtheblog!
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