Make homemade Roasted Pepitas in just minutes using just five simple ingredients! They're the perfect crunchy topper for salads and soups, but also great added as a snack on their own!
Recipe: $1.86 | Per Serving: $0.23 | Yield: 8
Taking pumpkin seeds, aka pepitas, and toasting them in a pan turns them into something really special. Raw pepitas are a bit vegetal, but toasted pepitas are so light and crunchy and delicious! Today we're tossing them with some of my favorite savory spices, but feel free to take them in a sweet direction if you'd prefer!
I love them on everything but especially my new autumn-inspired Harvest Salad. They work great as a topping for soups especially creamy soups where they add a bit of texture. Try it on my homemade Carrot Soup to see what I'm talking about! If you love pepitas roasted, then you've got to try my sweet and spicy Candied Pecans next.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Pumpkin seeds: This recipe uses the hulled green pumpkin seeds also called pepitas.
- And fun nutrition fact: pumpkin seeds are higher in protein than all nuts and most seeds! (Hemp hearts do have more protein by weight, but they're also much more expensive and higher in calories.) Pumpkin seeds / pepitas are also a good source of magnesium and zinc, and may actually support proper methylation in the body.
- Olive oil: Aids in toasting but also helps the seasonings stick to the seeds.
- Seasoning: We're using a basic seasoning made from common spices. You will need garlic powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. If you prefer a milder seasoning, you can leave out the red pepper flakes or use less.
Variations
- Different Seeds: Use a blend of sunflower and pumpkin seeds together or you can roast sunflower seeds on their own.
- Change the Flavors: You can easily swap the seasonings to your favorites or to better suit a particular dish. Use taco seasoning to add these to a burrito bowl or you can add some curry and cumin to the basic mixture to use them on a curry bowl or as a soup topping.
- Oil-Free: You can leave out the oil if you prefer but your spices might not stick as well.
How to Make Roasted Pepitas
Step 1: Toast the pepitas. Add the pumpkin seeds with a drizzle of oil to a skillet over low-medium heat. Stir frequently while they cook to prevent burning. Cook until you begin to see some color develop, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 2: Season. Sprinkle all of the spices over the seeds and stir well.
Step 3: Continue cooking. Toast for another 30-60 seconds to infuse the flavors. Watch out for burning the spices.
Serving Suggestions
Sprinkle these roasted pepitas over your favorite fall soups and salads! It adds a crunchy finish to this autumn Harvest Salad and this creamy Tomato Chickpea Soup.
For parties, serve them up in a bowl on their own or as an addition to a charcuterie board. They are also great as a topping for hummus like this Beet and White Bean Hummus or other seasonal dips.
Top your favorite fall pasta recipes like a bowl of pasta with creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce or this Spinach Pumpkin Lasagna.
Expert Tips
- Store: Place your roasted pepitas in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
- Don't burn: Be sure to keep a close eye on your pepitas while they're cooking. They can burn quite easily and quickly. Keep the heat low and stir frequently.
Recipe FAQs
Kind of! Pepitas are the Spanish word for hulled pumpkin seeds which have the outer shell removed leaving just the inner green seeds. Pepitas are pumpkin seeds with the outer hull removed. Pumpkin seeds can refer to either pepitas (the edible inner portion), or the whole seed with the outer hull, which you'll also find inside your jack-o-lantern pumpkins.
Sure! I find the skillet much quicker and easier to manage, but pepitas will actually puff up and become even crunchier in the oven. Toss the pepitas in the olive oil and then spread out on a baking pan. Place them in a preheated 350° F oven and cook for 6 minutes. Then sprinkle on the seasoning and move around to coat. Cook for another 2-4 minutes but be sure to keep a close eye on them. (You can follow these same instructions to toast them in a toaster oven as well!)
More Easy Condiment Recipes
Did you like this recipe? If so, please take a moment and give it a 5-Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and leave a comment further below! Don't forget to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest for more delicious recipes!
Easy Roasted Pepitas
Materials
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds shell removed, 70g, also called pepitas
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet to low-medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of oil (oil is optional here, not required, but does help the spices stick better). Toast the pumpkin seeds, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Toast for a few minutes, just until you start to see some color develop, about 3-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle all of the spices over the pumpkin seeds and stir well. Toast another 30-60 seconds to infuse the flavors but not long enough for the spices to burn.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle these toasted pumpkin seeds over your favorite fall soups and salads, or use as a topping for hummus or other seasonal dips. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
Notes
- Store: Place your toasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
- Don't burn: Be sure to keep a close eye on your pumpkin seeds as they toast. They can burn quite easily and quickly. Keep the heat low and stir frequently.
Leave a Reply