Description
A simple and delicious recipe for salted roasted pumpkin seeds, perfect for a crunchy, savory snack. This recipe involves boiling the seeds in salted water, seasoning with your favorite spices, and roasting them in the oven until golden and crispy.
Ingredients
Scale
Seeds and Boiling
- 1 ½ cups (about 36 grams) pumpkin seeds, fresh, whole, unseasoned
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fine sea salt, for boiling water
Coating and Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil (or coconut/nut oil), for coating seeds
- 2 teaspoons (approximate; 4 grams) spice blend of choice (examples: pumpkin spice, curry powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure even roasting and promote a golden color.
- Clean Seeds: Place pumpkin seeds in a bowl of cold water and swish them around to remove stringy pumpkin bits thoroughly. This ensures a grit-free snack.
- Boil Seeds: Fill a medium saucepan with 2 cups (480 ml) of water and add 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fine sea salt. Bring to a boil, then add the cleaned pumpkin seeds and simmer for 5 minutes to season and clean the seeds.
- Dry Seeds: Drain the seeds and remove any remaining pumpkin flesh. Spread seeds on a clean dishcloth or dishtowel and pat very dry to promote crispiness during roasting.
- Season Seeds: Transfer dried seeds to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons (about 4 grams) of your chosen spice blend. Toss well to coat evenly.
- Arrange for Roasting: Spread the seeds out in a single layer on the baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced well to prevent steaming and promote even roasting.
- Roast Seeds: Bake for 10 to 25 minutes, stirring at least once during baking to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.
- Check for Doneness: After 10 minutes, begin checking for a nutty aroma and golden edges. Continue baking up to 25 minutes, adding up to 5 extra minutes if needed. Remove from oven when seeds are fragrant and golden brown.
Notes
- Make sure seeds are completely dry before roasting to achieve maximum crispiness.
- Feel free to experiment with different spice blends to customize flavor.
- Stirring once or twice during roasting helps to roast seeds evenly and avoid burning.
- Store cooled roasted seeds in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
