Today, an anti-waste recipe and a treat: crunchy, spiced pumpkin seeds toasted in an air fryer.
In cooking, I especially like not to throw things away and always try not to waste whatever there is or whatever is left over. A few days ago, I bought a wonderful pumpkin to make some pumpkin gnocchi, and while cleaning it from the internal fibers, I saw those beautiful seeds and thought I absolutely couldn’t throw them away, so I decided to make some snacks to munch on in front of the TV or while preparing lunch. #zerowaste #behappy is now my motto!
Preparing toasted pumpkin seeds is very simple, and besides being a great recycling idea, they are delicious snacks that can also be used to add to a salad or on a loaf of bread or focaccia, perhaps pumpkin-flavored!
This time I prepared them spiced with sweet paprika, but you can toast them even without anything, just oil and salt or with whichever herbs and spices you prefer.
Needless to say, you can use pumpkin for many sweet and savory preparations, such as some delicious cookies, a soft chocolate cake or a fragrant pumpkin flatbread.
Let’s see together, step by step, how to make this recipe.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 10 Hours
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Air frying, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for the Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1.06 oz pumpkin seeds
- 1 tsp olive oil
- to taste sweet paprika
Tools
- 1 Scale
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Bowl
Let’s Start!
Take our pumpkin and cut it to remove the fibers where the seeds are attached. We can do this step using a spoon, then try to separate the seeds from the fibers and any remaining flesh by simply detaching them with your hands.
Put the seeds in a bowl and wash them well by letting them soak in water for a while, then drain them and wash them again. Pour the cleaned seeds onto some paper towels and rub them to remove any remaining bits of fibers. Spread the seeds out on a dry, clean cloth and let them dry for at least 10 hours, preferably in the sun or a dry place.
After the time has passed, the seeds will be dry, and we can proceed with toasting. So, put the seeds in a bowl, add a tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and paprika, and mix. Place some parchment paper in the air fryer and pour in the seasoned seeds.
Cook for 45/50 minutes at 320°F, you’ll know they’re ready when they start popping.
Now the crunchy air fryer pumpkin seeds are ready to be enjoyed, but first, take a photo and post it on social media tagging me (una riccia che pasticcia on Instagram and Facebook) and let me know which spice you used.
Una Riccia recommends
So seasoned, you can store them in a jar for 4/5 months. If you leave them without any seasoning, they last up to six months.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Which pumpkin variety seeds can be toasted?
All of them, it depends on your taste. Once they are well dried before cooking, they are all excellent.
All of them, it depends on your taste. Once they are well dried before cooking, they are all excellent.
What can toasted seeds be flavored with?
To toast the seeds, we can use spices such as sweet or hot paprika, turmeric, curry, or herbs like sage or rosemary.
To toast the seeds, we can use spices such as sweet or hot paprika, turmeric, curry, or herbs like sage or rosemary.
Can I cook pumpkin seeds in other ways?
Sure, we can toast pumpkin seeds in the oven at 320°F for 1 hour, stirring often, on a very low flame in a pan, stirring very often, or in the microwave for 10 minutes.
Sure, we can toast pumpkin seeds in the oven at 320°F for 1 hour, stirring often, on a very low flame in a pan, stirring very often, or in the microwave for 10 minutes.
