Creative Ways to Use Pumpkin Seeds

Written by: Kiya Tavascia
Edited by: Rayna Almas
Designed by: Alessa Zaitseva
Published by: Rayna Almas

Halloween is nearly here, and if you’re a “typical” person living in a “typical” household in Canada, there’s a good chance you have pumpkins sitting outside your home right now. Perhaps they’re carved, perhaps not. Either way, if you have ever carved a pumpkin before, or just cut one open, you’ll know what pumpkin seeds look like fresh from the fruit. Even if you haven’t ever done this before (since not everyone participates in pumpkin-carving or eating traditions around Halloween), you’ve probably eaten or at least seen pumpkin seeds at a grocery store or market.

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For most people, roasting pumpkin seeds will be the most common way to consume these protein-rich seeds. A drizzle of oil, some cinnamon or salt, and a hot oven, and you’re good to go. But I’m here to let you know about some other amazing ways to use pumpkin seeds – to eat, to admire, and to re-grow.

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To Eat

Roasted Garlic and Pumpkin Hummus

Ingredients

For the Roasted Garlic
→ 1/2 cup olive oil
→ 3 cloves garlic, smashed

For the Hummus
→ 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
→ 1 c. canned pure pumpkin puree
→ 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, plus more if needed
→ 2 Tbsp. tahini
→ 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
→ Salt, to taste
→ 1/4 c. raw pumpkin seeds ⭐

Instructions:

Roast the garlic and olive oil at 375 ̊ for 15-20 minutes
Add the roasted garlic plus 2 tablespoons of the oil to a food processor. Add chickpeas, pumpkin puree, lemon juice, tahini, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Blend, then add a bit more of the roasted garlic oil. Taste and add a bit more salt and lemon juice if needed. Spoon into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Pan fry pumpkin seeds with a touch of oil and salt in a pan, and sprinkle generously on top of the hummus
Enjoy with crackers, veggies, or by itself!

Pumpkin Seed Butter

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Ingredients

→ 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds ⭐
→ 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted
→ 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Bake pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet at 350° for 6-8 minutes
Place into a food processor along with the salt and process until the seeds become smooth and creamy, scraping the sides regularly. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
Add oil and honey and continue processing until it reaches a consistency that you’re happy with
Enjoy as an alternative to nut butter!

To Admire

There are many interesting options for using pumpkin seeds and arts & crafts activities, depending on what materials you have available to you, and what you’re interested in creating. Remember, the best choice is what you’ll want to keep and admire, or gift to someone else!

Here are a few cool ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

DIY Pumpkin Seed Ornaments

Pumpkin Bird Feeder

Pumpkin Seed Fall Canvas

To Re-Grow

Aka seed saving! Did you know saving seeds from your pumpkins is a simple process that will allow you to have seeds for growing your own pumpkins next year? If you want to go this route, double check the growing conditions and variety of pumpkin you have (the farm you got it from should know!). If you have an unusual or heirloom variety, even better.

Here are the basic steps:

Scoop the seeds out of your pumpkin
Rinse the seeds under water to remove as much of the pulp as possible
Use a cloth or paper towels to remove any leftover pulp clinging to the seeds
Pick out the biggest, best looking seeds to keep. Use the rest for eating or admiring 😉
Let the seeds air dry completely. This will take a few weeks. If you can air dry them on a screen, that’s a great method because it allows the air to reach the seeds from top and bottom. You don’t want the seeds getting moldy.
Once completely dry (again, it’ll take weeks), store them in an airtight bag or jar, in a cool, dry spot.

Learn more about saving pumpkin seeds (with pictures!) from The Farmer’s Almanac

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