Elise, thanks for the post. It so reminds me of growing up. My father adored pumpkin seeds and my mom would make them around Halloween. We'd carve the pumpkin and he'd get the seeds. She would rinse and dry them and lay them out on a baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt and slow bake them over very low heat - oven just on warm for a couple of hours and leave them in the oven, door closed oven off for a few days until they were really dry.

I like to add a bit of Worcestershire sauce to mine. I'm growing smallish pumpkins this year. Good for baking but not so great for carving.

Thank you for the post on pumpkin seeds. We toast our seeds every fall but have never tried boiling in salted water first. We'll definitely try that this year.

Friends of mine, greedy for as many pumpkin seeds as they can get their hands on, host a pumpkin-carving party each year - and thus get everyone's seeds ...

Nice! Why do you boil the seeds instead of roasting directly? Is it to get the salt into them or does it affect the texture?

I was carving a pumpkin with my daughter last night when I thought to check this site for a roasted pumpkin seed recipe. I had never roasted them before, nor had I ever had them before. So I followed your recipe and they were excellent! In fact I'm eating some right now. I decided to look up the nutritional values online because it has been my experience that anything that tastes good isn't good for you, but to my astonishment pumpkin seeds are VERY good for your health, and very low in saturated fats. I think I am going to tell everybody to save their seeds for me this year! Thanks for the recipe.

Is there a trick to separating the seeds from the pumpkin pulp? Or do you just have to roll up your sleeves and go for it?

Note from Elise: I put a glop of the pumpkin seed and pumpkin insides into a colander, run them under water while I "roll up my sleeves" and separate the seeds from the stringy stuff. The stringy stuff goes into the compost while the remaining seeds, now throughly rinsed, go into the pot with salt water.

I'm all about extra saltiness, so I can't wait to see how the boiled versions turn out.

As far as pulp removal, I've found I have good luck if I soak the seeds for a few hours, then pour small batches into a mesh strainer and swirl them around - most of the stringy stuff clings to the mesh and I can pick out the rest. The seeds are pretty clean when I slide them out of the strainer.

This was my first time making pumpkin seeds, but I must say that the chances of me trying another recipe is highly doubtful. Elise, thank you for your wonderful recipe! Could someone please suggest the best way to store them? When I put them in a tupperware container they lost their crunch.

Note from Elise: Hi Taryn, I just leave them in a bowl on the kitchen counter, within a few days they are eaten. They need to stay dry to keep their crunch, which they are able to do when left out.

Hi there,
I'm just about to put the seeds into the oven now and am looking forward to seeing how they turn out. I've never even tasted a pumpkin seed, so this is all new to me. One thing I did discover, when I was carving the first pumpkin, I found it difficult and time consuming to separate the seeds, On the second pumpkin I moved to the kitchen sink, as soon as I cut out the lid, I turned on the faucet and started to fill it up, as it was filling, I kind of swirled the water to free the seeds, and as the water level rose up in the pumpkin all the seeds floated to the top. Then I just scooped them out. It didn't take much more work to get them ready for boiling. Hope this helps out.

Yesterday I prepared my pumpkin for the puree to make every recipe with pumpkin in and tried out the toasted pumpkin seed recipe for the first time. They went down a treat! I've always thrown them away in the past because I didn't know what to do with them. Not anymore! I've never seen canned pumpkin in the Uk and the pumpkins are only available for the month of October sooo...just a few more days to stock up the freezer! Thank You Elise

I always HATED anything with pumpkin until I tried making something with fresh pumpkin. It was great (but canned pumpkin still makes me gag just to smell it, ICK!)

I tried roasting the seeds after I baked the pumpkin, but they were blah because I salted the seeds after putting them on the oiled baking sheet. Now that I know how to make them with the 'boiling in salted water trick', I'll try it again when I make up some more pumpkin. Thanks!

