I’ve been making roasted pumpkin seeds for probably 25 years now; before that it was a family tradition. My recipe has evolved over the years. Here’s the current recipe.
1. Scoop the seeds out of a large pumpkin, separating them from any big pieces pumpkin gunk.
2. Put them in a colander and rinse well. This should take most of the residual pumpkin off of them. (If a few small pieces cling to the seeds it’s okay.)
3. Transfer them to a bowl.
4. Add about 4 ounces of Worcestershire sauce.
5. Add garlic powder to taste. (This is what I use.)
6. Optional: Add curry powder to taste. (I like Willabay curry powder.)
Or, instead of or in addition to the curry, add your favorite spice or mix.
The seeds can be prepared well in advance of baking, if you like. You can keep them on the kitchen counter for a couple hours, or put the bowl in the refrigerator if it will be longer.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Then, pour the seeds and marinade onto an 11×17 cookie sheet. Spread them out evenly. Put the sheet on the middle rack and set the timer for about 30-40 minutes.
The baking time depends on how crispy you want the seeds and on the seeds themselves. I recommend checking after 25-30 minutes to see how they’re doing and check for crispiness. You don’t want to overcook/burn them and that’s very easy to do.
When done, some of them will be quite dark, because of the baked-on Worcestershire/spice mix.
After baking, use a spatula to remove the seeds from the sheet into a small bowl.
Sprinkle a little salt over the top if you wish. There’s nothing better than warm pumpkin seeds — and they tend to disappear fast! — but they’re great at room temperature the next day, too.
Enjoy!
Fair warning: The seeds are going to stick to your cookie sheet. Even if it’s a nonstick sheet, they just will. There are a few ways to cope with this: prepare to do a lot of scrubbing; use foil (it will stick to some of the seeds); use a disposable foil baking pan or a silicone baking mat (easier cleanup). Or, do as I do and just use an old, beat-up cookie sheet.
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