Roasted pumpkin seeds are definitely a seasonal treat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in a store — though I haven’t looked for them — and no one goes out and buys a pumpkin just to make the seeds.
I’m pretty sure the first roasted pumpkin seeds were made by a cheapskate like me who, after carving the jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween, looked at all the stuff scraped out of the inside and said to himself, “Man, it seems like such a waste to throw all of that out. I wonder what I can make with it?”
Because really, who would look at this …
Photo by bunnygoth / Lisa Jacobs
… and think, “Yumm, gotta get me some o’ that”?
Ingredients
pumpkin seeds
olive oil
popcorn salt (click here for notes on popcorn salt)
Directions
After scooping out the pumpkins for your jack-’o-lanterns, separate the seeds from the rest of the guts.
Pour the seeds into a colander and rinse well with cold water, picking out any large remaining bits of pulp.
Lay the seeds out in small batches on a couple of paper towels. Blot with another paper towel to dry them, then scoop them onto a baking sheet.
Add about a tablespoon of olive oil per cup of seeds and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with popcorn salt.
Bake at 350°F for about a half hour, tossing occasionally so they don’t stick.
When they’re mostly browned, some of them getting just a little too dark, pull them out and let them cool before storing in an airtight container.
And that’s it.
Want more like this? For more recipes like this, that you can hold right in your hands, and write on, take notes, tear pages out if you want (Gosh, you're tough on books, aren't you?) you might be interested in How To Cook Like Your Grandmother, 2nd edition, Illustrated. Or to learn your way around the kitchen, check out Starting From Scratch: The Owner's Manual for Your Kitchen.
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16 Comments
I love to soak them in a bowl of tamari and water for a bit before roasting them… no need for salt and a bit more flavor. Yum!
That is so simple.
Winnie is getting to be so grown up… say HI to Jenn and Anna. Miss you guys!
I just made mine yesterday, and I usually will soak them over night in some salt water. then drain them and roast them with some olive oil! Yummy Yummy!
I would love to hear some other options for them other than olive oil and salt!
Mom did this when we were kids. And they are good for you too – so why throw them out?
I used an herb salt blend on them this year from Wardeh at gnowfglins.com. It’s made in the food processor, so the salt and herbs are all so fine that it sticks quite well.
http://gnowfglins.com/2009/07/24/homemade-herb-seasoning-salt-similar-to-herbamare/
We’re really enjoying it!
Fantastic idea for holiday parties. And I love your linked blog on making your own tortilla chips. I’m definitely going to try you recipe.
You can buy them in every health food store, supermarket and grocers here in England, but I want to try making my own now!
This totally does take me back to childhood. I purchased the cookbook, too, and all I can say is that wow, it does live up to the title. It’s the kind of cooking I grew up around, and that so many people simply don’t know how to do anymore. And when I ‘liked’ the page on Facebook, my aunt promptly decided to write down ome recipes from my grandmother’s collection. Win-win!
KatSim, I’m guessing you know how I feel about secret recipes?
Actually you can purchase them. If you go to a “nut and candy” store, they are Pepitas. My grandmother turned me on to them over 50 years ago. They are salty and really yummy.
I usually skip the soaking in salt water part, and just put a bit of water, salt and the seeds in a cookie sheet, and the seeds are essentially boiled in salt water briefly, then baked until completely dry, stirring quite a few times to make sure they are indeed dry. This way you can put in whatever seasonings you want into the salt water as well, and the seeds themselves taste of it.
Worcestershire sauce.
Or soy sauce.
Or the greatest seasoned salt of all time: Shoup’s Seasoning.
pumpkin seeds are delicious! thanks for giving me the tips for cooking like my grandmother!!
Regards,
Lucy
Hi Drew,
Just discovered the site while looking for pot roast ideas. I started to peek around and found the pumpkin seeds. I make mine with chipotle oil and kosher salt. Rinse, toss in oil and salt, and roast on parchment paper on a cookie sheet at 350 for about 40 minutes. All family members loved them so much that they gave me the seeds from their pumpkins to roast the same way.
Also good is mixing some melted butter, sugar, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and tossing to make a sweet version. This works well with walnuts and pecans too.
Thanks for a great site and for celebrating “slow food”. I’ve made it a favorite & I’m sure I’ll be back often!
Jen
I have to admit, this is something that I made for other people more than myself. They were definitely better than store-bought versions people have offered me, but I’m still not a huge fan.
we can get organic roasted and salted or just plain raw pumpkin seeds that you can season and roast yourself at our local organic grocery store. it’s awesome! we can and do eat them all year round.
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