Gotta use those on some squash soup! :)

Great recipe - but don't forget the garlic powder! Next year I want to make half of my pumpkin seed bounty a sweet snack treat with honey, cinnamon, and maybe some nutmeg and cardamom.

Taryn...we do one pan at a time in the toaster oven...these are gone in no time at all...keep raw ones in refrigerator in water...until you're ready to use them

I've been looking for a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds for my readers. Now I'll just send them to you! Thanks!

Hi Vanessa -- for sweet & spicy pumpkin seeds, I'll bet you could boil them in sugared water instead of salted. Now I'm curious to try...

I made these last night for the second year in a row... they were great! However, I gave the tupperware to the neighbours and now (a few hours later) it is mysteriously empty...

Do you have to dry the seeds first, or do they go from pumkin to the salt water? I am going to use your recipe this weekend!

Note from Elise: Right from the pumpkin to the salt water.

I'm enjoying these pumpkin seeds right now! Thanks for the recipe!

Stella, they go right from the pumpkin to the sink to get rinsed, then into the salt water. As waterlogged as they get, they wind up deliciously dry and crunchy after baking.

A question for anyone--this seems silly, but how do you get them into one layer? I find that if any seeds overlap, it's a problem, but they're kind of sticky after boiling, and hard to get into one even layer. Any tips? I was using a wooden spoon and/or my hands.

Note from Elise: I just spread them out with my fingers. After they've been cooking in the oven for a few minutes, you might try using a metal spatula to move them around a bit.

Ack! The seeds are popping like popcorn in my oven right now! Did this happen to anyone else? This has never happened before....

Forgive me if I sound dense but why do we have to rinse the seeds before washing and/or roasting. I actually prefer the 'au naturale' seeds.
I've roasted seeds a few years before but am trying the 'boiling before baking' method as I write.

Note from Elise: Hi Lizzie, rinsing them while you separate the seeds from the pulp actually makes them easier to separate. I personally don't like the taste or texture of the stringy pulp, so don't want them on my seeds. But if you like it that way, then by all means go for it. There's no real need to rinse the seeds.

Love the recipe, mmMmm Tasty seeds can't live with them, Can't live without them

Thanks for this post!
Last week I read this recipe without thinking to make it. In the weekend I remebered that I had planned to do a pumpkin jam... so I used the seeds instead of throwing them away!
The result is excellent... ehmmmm... was excellent: my husband had eaten them just out of the oven!

I am making these right now, I am on the boiling step currently. I LOVE this site. You are great.

I never heard of boling the seeds, thanks for the tip.

I just tried this recipe. It worked out great, though I will cut back on the salt next time. Every year I try to make roasted pumpkin seeds, but they are always kinda like trying to eat tree bark. I made these tonight and have to say that this is the first time they tasted great and I could chew them.

I just tried this recipe. It worked out great, though I will cut back on the salt next time. Every year I try to make roasted pumpkin seeds, but they are always kinda like trying to eat tree bark. I made these tonight and have to say that this is the first time they tasted great and I could chew them.

I love pumpkin seeds! This sounds a lot like the recipe that my mom uses, every year around Halloween :)

Ohhh delicious! I love this! and when I was in Bolivia we used the seeds for the stomach ache...

;)

I am thinking the reason for the water is to make the seed actually cook inside the shell and since the salty water wont let the shell burn just brown

The pumpkin seed recipe was great. I love the saltiness you get from the salt water and the crunch from the roasting. I love this recipe. It was great, thanks.

You don't have to boil the pumpkin seeds. The way my family has been doing it for generations is:
1)first you get all the pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin.
2)then you put all the insides in a large bowl;
try to seperate the goopy stuff from the seeds best you can.
3)then slightly fill the bowl wiht COLD water
4)let sit for a day
5)the next day strain the seeds and water. you will see that the goopy stuff in on top of the seeds after you strain them (this is because it sinks to the bottom)
6)refil bowl and repeat steps four and five.
7)then when all the orange stuff is gone, refill the bowl and salt it generously. stir.
8)the nest day you will need to strain them again
9)after straining spread them evenly on a cookie sheet.
10)apply onion powder, garlic powder, salt, peper, and if you like it hot put hot red peper powder or yout favorite spicy seasoning (OPTIONAL)
11)then mix the seeds around the sheet
12)bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
you will know when they are done: you will be able to smell them a mile away.

