Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe | Valerie's Kitchen (2024)

This tried and true method results in crunchy, salty, irresistibly Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds! This is a must make recipe for the Halloween season.

This post will help you choose the best pumpkin, collect and prep the seeds, and create the best Roasted Pumpkin Seeds you’ve ever had!

It’s not Halloween without crunchy, salty, roasted pumpkin seeds. They are packed full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals and they taste incredible. Maybe this will help offset the effect of the little chocolate candy bars I keep stealing from the Halloween stash in our pantry.

Here is my method, tried and true.

Which Pumpkins Have the Best Seeds?

In my experience, the larger the pumpkin the more seeds it will yield. So go big but not too heavy. According to The Kitchn, large is good but sometimes the heavier ones tend to have less seeds.

Choose a pumpkin that appears fresh, has a sturdy stem and a flat bottom so it will stay put while you’re carving. Small surface scratches are okay but avoid pumpkins with any deep cuts or bruises.

He has no idea what he’s in for.

If you are as crazy about pumpkin seeds as we are and want to be sure you’ll have enough, grab an extra pumpkin just to be sure.

Pumpkin Carving Tips

Here is the big man wielding a big knife.

Once you’ve used your artistic skills to draw the perfect face for your Jack O’Lantern, use a large, sharp knife to cut around the stem at a slight angle to create the lid. Cutting on an angle will ensure the lid will not drop straight down inside the pumpkin when placed on top.

Use a scooping tool, like a large metal spoon, to scrape and thin the wall of the pumpkin where you will be carving the face a bit so that it will be easier to cut through from the front.

How to Clean Pumpkin Seeds Before Roasting

1. Use a large metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and strings.
2. Transfer the seeds and strings to a colander.
3. Place the colander in your sink and rinse the seeds with cool water. While rinsing, sort through them with your hands and pull out the stringy pumpkin guts.
4. Place some newspaper on the counter next to the sink for the stringy guts. This allows you to just roll it up and toss the mess when you’re done. There will be some bits of pumpkin still mixed in with the seeds. Just get out as much as you can.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

I’ve found that allowing the seeds to dry overnight results in crispy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. Full disclosure, I discovered this technique after a long, exhausting day when I was too tired to deal with finishing the seeds. The next day, I roasted up the best batch of seeds I’d ever tasted and knew I was on to something!

Dry the Pumpkin Seeds

1. Spread the rinsed seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. Unless you are an excellent pumpkin string picker, there will most likely still be some small bits of pumpkin innards left behind. Don’t worry, we’ll get those later.
2. Leave the baking sheet on your kitchen counter overnight so the seeds can dry. They will not roast as well if you put them in the oven when they are wet. It will be easy to pick out any remaining bits of pumpkin the next day.

Prep and Roast the Seeds

1. Prep – The next day pick out any remaining stringy bits and coat a clean baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place the dry seeds in a large bowl, toss them with olive oil and garlic salt, and spread them out over the baking sheet.
2. Roast – Roast them in a preheated 325 degree F oven until toasted and golden brown. Use a spatula to stir them occasionally for even roasting.
3. Season – Remove them from the oven, taste, and sprinkle with a little additional garlic salt if needed.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are delicious served warm from the oven. I dare you to try and eat just one!

Storing Pumpkin Seeds

After they cool, transfer the seeds to an airtight container and they will stay fresh and tasty for at least a week or more.

More Fun Halloween Recipes

• Caramel Popcorn
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
• Halloween Oreo Brookie Bars
• Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Did you know that other seeds are also delicious roasted? Check out my recipes for Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds!

Be sure to watch the video in the recipe card below to see this process in action.

These seeds are excellent and it turned out okay for the pumpkin too. Happy Halloween!

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