Don't waste the seeds from your pumpkin - learn how to turn them into a delicious smoky snack in this easy oven roasted pumpkin seeds recipe.
Don't waste those pumpkin seeds
If you're carving a pumpkin for Halloween, then be sure to save the pumpkin seeds to roast them.
Chances are if you buy a large carving pumpkin there won’t be much flesh inside to eat. Last Halloween, ours was certainly a stringy gloopy mess.
We did have a lot of large white seeds however and I saved these for roasting with delicious results.
You can also roast butternut squash seeds
Roasted pumpkin seeds are not just for Halloween.
Use this recipe at any time to roast your seeds from your pumpkin or butternut squash.
Adaptations
Fancy a different flavour?
Replace the smoked paprika with ground cinnamon and leave out the salt and pepper.
Ingredients
For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
To make oven-roasted pumpkin seeds you will need:
- seeds from one pumpkin
- a tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
How to make oven roasted pumpkin seeds
For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Once you've carved your pumpkin you'll need to stick your hand in and scrape out the seeds. It's pretty gloopy and slimy in there but it won't take long.
NB: You can try to scrape some of the seeds out with a spoon but I find that most of them are a bit too stuck in the pumpkin fibres and it's quicker and easier to use your hands.
2. Place the seeds in a colander and give them a good wash. You'll need to use your hands to pick off as much of the pumpkin flesh as possible.
3. Drain and place the pumpkin seeds on a sheet of kitchen towel or a clean tea towel and pat dry. If you have a few pieces of pumpkin flesh left (as in the picture below) don't worry - they won't do any harm.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, salt (optional) and pepper. Stir well and place in the oven.
If you've made this recipe please a leave a star rating and comment below. Thank you
Please do not reproduce this recipe without permission.
Smoky roasted pumpkin seeds
Ingredients
- Pumpkin seeds from one pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°/gas mark 6.
- Place the seeds in a colander. Rinse well and pick off as much pumpkin flesh as you can.
- Drain and tip out onto kitchen towel or a clean tea towel. Your seeds will be much crispier if you get them as dry as possible.
- Tip into a roasting dish and add the oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- Mix well and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring two or three times.
- Allow to cool and then store in an airtight container.
Pin easy oven roasted pumpkin seeds for later
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
If you loved this recipe why not let me know by leaving a comment below? Alternatively you can let me know on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Subscribe to get recipes and news straight to your inbox. Read more about Sneaky Veg
This post may contain affiliate links. See my full disclosure for more information.
Sarah Jones
I haven't tried this yet, but a friend just told me that if you dump all the seeds & stringy gloop in a big bowl of water, the gloop will sink & the seeds will float, ready to be scooped out! I was too grossed out by the innards to salvage our seeds this year but I'll definitely try the bowl of water trick next time & will try this recipe for them - it sounds great!.
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Sarah - I think we were lucky and didn't get too much gloopy stuff stuck to ours but some of it was well and truly stuck on! Ru wouldn't even put his hand in the pumpkin!!