Thanks!

Note from Elise: Hmm. I think I prefer my boiling method. It only takes a few minutes. No need to soak them for a day.

This is my first time trying to make pumpkin seeds and I was wondering what was the best way to store them. I want them to still have their crunch to them

OMG, these were so good. I thought I would eat them all.

I love the boiling idea, saves lots of soaking time. I would have thought it would make them chewy, but i'll give it a go.

Be careful not to eat huge amounts. Your body won't break them down entirely and in mass quantities that can hurt on exit! (I know from experience :( )

I always make 4 or 5 batches, each with different seasonings. There is the sweet batch with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (pumpkin pie spice works great too), a batch that is just salt, one that is salt and pepper, one with cajun seasonings and garlic, one with "green" herbs from the cabinet (whatever smells good) and usually some garlic powder, and one super spicy batch with hot sauce, cayenne, ancho chili powder, salt, and black pepper. These things are addictive!

Ooooooh. Awesome recipe, simple and elegant.

I remember always eating these at my grandma's house around this time of year, brings back good memories :)

Something I do each fall is make a great salad dressing using the roasted seeds... In a blender add one cup of apple cider vinegar, one cup of roasted seeds, then start blender on a medium speed, slowly mix in half cup of olive oil and black pepper to taste.. no need for salt as it's in the seeds already but you can add more, blend a few minutes for the right texture... A little dressing goes a long way..and is good warm or cold..enjoy..

Thanks for the tip with the rinsing Elise. I love pumpkin seeds as snack but getting the pumpkin strings off the seeds has always been so bothersome. I wonder how long they can be stored once they are toasted.

I love roasted pumpkin seeds, but I have never understood why people rinse off the goo. Getting rid of the strings I get, but the liquid covering the seeds has amazing pumpkin flavor. My mother always added butter and salt and roasted in the oven on a lower heat for a longer period of time until they were crunchy and brown. Now whenever I eat pumpkin seeds sans the goo they seem bland.

I'm going to try boiling the seeds first. Do you think I can use the seeds from pie pumpkins?

Hmmm... Boiling. I'll need to remember that trick.

Last year, I made 2 batches of seeds, one boiled before roasting, and one just roasted. There was absolutely no difference between the 2 batches.

I don't usually use any oil anymore to roast them. Just salt them while they're wet, and the salt sticks as they cook, just like a pretzel. There's enough oil already present in the seeds to brown them.

I, too, like a little of the pulp left on the seeds for more flavor. When they roast, any pulp gets nicely browned and full of flavor. And it saves me from obsessively cleaning the seeds when I could be eating them instead.

These seeds were excellent! Thanks for the great recipe!

I used this recipe, but then added some Braggs with the oil. They smell great cooking! I snuck a seed from the oven to taste and they're great already. Can't wait for them to cool/dry out and get extra crispy. Thanks for the recipe!- I only wish I had carved more than one pumkin!

Just took the last batch out of the oven and are they good. One of my Jack Russel Terriers (Molly) likes them too!!! Thanks for the recipe.

Ah ha! So that is the trick...boiling seeds first!

This was great and fast...We loved the texture but the recipe was a bit too salty for our tastes...next time I'll cut back on the salt. Otherwise, the texture was great.

While my salt water is boiling, does anyone have information about calories and fat content for this recipe? I'm finding wide differences in "pumpkin seeds, toasted, unshelled" all over the web. Thanks. Can't wait to try these.

