How To Clean Pumpkin Seeds For Roasting And Snacking!
Pumpkin seeds are tasty and nutritious, but how do you clean them? If you’re not sure how to properly remove the stringy parts of a pumpkin seed without damaging it, this article will teach you how. We’ll also discuss how to roast your pumpkin seeds at home with some simple ingredients.
Roasting pumpkin seeds is a great way to use up extra pumpkins from Halloween or Thanksgiving!

What Types of Pumpkins are Best For Seed Roasting?
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The best pumpkins for roasting seeds are the ones you have on hand. You can roast seeds pulled from Jack-o’-Lanterns or other pumpkin decorations during Halloween and thanksgiving.
We’ve roasted many different kinds of pumpkin seeds over the years and really have liked all of them. We grow heirloom Cinderella pumpkins in our vegetable garden every summer (they are our favourite pie pumpkins), and we seed save ( for planting next year) and roast those seeds every fall with great success.
But the best seeds for roasting are by far any hull-less type of pumpkin seeds like these varieties”:
- Lady Godiva Pumpkin.
- Gleisdorfer Naked Seeded Pumpkin.
- Kakai Hulless Pumpkin. One of our favorites for seeds!

How to Pick a Pumpkin For Seed Roasting
Look for a ripe, clean, firm pumpkin with thick skin and no blemishes. In addition, you want to make sure that the pumpkin isn’t starting to rot, or the seeds will not crisp and have an off-flavor after roasting.
How To Clean Pumpkin Seeds The Easy Way!
First, scoop out the pumpkin’s guts and remove as many stringy bits as you can from the inside without damaging the seeds.
Next, fill the sink with cold water and add your pumpkin seeds, letting them soak for a few minutes. This will allow any remaining gunk on the surface of the outside shell of each seed to float off, which can then be skimmed away using a slotted spoon or sieve.
You may need to change the water a few times, but soaking does a great job of removing all the pulp from the pumpkin seeds.
After you have carefully hand washed all of your pumpkins seeds, place them onto several layers of paper towels or clean dishcloths until dry but not brittle.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Once you have washed and dried your seeds, place them onto an oven tray, line with foil or parchment paper first to avoid burning where they are touching the pan.
Toss in some salt and (to taste) then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 Celsius) until golden brown, which should take between 20-30 minutes, stirring every five minutes, so they roast evenly, resulting in crispy pumpkin seeds.
You can add any spice blend you want – I love the seeds with just a little smoked salt and pepper.

Do you need oil to roast pumpkin seeds?
Nope!
You can add oil to your pumpkin seeds before roasting, but I have found that it is an unnecessary step. The seeds are crisp and taste great even without oil.
If you want to add oil, add 1 tsp per cup of seeds.
How to Save Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Once they are fully cooled, place them into an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
If you want them to last longer than that but don’t have a long time before serving, put them on baking sheets one layer deep, freeze until hard, and then transfer them into freezer bags or containers. They will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months as most of the air has been removed from the freezer bag. Air sealers work great for this project if you happen to have one on hand.

What can you do with roasted pumpkin seeds?
There are many ideas for how to use your roasted pumpkin seeds.
- Add them topping on salads, oatmeal, and yogurt (breakfast idea!) or ice cream (dessert idea!).
- They go great in baked goods such as cookies and muffins too!
- Try using them as a coating for fish before baking it – the flavor is delicious.
- You could even sprinkle some salt and eat them right out of their shell-like peanuts!
- We love adding roasted and raw pumpkin seeds to our salads.
The possibilities really are endless for how you want to enjoy these tasty treats, so experiment until you find what works best for you.

Pumpkin Seeds are Nutritional Powerhouses
Pumpkin seeds are loaded with essential nutrients, including protein, fiber, and vitamins; they are an excellent source of magnesium which is good for muscle health.
One ounce of pumpkin seeds has 200 mg of magnesium, which helps support a healthy immune system and regulates blood sugar levels. So it’s no wonder that cultures have used these little gems all around the world throughout history!
Don’t throw away those Jack o lantern seeds!
We think the best part about carving a Halloween pumpkin is the roasted seeds we get to munch on later in the evening. It’s always part of our pumpkin carving tradition, and I hope it’s one you try this year.
It really is easy to clean pumpkin seeds for roasting, and you get a super healthy snack out of the whole thing!
Happy Halloween!
Looking for more fall canning and preserving ideas?
- Have Too Many Jalapeños? Here’s What To Do With Extra Jalapeños!
- How To Pickle Jalapenos To Last You All Winter
- How To Make Perfectly Crunchy Homemade Dill Pickles
- How to Make Dehydrated Jalapenos
- The Best Way to Freeze Green Beans for Long Term Storage
