Inside, pumpkins hide a delicacy that is too often ignorantly spurned. Do it differently. Set aside a few seeds for new seedlings, and turn the rest into a tasty snack: roasted and salted.

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a special treat

Suitable pumpkin varieties

All pumpkins whose flesh is edible also have edible seeds. But some varieties are better suited for roasting, for example because they have large kernels or kernels with a very thin shell:

  • Hokkaido
  • nutmeg squash
  • Yellow hundredweight
  • Red Hundredweight
  • oil gourds

Wash kernels before roasting

Seeds grow directly on the pulp and are firmly attached to it. When pulled out after slicing a fresh pumpkin fruit, they have all sorts of orange-colored remnants clinging to them that look a bit like string.

  1. Use your hands to free the seeds from coarse pulp residues.
  2. Then place the pumpkin seeds in a bowl of water and remove any leftovers by rubbing the seeds between your hands. You can also use a vegetable brush or a clean dish brush.
  3. Then put the seeds in a sieve and rinse them several times with water until they are completely clean.
  4. Spread the seeds out on a clean kitchen towel.
  5. Let the seeds dry on it for at least a day.

The two roasting options at home

There are two ways to roast fresh pumpkin seeds at home:

  • Roast in a pan with a lid
  • Roasting in an oven

Roast the kernels in a pan

Small amounts of kernels can be roasted in a standard household pan. Larger quantities are roasted in portions one after the other. The skin can remain on during the roasting process.

  • in a pan with a lid
  • Cover with some oil and add 1-2 tablespoons of salt
  • roast at high heat
  • most of the shells should have burst open
  • immediately transfer to a plate to cool
  • Separate the shells and cores

Roast the pumpkin seeds in the oven

Roasting larger quantities in a pan is time-consuming, since roasting in portions requires several roasting processes. A large baking tray, on the other hand, offers a larger surface.

  1. Spread the kernels evenly on a baking sheet.
  2. Set the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. The recirculation function is ideal.
  3. Turn the kernels every 5 minutes. Since the cores are very hot, this should be done with a flat, wide wooden spoon or a spatula.
  4. Depending on the size of the kernels, the roasting process will take another 5 to 10 minutes after the oven has heated up.
  5. Take the kernels, which have been roasted on both sides, out of the oven and let them cool down.

tips

In the oven you can either roast the kernels without salt or add salt, whichever you prefer.

Shell: edible but mostly woody

In theory, all pumpkin skins are edible, but in practice only a few varieties are tasty. Most are heavily woody and are therefore removed immediately before the kernels are eaten. Experienced stone eaters crack these open with their teeth, scooping out the insides while the shell ends up in a garbage can.

Durability:

Roasted kernels can be kept for several months in airtight packaging.

  • kernels: all edible; ideal: large or with a thin, edible skin
  • Varieties: Hokkaido; nutmeg squash; red and yellow hundredweight; oil gourds
  • Washing: Wash the kernels thoroughly; remove any pulp residue
  • Drying: Spread out the washed kernels on a kitchen towel; let it dry for at least 1 day
  • Pan with lid: Some oil, 1-2 tablespoons salt and a portion of seeds
  • Roast Time: Heat on high until most of the shells pop open
  • Oven: 160 degrees Celsius; Circulating air; 5 to 15 minutes depending on core size
  • Roasting: Distribute the seeds evenly on the baking tray; turn every 5 minutes
  • Shell: Edible, but mostly woody; remove before consumption
  • Shelf Life: Several months; airtight packed

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden