Crunchy, roasted pumpkin seeds have never been easier. These air fryer pumpkin seeds are lightly seasoned and air fried until crisp and toasty. Faster than oven roasting, this healthy, tasty snack is ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
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When I was younger, my favourite part of Halloween wasn’t the trick-or-treating. It was the carving of the pumpkins and roasting the seeds.
I remember spending hours harvesting the seeds, drying them, and then waiting for them to roast in the oven.
Thankfully, the invention of the air fryer has drastically sped up this process.
Because the air fryer circulates air as it cooks it does the drying for you. This cooking process also reduces the roasting time from an hour or more down to roughly 10 minutes.
That is a huge time saver!
That means that from start to finish you can be watching a movie and snacking on pumpkin seeds in about 30 minutes. I promise, once you try them in the air fryer you will never want to make them any other way again.
Why We Love This Recipe
It’s easy – This recipe is so easy. The only really work is gathering the seeds. Once that part is done all you need to do is toss the seeds in a bit of oil and seasoning and pop them in the air fryer.
It’s fast – If you’ve ever roasted pumpkin seeds in the oven you know it can be a long process. With the air fryer it is fast. You don’t need to boil or dry the seeds before roasting them, just pop them in the air fryer after they’ve been cleaned and you will be enjoying crunchy, toasted pumpkin seeds in about 10 minutes.
How to Clean Pumpkin Seeds
Begin by cutting the the top off of the pumpkin. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut around the stem. Then lift the top off the pumpkin.
Using a large spoon scrape the flesh off the sides of the pumpkin, then remove the flesh and seeds placing them in a large bowl.
I sometimes find it easier to use a large fork to remove the flesh as it can grip onto the stringy bits.
After all flesh and seeds have been removed and placed in a large bowl, fill the bowl with water.
Swish the flesh around with your hands and use your fingers to separate it a bit. The flesh should sink to the bottom and the seeds will float to the top.
You can then scoop the seeds from the top of the water. Place them in a colander and rinse with water. Use your fingers to pick off any bits of flesh that have stuck to the seeds.
Once the seeds seem clean, give them a final rinse with hot water which will help remove any last bits of flesh. Then shake them to help remove any excess water.
Move the rinsed seeds to a clean bowl.
The average pumpkin will yield between 1 and 1.5 cups of seeds. Bigger pumpkins do not necessarily contain more seeds, so if using for carving, just pick the pumpkin you like best.
Ingredients
You only need three ingredients to make this tasty snack:
- Raw pumpkin seeds
- Oil or butter
- Seasoning
Instructions
With the cleaned seeds in a bowl, add the oil and toss to coat, then add your desired seasoning and toss again.
Pour the seasoned seeds into the air fryer basket, then air fry at 360°F for 8-12 minutes, shaking every 2 or 3 minutes, until seeds are dry and crisp.
Seasoning Suggestions
When it comes to seasoning pumpkin seeds there are unlimited options.
I’ve chosen to use Tajin seasoning, which is a slightly spicy, salty seasoning with a hint of lime.
But you could use anything you like, some ideas are:
- Salt & pepper
- Ranch seasoning
- Seasoning salt
- Taco seasoning
- Cinnamon & sugar
- Popcorn seasoning
You can also just open up your spice cupboard and get creative.
The amount of seasoning you use will depend on how many seeds you are roasting, how salty the seasoning is, and your personal preference. A good place to start is ½ teaspoon of salty seasoning per 1 cup of seeds, but you can increase or decrease depending on what type of seasoning you use.
Cooking Time
These pumpkin seeds cook really quickly in the air fryer.
Time will vary slightly depending on the size of your seeds, how many are in the basket and the individual air fryer.
When cooked at 360°F it should take between 8-12 minutes to fully cook the pumpkin seeds. Make sure you are shaking the basket and checking the seeds every 2-3 minutes to ensure even cooking.
FAQS
You do not need to dry the pumpkin seeds before air frying them. Simply rinsing them in a colander and shaking off the excess water is enough. Because the air fryer works by circulating air it will dry the seeds for you.
Roasted pumpkin seeds will keep for 6-8 weeks in an air tight container.
Simply store the cooled pumpkin seeds in an air tight container or ziplock bag. They can be stored at room temperature.
More Air Fryer Snacks
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Printable Recipe
Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 1 Cup pumpkin seeds 1 fresh pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt or other seasoning
Instructions
- Cut the top off the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and flesh.
- Place the seeds and flesh into a large bowl and fill with water. Swish the seeds and separate the flesh with your fingers to help loosen the seeds. The seeds will float to the top and the flesh should sink.
- Scoop the seeds out of the water and move them to a colander. Rinse the seeds well and pick off any bits of flesh that remain, then do a final rinse under hot water.
- Shake of the excess water and place the seeds in a bowl.
- Toss the pumpkin seeds in the oil and seasoning then pour them into an air fryer basket.
- Cook at 360°F for 8-12 minutes shaking the basket every 2-3 minutes until seeds are dry and crisp.
- Remove the seeds from the basket and allow to cool, then store them in an air tight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Jamie
Monday 18th of October 2021
These are great for snacking during movie night! I love how simple and easy it is to make.