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.
Ingredients
- pumpkin seeds
- olive oil (1 tablespoon per cup of seeds)
- popcorn salt
Instructions
Rinse the seeds well with cold water and blot dry with paper towels. Toss with olive oil to coat, and sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 350°F for about a half hour, tossing occasionally so they don't stick. When they are all browned, with a few just starting to get too dark, remove from the oven and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.
