3lb.sugar pumpkinor your favorite variety; a Jack-O-Lantern will yield a lot more seeds!
1tablespoonolive oilsub with melted butter if desired
1/2teaspoongarlic powder
1/2teaspoonsmoked paprika
1/2teaspoonsea salt
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
Instructions
Cut the pumpkin in half following my instructions for how to cut a pumpkin. Using a large spoon, scoop the seeds out by scraping them out with the tip of the spoon and place in a bowl of water. Most of the seeds will float to the top, the rest can be easily released using your fingers.
3 lb. sugar pumpkin
Transfer the clean pumpkin seeds to a mesh strainer and rinse well (it's ok if there is a small amount of orange pulp remaining). You'll have roughly 1 cup of seeds (the amount will vary based on the size of your pumpkin).
Place the seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a towel and blot dry, then cover the seeds with the towel. Let stand for 1-2 hours or overnight until they've dried out. This will ensure they get nice and crispy once they're roasted.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the dried pumpkin seeds with the olive oil, garlic salt, smoked paprika, salt and pepper until well coated and spread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, tossing after 10 minutes of baking time.
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Pro tip: Clean and dry the pumpkin seeds up to a few days in advance and store in an air tight container at room temperature until you're ready to roast them.
Store roasted pumpkin seeds in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Make sweet roasted pumpkin seeds by tossing them in a tablespoon or so of honey, maple syrup or your favorite sweetener. Add a teaspoon or so of warm baking spices as well, such as cinnamon, ginger, or my homemade pumpkin pie spice or chai spice mix.
Make spicy roasted pumpkin seeds by including 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or toss them in a teaspoon or so of my homemade blackened seasoning.
Add 1 teaspoon freshly chopped herbs or 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme or sage.