How to Roast Squash Seeds

Posted By Kimberly Turner on Feb 1, 2011 in Fruit & Vegetables, Healthy, Snacks Recipes, Squash, Vegan, Vegetarian | 0 comments

Tonight I’m making roasted butternut squash ravioli with tomato sauce.

So, it stands to reason that I’m using a fresh, whole butternut squash for this project or for something like my Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup.

I peeled it and cut it into chunks after halving it and scooping out the seeds and “innards”.

There is no need to throw out those seeds! They are healthy, nutritious and delicious too, if you know what to do to roast them.

Any squash will do and the seeds are highly edible. I’m outlining how to roast butternut squash seeds below, but the same principles apply to all seeds. Just adjust the roasting time depending upon size and thickness of seeds.

Butternut squash seeds are somewhere in the middle in size and thickness…so, it’s a great place to start.

Pumpkin seeds, spaghetti squash, winter squash and acorn squash are all great to use to roast as well, pumpkin seeds providing more flesh than other seeds due to their sheer size. Roast pumpkin seeds or “pepitas” are often used in Mexican cuisine.

It is very simple and quick to do, so don’t be afraid! You can do it…Here’s how:

Type: Snack Recipe
Serve: On their own as a snack or sprinkled on salad.
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Yield: 1/2 cup seeds

Ingredients:

butternut squash seeds – from 1 whole squash
1 tbsp olive oil – or canola oil depending on flavor desired
1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
Scrape innards or “pulp” out of center of 1 butternut squash and put into a colander under cold lightly running water.
Gently separate seeds from stringy insides and place on a dry paper towel to dry. Pat seeds dry once finished.
Lightly oil a cookie sheet and toss seeds with oil.
Sprinkle salt, mix and evenly distribute seeds on cookie sheet.
Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes, moving seeds around after 10 minutes.
Roast until golden brown.

They can be eaten directly after removing from oven once cool enough.

What’s great is that if you’re making my Butternut Squash Ravioli recipe, it takes a little while to create; so you can snack on these while you’re working!

* Tip: The pulp or stringy bits you throw away can be salvaged too. Pets often enjoy them, like my dogs or my hedgehogs, who made an entire meal of it last night!

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I hope you enjoyed this Healthy Recipe on Cooking with Kimberly! Until next time…

Eat Deliciously,

Kimberly Edwards 🙂

P.S. Be sure to check out the Cooking with Kimberly Store!

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