Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Updated Oct 09, 2025
Learn how to roast pumpkin seeds. This tutorial includes the oven method for simple salt-roasted seeds, with ideas on different flavors!
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Table of Contents
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are So Good!
Every fall, I roast the pumpkin seeds from our jack-o’-lanterns instead of tossing them. It takes a little patience to clean them, but it’s worth it. Roasted pumpkin seeds make the best crunchy snack, and they’re great on top of soups and salads, too.
This roasted pumpkin seeds recipe is really more of a quick tutorial. I’ll walk you through how to clean, dry, and roast them so they come out crispy, plus a few seasoning ideas and tips for storing them to snack on all season long.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
How to Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place pumpkin seeds in a colander and use your hands to agitate the pulp and fibers and remove from the seeds. Dry very well with a towel.
- Preheat oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the seeds on the prepared sheet pan. Toss with the olive oil and salt to combine and bake until golden brown, about 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: Thoroughly dry the seeds. For the best results, you want your pumpkin seeds to be completely dry. Set them on a paper towel to dry for an hour or more. If you try to use paper towels to blot them, the seeds will just stick, so air drying is the easiest way.
- Storage: After roasting, cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Tutorial Video
Flavor Ideas for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Once you’ve got the roasting part down, you can season the pumpkin seeds any way you like. Here are a few of my favorite combos to get you started.
Sweet Cinnamon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or melted butter)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions: Toss the pumpkin seeds with the oil, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly coated. Bake as directed, stirring halfway through. Let cool completely so the sugar coating crisps up.
Smoky Chili Lime
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Zest of 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions: Mix everything except the lime zest. Roast as directed, then toss the seeds with lime zest immediately after removing from the oven.
Garlic Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Pinch of black pepper
Instructions: Toss the seeds with oil, garlic powder, and pepper before baking. Once roasted and still warm, sprinkle the Parmesan on top and toss again to coat.
Maple Rosemary
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- Pinch of salt
Instructions: Whisk the oil and maple syrup together before tossing with the seeds. Add the rosemary and salt, then roast as directed, stirring halfway through so the syrup doesn’t burn.
Recipe Tips
- Thoroughly dry the seeds. For the best results, you want your pumpkin seeds to be completely dry. Set them on a paper towel to dry for an hour or more. If you try to use paper towels to blot them, the seeds will just stick, so air drying is the easiest way.
- Substitute the cooking oil. You can use a variety of cooking oils for roasting seeds. I prefer avocado or olive oil. Just make sure it’s an oil that stands up well to heat.
- Spread the seeds out in one even layer. This allows for even roasting.
- Stir the pumpkin seeds. Every 10 to 15 minutes, toss your pumpkin seeds and spread in an even layer again to finish cooking.
- Follow your nose. When the pumpkin seeds start smelling nutty and toasty, they are done.
Recipes to Make with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Add a few on top of this Creamy Pumpkin Soup or Acorn Squash Soup
- Baked them into this Pumpkin Bread or Vegan Trail Mix Cookies
- Use them as the base of this Pumpkin Pesto Pasta
