How to roast pumpkin seeds

No need to toss those pumpkin seeds you’re scooping out of the shell for Halloween. They make a great, easy snack!

Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Makes 2 cups, about 8 servings

2 cups (about 450 g) raw whole pumpkin seeds
4 T. (20 g) kosher or sea salt

1 t. (2 g) mild curry powder
1 t. (2 g) smoked paprika
1 t. (2 g) smoked salt
1 t. (2 g) nutritional yeast (optional)

Clean the seeds by soaking them in a big bowl of water, and removing any stringy bits that are attached. (I cook the stringy stuff for my dog Buddy Girl.) You can do a second rinse and let the seeds rise to the top, skimming them off with a slotted spoon or a kitchen spider. Drain.

Put the seeds into a large pot with 8 cups of water and 4 T. salt. It sounds like a lot, but this boiling step is what helps get the salt absorbed into the seeds, otherwise they taste really bland. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain.

Preheat the oven to 400F/180C/gas mark 6.

Mix the spices together in a small bowl.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil spray. Spread out the seeds in an even layer. Spray the tops. Sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture, stirring to coat everything.

Bake for 10 minutes, stir, then bake another 10-15 minutes until the seeds are dry, crunchy, and golden brown. Enjoy! My thanks to Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes for the original instructions on boiling them before roasting.

Today’s post is part of our mission to help you build a healthy life through food and lifestyle choices. Look for posts on Mondays featuring gluten-free, sugar-free recipes made with healthy plant-based ingredients.