Quick Summary: Crunchy, smoky roasted pumpkin seeds seasoned with smoked paprika and garlic, with four Mexican-inspired spice variations to try. Works with seeds from any pumpkin or winter squash, including the hull-less pepitas used in Mexican cooking. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 10-25 min | Makes: 6 servings
Jump to: RECIPE | Pumpkin Seeds vs Pepitas | Which Pumpkin Seeds Are Edible? | How To Make | Spice Variations | FAQ
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What Are Pepitas?
You may have heard of certain pumpkin seeds being referred to as pepitas. What’s up with that? Well, as I’m sure you’re aware, it can be annoying to have to remove the shell from each pumpkin seed.
It’s fine if you want to have them as a snack, but what if you need a handful to throw on your salad? It takes ages!
That’s where pepitas come in. They are normal pumpkin seeds, but they come from pumpkins that have been selectively bred to contain hull-less seeds.
Pepitas are used a lot in Mexican cuisine, either as a garnish or steeped into a sauce as in this recipe for candied pumpkin, or this recipe for Chicken Pipián Verde (Pumpkin Seed Green Mole).
In the guide to growing and eating heirloom squash, I give examples of “naked seeded” squash varieties, which are good choices to grow in your garden if you love the convenience of pepitas. The flesh of these is still very tasty as well.
- Styrian: Round Austrian native, yellow with mottled green, whose seeds are also commonly used to produce oil.
- Lady Godiva: Orange-yellow and green stripes, up to 8 pounds per fruit, with large and tasty seeds. This variety is called Lady Godiva after the naked lady that rode through town on her horse; remember her?
- Kakai: From Japan, this one is also striped, and produces delicious seeds.
- Retzer Gold: More mottled than striped, still perfectly round and quite nice to look at.
Which pumpkin seeds are edible?
All of the pumpkin varieties have edible seeds, but that’s not to say they’ll necessarily taste great, and some are just a little too tough to get the shell off or the seeds are very small.
Here’s a rundown on best uses for pumpkin seeds:
Best for roasting:
- Carving pumpkins (large seeds, worth the effort)
- Sugar pumpkins / pie pumpkins
- Butternut squash
- Acorn squash
- Delicata squash
- Spaghetti squash
- Hull-less varieties like Lady Godiva or Kakai
Variables to consider:
- Larger seeds are easier to work with
- Some hulls are thinner and more palatable
- Naked-seeded varieties eliminate the hull issue entirely
Even pumpkin seed shells can be eaten, although whether you like them is a matter of opinion.
How to remove and clean pumpkin seeds
Removing the guts from a pumpkin is probably most people’s least favorite part of Halloween pumpkin carving. At least now you know you’ll be able to enjoy yummy spiced pumpkin seeds as a reward!
Here’s how to get the seeds out and clean them:
- Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the top off the pumpkin.
- Use a large metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp. Halloween pumpkins can be a bit stringy, so this may take a little effort.
- Pick the seeds out of the pulp. It doesn’t matter if you get some strings as well. After this, you’ve got two options.
- Option 1: bring some well-salted water to a boil and boil the seeds for around five minutes. This gets the strings off and improves the roasted result through even salting.
- Option 2: skip the boiling water and rinse the seeds in a colander.
- Dry the seeds on a clean kitchen towel. At this point, they’re ready to roast!
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil with 3 tablespoons salt. Add cleaned pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes. This salts them evenly and softens the hulls.
- Drain seeds and pat dry on a clean kitchen towel. Toss seeds in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional), and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast 10 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until light brown and crunchy. Time varies with seed size. Cool completely before eating. They crisp up more as they cool.
Mexican Spice Variations:
Chile-lime (like Tajín):
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chile powder (ancho, guajillo, or cayenne)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Squeeze of fresh lime juice after roasting
Chipotle:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sweet and spicy (for candied pumpkin topping):
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or Truvia
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pipián-style (toasted, no oil):
- Toast raw seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until puffed and golden
- Season with salt only
- Use for mole verde or grind into sauces
If you’d rather skip the measuring, I sell hand-blended spice mixes at the St. Paul Farmers Market that work beautifully on roasted pumpkin seeds. The smoked paprika and chipotle blends are especially popular as pumpkin seed seasonings during the fall.
Other pumpkin recipes from Our Farm
Don’t forget: there’s a lot more you can do with a pumpkin than just make a Jack-o-Lanterns. All pumpkins are edible, and the majority of them are downright delicious! Use your pumpkins for recipes like these:
- Camarão na moranga (luxurious shrimp stew served in a pumpkin).
- Pumpkin pancakes (using canned or leftover pumpkin).
- Pumpkin ancho soup (an absolute Fall must-have!).
- Pumpkin bourbon Martini (to have with your spiced pumpkin seeds).
- Candied pumpkin (perfect for Day of the Dead).
These spice combinations are just a starting point. Mexican cuisine uses pepitas in everything from mole verde to garnishes for soups and enchiladas. If you want to explore further, this guide to stocking a Mexican pantry covers the essential spices, chiles, and ingredients to keep on hand.
FAQ
That depends on your own preferences. I like the dry crunch of oven-roasted seeds, but the slightly chewier result that pan roasting yields is definitely tasty too!
So many spices go well with pumpkin seeds! I feel like I could blindly grab some from my spice cupboard and it would taste good. Try cajun seasoning, cinnamon, paprika, plain salt and pepper, or even… pumpkin spice?
That depends on the size and type of pumpkin, of course. According to Math Geek Mama, who did a little experiment, around 500 seeds per pumpkin is not unrealistic. In any case, most pumpkins will have enough seeds to be worth roasting!
It’s optional but recommended. Boiling salts the seeds evenly, softens the hulls, and improves the final texture.
Yes. Butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti squash, and all pumpkin varieties have edible seeds.
Yes. The white outer hull is edible and full of fiber. Some people find them tough; boiling and roasting helps. Alternatively, crack the seeds and eat just the green inner part.
Varieties bred to produce seeds without the white hull. The green pepita grows directly, no shelling required. Lady Godiva and Kakai are common varieties.
In an airtight container at room temperature, about one week. Refrigerated, up to a month. They lose crunch over time.
Yes. Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium, zinc, and protein. A quarter cup of shelled pepitas has about 180 calories with 9 grams of protein and healthy fats. Roasting with a small amount of oil keeps them nutritious while adding crunch.
Yes, as long as you skip any sugar-based seasonings. Plain roasted pumpkin seeds with savory spices like smoked paprika, garlic, or chile-lime are fully compliant with the Slow Carb Diet and low carb plans. The sweet and spicy variation with brown sugar is not compliant.
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Roasted spiced pumpkin seeds
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds cleaned
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons salt + 1 teaspoon for tossing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika spicy or sweet
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 °F.
- Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of salt.
- Boil the pumpkin seeds for 10 minutes.
- Drain the seeds and pat them dry on a kitchen towel.
- Place the seeds in a bowl with the olive oil and spices, plus a teaspoon of salt (or to taste). Toss well to coat.
- Place the seeds on an oven sheet lined with parchment paper and roast until light brown. This can take anywhere between 10-25 minutes depending on their size. Toss halfway through so they toast evenly.
- Enjoy! Crack to remove the inner seed, or eat with the hull.
Notes
- Obviously, you can use whatever spices you like for this recipe, but smoked paprika is a tried & tested option. I go for something different every time I make these!
- Boiling the seeds is optional, but I do recommend it. It salts them evenly and I just find the end result to be a little better in terms of texture and flavor.
Thank you