Description
You may be familiar with roasted pumpkin seeds, but when a recipe calls for any other kind of winter squash, be sure to save those seeds! This recipe is simple, and easy and will give you a delicious and nutrient-filled snack!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cup raw winter squash seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon peanut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Conventional Oven
- To Clean Your Seeds: Place Seeds in a colander. Run water over the seeds and swish them around, removing any obvious bits of pumpkin flesh along the way. Drain off the excess water. Next lay them out as one layer onto a lint-free flour sack towel, nothing fluffy or that has pills. With a different flour sack towel, lightly pat them dry. They don’t have to be bone dry, just dry to the touch. Once they're dry, place them into your mixing bowl. Some seeds will stick to the towel, but I just pick the seeds off (this is why it's important to use a lint-free towel) and put them in the bowl.
- Prep your seeds: Add the oil and salt. Stir until all of the seeds are coated
- To toast your seeds: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup or a silicone mat.
- Spread them in an even layer across the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake them for 20 minutes, then stir them about. Bake again for another 20 minutes or until the seeds are fragrant and turning golden. Season them with additional salt, to taste. If desired, season with black pepper, to taste, or stir in the pumpkin spice blend or curry powder, or whatever else you want.
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy.
- Cooled, leftover seeds will keep well in a mason jar or snack bags at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Air Fryer
- cleaning is the same as with the conventional oven.
- Prep your seeds: Add the oil and salt. Stir until all of the seeds are coated
- To toast your seeds: Set your Air Fryer to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the tray with a tray liner so your seeds don’t fall to the bottom.
- Spread the seeds in an even layer across the lined Air Fryer tray.
- Bake them for 10 minutes, then stir them about. Bake again for another 10 minutes or until the seeds are fragrant and turning golden. Season them with additional salt, to taste. If desired, season with black pepper, to taste, or stir in the pumpkin spice blend or curry powder, or whatever else you want.
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy.
- Cooled, leftover seeds will keep well in a mason jar or snack bags at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Seed Flavor Variations
Salt should be added, no matter what, but you can choose other ingredients to create your own fun flavor variations. Here are some ideas:
- Olive or Avocado oil: I use peanut oil, but maybe you have an allergy, if that’s the case, olive or avocado oil provides a nice neutral backdrop for your seeds.
- Freshly ground black pepper: Pepper is an easy way to add an irresistible, savory note and a little spice.
- Ground spices: For even more flavor, stir in some warming spices once the seeds are out of the oven. You could do a pumpkin spice blend, or use golden curry powder (just beware that curry powder will tint your fingers yellow). Have fun and experiment with this! I’ll try some different ones and share the mixes as I create them.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 393
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 1167
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 7
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 19