Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas) Eight Ways

The options are endless for roasted pumpkin seeds (peptitas). Here are 8 flavorful ways to enjoy these tasty little seeds.

First way: Yummy.

Second way: Delicious.

Third way: Delectable.

Fourth way: Tasty.

Fifth way: Scrumptious.

Sixth way: Finger-licking good.

Seventh way: Flavorful.

Eighth way: Delish.

Pumpkin seeds EIGHT ways. Things got a bit out of control. I thought about doing a pepita series (similar to my hot fudge series) but decided to give you all eight at once. I have so many great things to share with you that I don’t want to use up a whole week just talking about pumpkin seeds.

A few of these recipes are adapted from Everyday Food magazine but the rest were thought up in my crazy big head. (Really, my head is crazy large. My poor daughter inherited this trait.)

I bought raw peptitas for these recipes (peptitas = shelled pumpkin seeds). You could use the seeds that you clean out of your pumpkin in these recipes, just make sure to clean and dry them thoroughly. The pepitas are not as tough since they don’t have the outer shell, and they’re much easier to prepare. I love the pretty green color.

Ready for the recipes?

Here.

We.

Go.

Each recipe makes two cups, but feel free to scale back based on the amount of seeds you have, or the number of varieties you wish to make. 

1. Traditional

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 tsp of freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

2. Ginger Soy 

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1.5 teaspoons ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

3. Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

4. Maple Chili Powder

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

5. Curry Lime

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1.5 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

6. Italian

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

7. Jamaican Jerk (Disclaimer: this is the only flavor that I didn’t actually bake. However, still wanted to share with you guys. Let me know if you try it!)

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning, crumbled with your fingers
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

8. Latte

2 cups pepitas
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1.5 teaspoons espresso powder

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through (watch these closely, they like to burn). Seeds should be golden and crunchy.

Verdict: Great snacking material, they would all be perfect to set out at a fall party. My favorite is the Maple Chili Powder, and my least favorite is the Curry Lime.
Husband’s take: “Good!” Sometimes he is a man of very few words. I pressed him for more details. He said he liked the Maple Chili Powder the best. “They would be really good if you were just snacking on them and drinking beer.” Then he said he liked them all, and I asked “Even the curry?” (He is not a fan of curry.) In response he said, “I didn’t hate the curry!” So there ya go. They are tasty.
Changes I would make: None.
Difficulty: Easy!