Roasted pumpkin seeds seasoned with chili powder are spicy, crunchy, and easy to make in the oven! This vegan snack is bursting with flavor, perfect for charcuterie boards, holiday parties, and everyday snacking.
This chili roasted pumpkin seeds recipe is the ultimate fall snack. It's crunchy, salty, and spicy. And best of all, these flavorful pumpkin seeds are vegan and easy to make. What more could you ask for in a snack? My favorite way to eat them is at happy hour or during the holidays with a nice drink, like this lemon maple bourbon cocktail.
These Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are…
- Made with only 4 ingredients. With only salt and chili powder for seasoning, the natural flavor of roasted pumpkin seeds really shines through.
- Totally addictive. You’ll find yourself snacking on them all through the day!
- Great for using up leftovers! Roasting pumpkin seeds is a great way to use the entire squash when you buy a pumpkin. Whether I'm carving pumpkins for Halloween or roasting them for soup, using a whole ingredient is a terrific way to have a more sustainable kitchen, and these mouth-watering, crispy pumpkin seeds do exactly that.
What You’ll Need
This simple roasted pumpkin seed recipe only has a few ingredients. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to find the exact quantities.
- Pumpkin seeds – You'll need to scoop them out of a fresh pumpkin, or you can buy raw dried pumpkin seeds from the store.
- Oil – You can use olive oil or any oil you prefer.
- Chili powder and salt – I love the smoky, spicy kick of chili powder. This is where you can be creative, though! Feel free to season your roasted pumpkin seeds with any flavor you'd like. Curry powder, Chinese five spice, and even blackened seasoning are great options. You can also stick to plain sea salt!
How to Get the Seeds Out of a Pumpkin
Getting the seeds out of a pumpkin is very easy. Simply cut off the top of the squash, and pull all of the seeds out with either a spoon or your hands. They’ll have pumpkin fibers on them, but that’s okay. You’ll wash them off later!
After you’ve removed the seeds, there are so many delicious pumpkin recipes you can make with the rest of the squash.
How to Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
My favorite crispy, spicy roasted pumpkin seeds tossed with chili powder are incredibly easy to make. They're ready in 30 minutes and perfect as a holiday appetizer or add-on to a snack board.
Boiling the pumpkin seeds before roasting does a couple of things. First, it helps clean off any leftover stringy pumpkin fibers. Secondly, it makes them crispier when roasted. Here's how to prepare your pumpkin seeds for the oven:
- Clean the seeds. While the oven preheats to 375ºF, pick through your pumpkin seeds and pull away any large chunks of pumpkin fibers. Then, place the pumpkin seeds in a strainer. Wash them in cold water until they’re clean.
- Cook the seeds. Next, add the pumpkin seeds to a small pot with water. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the pumpkin seeds after they’re done, and put them in a bowl.
- Season the pumpkin seeds. Add oil, salt, and chili powder to the pumpkin seeds. Toss them until they’re coated.
- Roast. Lastly, spread the pumpkin seeds out on a baking sheet. Roast the seeds at 375ºF for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they’re lightly browned and crispy, then they’re done.
- Cool. Remove the pumpkin seeds from the oven and cool them on the baking sheet.
Tips for Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Dry the seeds. After you boil the pumpkin seeds, let them dry before adding them to the bowl. This will help the oil and seasonings adhere to the seeds.
- Stir frequently. Make sure you stir the pumpkin seeds a few times while they’re in the oven. This will ensure even roasting of all the seeds.
- Let them cool. It can be tempting to eat the roast pumpkin seeds fresh out of the oven, since they smell so good! But let them cool before you eat them. Cooling the pumpkin seeds will make them crisp up.
How to Store Pumpkin Seeds
- On the counter. Roasted pumpkin seeds will last at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Just store them in an airtight container, and you can snack on them whenever!
- Refrigerate. You can also store the pumpkin seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you want to warm them, you can reheat them in the microwave or in the oven.
- Freeze. You can store the chili roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 6 months. Reheat them directly from the freezer in the microwave or the oven.
More Easy Snack Recipes
Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- Seeds from one medium pumpkin about 1 cup
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons chili powder more or less depending on your taste preferences
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Clean the pumpkin seeds (don’t be afraid to get dirty here) and wash them in a pasta strainer. Transfer them to a small pot and add two cups water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the pumpkin seeds and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- Add oil, chili power and salt, and toss to coat. Transfer the seeds to a baking sheet and roast for 20 – 30 minutes, until slightly browned and crispy. Make sure to stir the seeds around as you go so they don’t burn.
- Let cool on the baking sheet. Transfer to an air tight container.
- Snack and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Amazing, Halloween 🎃 snack
Unique recipe! thanks for sharing the recipe. It tastes great. I tried making it and the cinnamon gives it quite a unique flavour which I totally liked it. After reading your article I decided to make this. I got pumpkin seeds from True Elements- one of the clean food label brands in India. They provide 100% natural ingredients and are awesome. I tried this recipe and it turned out to be great.
So glad it worked! I can’t wait to make them again 🙂
I use butternut squash all the time, I think I will use this recipe for the butternut squash seeds. Do u know what nutritional value the seeds have?
They’re just like other seeds 🙂 High in healthy fats and protein!
What kind of GF beer did you use for the mac & cheese?
Hi Sandy. I used New Planet in this recipe (there’s a link to the exact one I used in the ingredient list), but I think any kind would be fine. If you have an option to choose, I suggest opting for something that’s a bit darker – darker than Red Bridge or Bard’s for example. Hope this helps! xx
Lovee your photos!
I made a batch of seeds with cinnamon sugar, ginger & ground cumin. Yummy!
thanks Alyssa!
Mmm those sound splendid! I’m making pumpkin soup tonight, so I think I’ll use your idea for the seeds. Thanks! xo
Looks delicious, I am gonna try that for long university evenings in the library 🙂
Are you passing by Switzerland by any chance? There is a great restaurant in Zurich that you would enjoy!
All the best from cold cold Switzerland
Thank you, Larissa! I think these little seeds would be the perfect study snack 🙂
Sadly, we didn’t make it to Switzerland this time, but I’ve always wanted to go there. I think our next trip will have to include Zurich, the whole country just looks so majestic. What is the restaurant called? I’d love to check it out!
Hugs and stay warm 🙂
Alyssa
Have a wonderful trip! And these look like a delicious snack to keep you happy on the way there. I love roasted pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds are the great bonus for carving or roasting a pumpkin. I will have to try these. And so much nutrition, too.
Yum, these look so tasty. I am so excited to cut into the pumpkin that I have on the porch now, so I can toast up the seeds. I was thinking of doing something limey and spicy like this actually.