Pumpkin seeds are a delicious snack, but they are also very versatile. What proof? Here are seven ways to eat your pumpkin seeds!
But before we get to eating pumpkin seed, you first need to roast them.
Make sure you rinse and clean off all your seeds. This means getting all the gunk and stringy pumpkin guts off the seeds. An easy way to do this is to rinse the seeds in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and 2 T of salt for each cup of seeds. Bring it to a boil, then drain and toss with about a tablespoon of olive oil and whatever spices you like before roasting at 400 degrees for 20–25 minutes. Sometimes just salt will do the trick, but feel free to get creative with buffalo, honey, cinnamon, curry, or whatever your taste buds desire!
After roasting the seeds, if you'd like to take it a step further, you can create a number of dishes with your roasted seeds...
Make pesto.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toss pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons of the oil and salt then spread out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast until seeds are puffed and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes, then set aside to let cool.
- Combine seeds in a food processor with 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and remaining 4 tablespoons oil. Pulse until mixture forms a coarse paste, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to use.
Simply add the seeds to some granola or oatmeal.
Make a Pumpkin Curry Soup.
- There's a number of recipes out there, we recommend this one!
Add them to a salad.
- This recipe looks fabulous!
Put them on top of muffins/baked bread/cookies.
Add them to rice pudding.
Some say to even add them into meatballs or burgers for a unique nut taste!
Whether you decide to keep it simple, or go all out with your pumpkin seeds, we recommend putting them to use if you're going to carve a jack-o-lantern. If it's not your cup of tea, offer them to a friend or add it to a compost pile!
