How To Cook Pumpkin Seeds Perfectly, 3 Ways

It's that time of year when we all cozy up in our homes and bring out all things Fall. If you're carving pumpkins and don't want your seeds to go to waste, cooking your pumpkin seeds is great for having a healthy Fall snack. Whether you like plain seeds or seeds full of seasonings and flavor, here are the three best ways you can cook your pumpkin seeds perfectly.

Seasonings

Before you even decide which method to use when cooking your pumpkin seeds, the most important thing is deciding how you want to season them. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to seasonings. Like sunflower seeds, you can make all kinds of flavors! Or you can enjoy them plain or just lightly salted.

If you're looking for flavor, here are some common ways to season your pumpkin seeds. For spicy seeds, use ingredients like black pepper and cayenne pepper. For sweet seeds, use ingredients like brown sugar and cinnamon.

You can also accomplish specific flavors like ranch or dill pickle. For ranch, use onion powder, garlic powder, dill, dry muster, celery seed, paprika, and black pepper. For dill pickle, use dill, white vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and vinegar.

Oven-Baked

Now that it's time to cook your seeds, let's prepare them. To prepare your seeds, remove them from the pumpkin. Along with the seeds, there will be stringy pulp from inside the pumpkin that you'll need to wash off. Place your seeds in a strainer and wash them with water to remove any excess debris. Do your best to remove as much as possible, but it is okay if some remains. Then, dry them off well. The drier they are, the crispier they'll get when you cook them. If they're wet, it can also increase how long it takes for them to cook. Next, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, whichever way you've decided to season your seeds, toss them in a bowl with some oil and the seasonings of your choice. Grease a baking sheet and evenly spread the seeds. Place the sheet in the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes, tossing or mixing the seeds around every five minutes. You'll know your seeds are done when they are a golden brown color and give off a nutty aroma.

• Remove seeds from the pumpkin and place in a strainer.
• Wash off pulp from seeds with water until the pulp is mostly removed.
• Dry the seeds off well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Season the seeds to your liking.
• Place on a greased baking sheet.
• Cook for 12-15 minutes, mixing every 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven when the seeds are golden brown.

Stove Top

Cooking your pumpkin seeds on the stovetop will require a bit more preparation, so note that you should start this process a day in advance for when you want your seeds cooked. To gather the seeds, remove them from the pumpkin and place them in a colander to rinse and remove the pulp. Once mostly clean, place the seeds evenly spread out on a baking sheet and leave them out overnight to dry. Once the seeds are dry, heat up a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the seeds and stir often to ensure they are toasting evenly. Cook until the seeds are golden brown or puffing up, which can take anywhere from 15-18 minutes. Stir in the seasonings of your choice and toss to coat evenly.

• Remove seeds from the pumpkin and place in a strainer.
• Wash off pulp from seeds with water until the pulp is mostly removed.
• Place the seeds evenly on a baking sheet to dry overnight.
• Once seeds are ready, heat a pan on medium-high heat.
• Place the seeds in the pan.
• Cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often.
• Make sure the seeds are golden brown and puffy.
• Season the seeds to your liking and toss to coat evenly.

Air Fryer

To air fry your pumpkin seeds, remove the seeds from the pumpkin and place them into a strainer. Rinse under water to remove as much of the pulp as possible and dry off with a towel or paper towel. Spread the seeds out evenly and allow the seeds to dry for 30 minutes. Then, place the seeds in a bowl and season the seeds with the seasonings of your liking with oil or butter. Mix well until all seeds are coated evenly. Place the seeds in the air fryer basket as evenly as possible and cook for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees. After five minutes of cooking, shake the basket to ensure the seeds are cooking evenly. After 10 minutes, check if the seeds are golden brown and crisp. If not, cook for an additional three or five minutes.

• Remove seeds from the pumpkin and place in a strainer.
• Wash off pulp from seeds with water until the pulp is mostly removed.
• Dry off the seeds and lay out to dry for 30 minutes.
• Place the seeds in a bowl and mix in your seasonings with oil or butter.
• Place evenly in the air fryer basket and cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Shake the basket 5 minutes into cooking.
• Remove the seeds when they are golden brown and crispy.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com.