Just took them outta the oven, delicious. Growing up as a kid, every year my parents attemped to make them, all they did was rinse them and put them in the oven , once they even left them out to dry in the sun, but it just never came out good. This year I will let them try my pumpkin seeds, thank you for the recipe.

Made these last night, and my roommates all commented that they were the best pumpkin seeds they've ever had.

Thank you so much for this recipe! I am only 24 but have problems with my memory. When I remembered once of my mum making pumpkin seeds when I was age 8 I HAD to make some to remember the taste and time! Thank you again and I will be sending many mates here for the same recipe!

Equally as good, if not better, are winter squash and even watermelon seeds. We treat both pumpkin and squash seeds the same when roasting but find the squash seeds to be for more tender and digestible. We rinse them and, in a single layer, dry them on wax paper for several days. Our seasoning is soy sauce, garlic powder, season salt, and oil. Roasting time is perhaps about 2 hours at 250 degrees. The seeds are stirred and redistributed every 20 minutes.

Watermelon seeds? I've never heard of toasting them. Can you provide instructions?

Last year I made several different flavors and the one that my husband liked the most was the mixture of soy sauce, honey and powdered ginger. It left the roasted seeds very dark but very tasty. I mixed in some water to the marinade to cut the strong soy just a bit. It worked out great.

A different variation. Mixed rinsed seeds in a little sea salt and let rest a bit. Put 2 to 3 Tablespoons of Olive oil in large frying pan over medium heat and add seeds. Heat and turn often until starting to brown and puff. If they start popping before they are browned and puffed reduce heat.
Add amendments to oil in Pan, Pepper, Soy, cayenne, etc.

In answer to Audrey's question on toasting watermelon seeds, use your favorite pumpkin seed toasting recipe/method but substitute watermelon seeds instead.

I tried this recipe over the weekend with what I believe were butternut squash seeds (I'm in Russia, and not really sure if their squashes are the same as the American ones I'm familiar with, but it looked like a butternut squash...).

I found them a bit too salty, but I don't know if that was because of personal taste or because the seeds are smaller than pumpkin seeds.

I also found that they cooked faster than pumpkin seeds (lesson learned: don't assemble furniture while toasting seeds) and they got a little too brown in 20 minutes. It might just be because of my weird Russian oven, but if anyone else tries it with squash seeds, keep an eye on them! They were tasty all the same, so I recommend using them!

I have never liked pumkin seeds. This year after carving her pumpkin, my daughter asked if I could roast them for her to try. I went online to find a recipe, I liked the idea of 'cooking in' the salt. My pumkin seeds are done and DELICIOUS!! I need to keep away from the bowl or there won't be any for my daughter to try when she gets home from school!!

Thank you for posting this info. Our family had fun carving our pumpkin and toasting the seeds. It is a good memory we will charish.

This recipe was great and the seeds were delicious.

Used this last night with my kids. These are awesome. They were great right out of the oven - hot! Brings back the memories. Thanks a bunch.

Thanks for your fantastic recipe! I cant waitttt to enjoy my seeds :-O...even if its November!

I just tried this out and it was fantastic! My kids are already begging for more.

Does anyone know how long after picking a pumpkin it is safe to still roast and eat the seeds? I live near Buffalo, NY so we already have snow. I have a few uncarved pumpkins still sitting on my front step and now that Thanksgiving has passed, I am ready to get rid of them. Should the seeds still be ok to eat? I guess I could just try and find out. Either way, it will be me or the deer who gets to eat them.

Note from Elise: Pumpkins last for months, especially if kept cool. As long as the pumpkin itself is still hard, the seeds should be fine.

We love pumpkins seeds roasted and can't wait to try squash seeds this year! My 9 year old prefers the seeds to be soaked in olive oil, then lightly sprinkled with Everglades Seasoning! Actually she likes the Everglades on everything, grilled eggplant, squash, chicken! Thanks for the great ideas.