In a few days, the pumpkins you’ve been saving as front porch decor are going to become a craft project all over your kitchen table. There is something indelicate about the process of carving pumpkins, namely: pumpkin guts. While it’s tempting to dispense with the guts as fast as possible and move onto the carving (the main event), it’s worth it to take the time to save those pumpkin seeds and turn them into something tasty. I promise it’s not as laborious as you think.
First, separate the seeds
There are multiple ways to get the guts and seeds out of the pumpkin. In recent years, much has been made of using an electric beater. For my part, I think the tried-and-true method of a large metal spoon with a sharp edge does the job best. However you get the guts out, it should move from the pumpkin to a metal colander. It should be metal, because plastic doesn’t stand up to the next step: agitation.
A fair amount of the seeds might separate easily on their own as you pull them out of the pumpkin, and if so, great—put them aside on a paper towel. But the large, pulpy pieces should go into the colander, over a sink that has a drain strainer in it. Using your hands, you want to agitate the seeds against the colander holes while water runs over the colander. You’re not trying to push the seeds or the pulp through the colander—you’re using the holes and the agitation to separate them. As seeds are separated, the pressure of the water will cause the seeds to spill into the sink below (since seeds are light and float.) The drain strainer will catch them from going down the drain (you’re going to rinse the seeds again, but your sink should be clean before you start).
This method usually only takes a few minutes for a sugar pumpkin and five to 10 for a larger carving pumpkin. At this point, you can compost the guts and put the seeds back into the colander. Now they should get a good rinse, while you agitate the seeds with your hands to get the last of the pumpkin membrane off them.
Get the seeds as dry as possible
Now that the seeds are clean, they have to dry—a paper towel is fine for this purpose. I lay the seeds out overnight and get back to carving. In the morning, the dry seeds have to get tossed a little to break them up again. If the seeds aren’t dry, wait until they are. It’s critical they be dry to get truly crispy seeds.
It’s now time to roast them. You can season seeds before you roast them or after, but I recommend doing it before. If you roast them before, you gain the advantage of the seasoning sticking better to the seeds. If you season them after, it has the same effect as adding seasoning to popped popcorn—some of it sticks, but most of it sits at the bottom of the bowl.
Be bold when choosing seasoning
Sure, you can toss the seeds with salt and pepper and call it a day, but I recommend getting creative. Wasabi powder will create a spicy option that you’ll easily become addicted to. I love za’atar and paprika for a colorful and earthly blend of spices. Try a light dusting of chili powder to set your mouth on fire. There are ranch seasoning packets, taco seasonings, Lawry’s, and other spice blends available in the seasonings section of the market that you can use to flavor your seeds as well.
In any case, toss your seeds with olive oil. For every cup of seeds, add one tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of powdered seasonings, depending on the spice mixture. Pumpkin seeds can handle a lot of salt seasoning, so if you’re just seasoning with salt, be generous. Toss the coated seeds in the seasoning of choice and lay them out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You want one layer of seeds, do not allow the seeds to clump or layer. Bake the seeds in a preheated oven set to 300°F for 30 to 45 minutes. You’ll want to pull the sheet out at least once during the process to shake the pan and mix up the seeds. This prevents them from sticking to each other and the parchment, and ensures they get flipped for even roasting.
Once the seeds achieve a nice color (depending on the seasoning this will change, but you’d like them to appear toasted, and should be dry to the touch), take the sheets out and allow them to cool. The seeds can go into jars or bags and be stored in the pantry, but you’ll want to eat them within a week or two.
