Chewy. Burnt. Tough. That’s not how roasted pumpkin seeds should be.
If you’re craving the crispy, salty snack you enjoyed as a kid after an afternoon of carving pumpkins, I can help you out! This week I made a batch of the tastiest roasted seeds and was sure to avoid some common errors that can leave pumpkin (and squash) seeds less than yummy.
If you want a perfect, crispy snack follow these tips.
- Remove all squash flesh from the seeds. Leaving some of the stringy remnants on the seeds adds moisture to the process (hello, soggy seeds) and eventually burns, giving the seeds a yucky flavor.
- The seeds must be thoroughly dry before roasting. Try placing your washed seeds on a cookie sheet in a 300F oven for 20 minutes to dry out before adding a drizzle of butter or olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Then, return the seeds to the oven for an additional 30 minutes to roast and get crispy.
- Be sure the seeds aren’t overlapping on the cookie sheet. Allowing a little space around each seed for airflow ensures they will dry out.
- Let the seeds cool before diving in. Warm pumpkin seeds are chewy and flexible — not crisp.
- If you don’t plan to eat the seeds right away, make sure they cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Warm seeds will cause moisture build up in the container, making the seeds chewy.
Have you enjoyed any pumpkin seeds yet this fall? How did they turn out? Tell me in the comments below!
Until next time,
Choose healthy!
Angela
