Halloween is a great time of year full of fun activities, tasty treats and memorable experiences. No doubt you will spend time this season carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. But this year, instead of throwing away the innards why not save the seeds? Roasting pumpkin seeds in the oven is a quick and yummy way to turn them into a tasty and healthy snack.
Pumpkin seeds are bursting with nutrients including B group vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin E and the minerals copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. Pumpkin seeds are also known for their anti-inflammatory properties. In some countries they are even used as a natural remedy for parasites.
Pumpkin seeds can be eaten on their own or as a crunchy topping on salads. You can also add them to yogurt, trail mix, or muffins.
Recipe: Roasting Pumpkin Seeds in the Oven
- Pumpkin seeds
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Preheat your oven to 300F (150C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate the seeds from the innards, wash and pat dry with a towel*.
- Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and mix. You want to thoroughly coat the seeds but you don’t want them to be drenched.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and arrange on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until they are golden brown and starting to pop. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Roasting Winter Squash Seeds in the Oven
You can also use the roasting pumpkin seeds in the oven technique for other types of winter squash as well. You will have to adjust the baking time since the sizes of the seeds vary from species to species. I’ve roasted the seeds from acorn squash, spaghetti squash and butternut squash so far and will add the cooking times as I try out other types of winter squash. Next on my list is kabocha squash so keep checking back for updates.
Roast in the oven at 300F:
Acorn Squash Seeds: ~15 minutes
Spaghetti Squash Seeds: ~30-40 minutes
Butternut Squash Seeds: ~30 minutes
Featured Image: Pumpkin Seeds, Public Domain Image from Pixabay
The winter squash image is also a Public Domain image from Pixabay.
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