Can You Roast Seeds From Decorative Pumpkins?
Is it possible to roast seeds from decorative pumpkins or only pie pumpkins? If you’ve ever wondered what to do with those decorative pumpkins you have out front and don’t just want to toss them? Then this post is for you!
This year, I received several large pumpkins that I used as decorations outside our front door until it started to freeze consistently at night and some of the pumpkins started to look a little sad with the colder weather. With the leaves long gone and snow breathing down our necks I figured the pumpkins had lived their life and it was time to retire them. Throwing them out seemed like such a waste but I had never heard of anyone using regular decorative pumpkins for anything edible other than pie pumpkins. I decided to try roasting the seeds and see how they turned out. After all, it couldn’t be that hard, right?
Prepping your Decorative Pumpkins
I took the best-looking pumpkins inside to warm up a bit before cutting them open. Any that were soft or starting to look squishy I threw out for the wildlife. The flesh of decorative pumpkins is very pale and doesn’t have much color, smell, or flavor. They are bred only for the purpose of getting large and being decorations; so if eating them is your goal you will want to find a variety that has been bred specifically for eating. Most decorative pumpkins are edible, however they just won’t have that rich pumpkin color or flavor. The seeds however are another story.
Removing the Pumpkin Seeds
Once I cut them open, I started to scrape out the seeds. Each pumpkin has a huge number of seeds carefully held in by strings of pith. You want to free the seeds from the pith as you remove them from the pumpkin. Most people use a large spoon to scoop out the inside and then separate the seeds from the pith after. However, the easiest way I found was to use your fingers and just gently pull a few seeds at a time away from the pith.
Most of the seeds should let go relatively easily however if you get a stubborn one, you may have to pinch the end of the seed to squeeze it away from the pith. I always rinse the seeds before roasting so it’s not super important to get every last thread of pith. I find it is easiest to remove it at this stage than when the seeds are super wet and slippery after rinsing.
Drying the Seeds
After removing all the seeds, wash and drain in a colander, getting as much pith and pumpkin flesh off the seeds as you can, because this will impact flavor and texture once it’s roasted. Once thoroughly washed, pour out onto a towel and pat until dry or air dry for 30 minutes.
Prepping the Seeds for Roasting
Once dry, pour the cleaned seeds onto a baking sheet in a single layer, using several sheets if necessary. You don’t want the seeds piled on top of each other otherwise they won’t roast evenly. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the seeds and generously salt. You can add more salt while they are cooling, so don’t over salt at this step.
Roasting the Pumpkin Seeds
Put the tray of pumpkin seeds into a preheated 350F oven for 30-40 minutes. Make sure to stir once or twice to make sure they evenly roast. You’ll know they’re done when the seeds are a nice golden brown and crispy when tasted. When done, remove from oven and let cool completely on tray, stirring occasionally. Make sure to try them before they are completely cool in case you want to add more salt. The salt sticks best when they are warm.
Once cool, store in a sealed Ziploc bag or mason jar. They’ll keep several months if kept sealed although usually, it’s more of a problem of making them last more than a couple days with how fast they get eaten around here! They are a great snack on their own and add a nice crunch to a salad as well.
Feel free to experiment with different herbs and spices prior to roasting too! You’ll want to keep the salt on there but go wild with the spices! Paprika is amazing, and dill or rosemary makes a different flavor too. Let me know in the comments what’s your favorite spice combo!
