Cooking Pumpkin Seeds In Oven

Andrew Purcell

It's easy to overlook pumpkins seeds when working on your pumpkin carving ideas. Mixed in with the messy pumpkin guts, it's easy enough to just toss them in the trash once you're fully finished scooping.

But we say that's a waste! While some folks may have grown up eating mildly salted roasted pumpkin seeds once or twice a year, in other parts of the world, they're recognized for the culinary ingredient they truly are. Often sold hulled and called pepitas, pumpkin seeds are as versatile as they are delicious in desserts, on salads, in dips, cookies, breads, and more.

If you're at a loss for what to do with pumpkin seeds this season, we'll help you put them to remarkably good use. You can never go wrong with plain-and-simple roasted pepitas, but the edible options hardly end there. Use them as a topping for your favorite soups, toasts, pizzas, and salads, for starters. Or, with the help of a food processor or blender, use pumpkin seeds to create pesto sauce, a buttery spread that rivals its peanut counterpart, and even hummus. You'll hardly be strapped for tasty pumpkin dessert either, with this starring ingredient. Think: pumpkin seed muffins, cookies, peanut butter cups, and… drum roll, please… pumpkin bread with pumpkin seeds. Never feel stumped on how to use pumpkin seeds again, and let these genius recipes inspire even more cozy autumn concoctions. The next time you're scooping pumpkins for a jack-o'-lantern, don't toss the seeds!

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Give Salads Some Crunch

Between the the radishes, the Tokyo turnips, and the roasted pepitas, this green salad is as crunchy and bright as it gets.

Get the recipe.

SHOP SALAD SPOONS

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Garnish Dinner

This crispy chicken with roasted carrots and couscous is hearty and delicious, but it's the sprinkle of roasted shelled pumpkin seeds that makes sure it looks as good as it tastes.

Get the recipe.

SHOP SKILLETS

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Switch-Up Your Go-to Guac

Stir some freshly roasted pumpkin seeds in the next time you make fresh guacamole. It adds a rich flavor and surprisingly toothy texture.

Get the recipe.

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Make Brittle

If you've never made pumpkin seed brittle before, you're missing out. With warm cinnamon spice, and pumpkin seeds, this is the perfect candy for fall.

Get the recipe.

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Cook Up a Quick Side

Zucchini, salty Mexican Cotija cheese, and roasted pepitas make a perfect late summer or early fall side dish.

Get the recipe.

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Get Your Snack On

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a classic snack, but the addition of some sugar and pumpkin-pie spice is so good, we only wish we'd thought of it earlier.

Get the recipe.

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Blend Them Into Hummus

It's fall. You should infuse everything with pumpkin.

Get the recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

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Make Pesto

This Kale and Pumpkin Seed Pesto is the only way to make pesto in autumn.

Get the recipe from My Darling Lemon Thyme.

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Whip Up a Caramel Treat

The only flavor more quintessentially fall than pumpkin? Caramel, of course. These bite-size delights are a true match made in autumn heaven.

Get the recipe at Minimalist Baker.

SHOP FOOD PROCESSORS

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Pair with Chocolate and Coffee

Meet the fall dessert trifecta—roasted pumpkin seeds, fresh coffee grounds, and melted dark chocolate, all combined into one dreamy snack cluster.

Get the recipe at Half Baked Harvest.

SHOP WAX PAPER

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Cook with Squash

This simple side hardly takes any time to prepare, and a pumpkin pairing makes the overall healthy meal taste even more out of this world.

Get the recipe at Fed + Fit.

SHOP ALUMINUM FOIL

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Mix Up Your Cookies

Put your grandmother's secret chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back burner this fall, because these sweet treats—made from pumpkin seeds and rolled oats—pack the most melt-in-your-mouth chewy goodness. Another bonus? They're actually meant to be devoured for breakfast.

Get the recipe at Life Made Sweeter.

SHOP PARCHMENT PAPER

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Transform Into Seed Crackers

Pumpkin kernels join a handful of other seeds—chia, flax, and sesame—to form the perfect hummus or dip scoopers.

Get the recipe at Downshiftology.

SHOP BAKING SHEETS

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Give pumpkin bread more flavor.

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Douse Enchiladas

No food group is immune to the fantastic flavoring that pumpkin seeds lend, including, believe it or not, enchiladas. Wow your family with a festive fall spin on one of their favorite dinner dishes.

Get the recipe at Mexico in My Kitchen.

SHOP BLENDERS

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Upgrade Peanut Butter Cups

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Make Sauce

This rich and creamy sauce is made with fresh veggies, herbs, and pumpkin seeds. It's the perfect way to spice up your chicken dinner.

Get the recipe at Gimme Some Oven.

SHOP FOOD PROCESSOR

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Bake Muffins

These muffins, complete with tons of different seeds and dried fruits, will keep you satisfied all day. Plus, they're delicious!

Get the recipe at Art and the Kitchen.

SHOP MUFFIN PAN

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Top Pizza

Butternut squash, prosciutto, goat cheese, AND pumpkin seeds? Yes, please!

Get the recipe at No Spoon Necessary.

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Decorate Cookies

It turns out chocolate and pepitas are a match made in heaven.

Get the recipe at Cinnamon and Thyme.

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Roast Them

This go-to method is the easiest way to enjoy pumpkin seeds, especially because there's so many ways you season them. This blogger shares her top six ways to flavor pepitas.

Get the recipe at Back to the Roots.

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Add to Baked Goods

Before baking, knead pepitas into the dough, like this blogger did in her whole wheat pumpkin bread recipe. She also sprinkled some on top of the loaf before putting it in the oven. This trick also works great on scones, pies, and muffins.

Get the recipe at iFoodReal.

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Make Hummus

Topping hummus with a handful of pumpkin seeds gives it the perfect touch of fall flavor.

Get the recipe at High Heels & Grills.

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Garnish Soups

Top off your favorite fall soup, like this roasted garlic sage pesto pumpkin soup, with spiced pumpkin seeds for extra deliciousness.

Get the recipe at Half Baked Harvest.

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Garnish Your Favorite Toast

In addition to pasta dishes, pumpkin seed pesto can also give your morning toast, like this roasted butternut squash tartine, a big flavor upgrade.

Get the recipe at A Better, Happier St. Sebastian.

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Make Granola Bars

Ditch the store-bought versions, and go DIY with pumpkin seed cranberry snack bars.

Get the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.

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Make Pumpkin Seed Butter

Move over, peanut butter. Pumpkin seed butter is sure to become your new favorite.

Get the recipe at Fit Mitten Kitchen.