How Long Do You Bake Pumpkin Seeds (And Why)?

How Long Do You Bake Pumpkin Seeds (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 10 to 15 Minutes

With the onset of Halloween, the demand for pumpkins soars high in the sky. Pumpkins are among the most identifiable elements of Halloween apart from spooky outfits and horror themes. However, people tend to throw away the seeds of the fruit, which otherwise would have been of great use.

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a crunchy and easy snack to have at any time. Roasting these pumpkin seeds is a judicious way if put to use what would have been thrown. Apart from being crunchy and delicious, these roasted seeds are also high in nutrition with 3g of protein and approx 81 calories per serving.

How Long Do You Bake Pumpkin Seeds

How Long Do You Bake Pumpkin Seeds?

Steps in the Baking ProcessBaking Timeline
Removing the seeds from pumpkin10 to 15 Minutes
Boiling pumpkin seeds10 Minutes
Baking pumpkin seeds
A. Small size seeds5 to 7 Minutes
B. Medium size seeds11 to 13 Minutes
C. Large size seeds16 to 20 Minutes

Baking pumpkin seeds is a very easy cooking process. This becomes particularly easy if the person has stored pumpkin seeds previously since separating the seeds from the pumpkin is a comparatively laborious process. The entire cooking method can be completed within half an hour on average.

To get started, one has to rinse the pumpkin, make a sharp circular cut on the top of the fruit and remove as many seeds as they could from its inside using a spoon. The cook can rinse and rub the seeds to wash off any fruity strains stuck to the seeds. This step takes barely ten minutes but is the most demanding of all steps in the process.

The next step involves boiling the pumpkin seeds in a utensil. The seeds should be left in simmering water for about 10 minutes. The person should add a pinch of salt to the boiling water to boost its taste.

The third and last step in the cooking of baking seeds involves roasting them for about 5 to 20 minutes depending on their size and shape. If it is small-sized, it should be baked for 5 to 7 minutes and if it is medium-sized, it should be baked for about 11 to 13 minutes. If the seeds are large in shape, they need to be baked for 16 to 20 minutes.

Why Do You Need To Bake Pumpkin Seeds For So Long?

Pumpkin seeds are stiff and hard when uncooked. If consumed raw, they can cause indigestion and other health issues. To be safe to eat and edible, they need to be cooked appropriately to make them softer and digestible.

Boiling the pumpkin seeds before roasting them in the oven has special significance. When the seeds are boiled before roasting them, it helps to cook the insides of the seed well. This helps the snack to get a perfect crunchy experience for the guest when consumed.

Although pumpkin seeds are rich in nutrients, they also contain significantly large amounts of phytic acid. This phytic acid prevents the absorption of minerals like iron into the body. Boiling the seeds helps to remove this potentially harmful phytic acid.

Baking the pumpkin seeds in the oven also requires special attention. The cook needs to toss the seeds in between so that to make sure that both sides of the pumpkin seeds are equally cooked and browned. Tossing also ensures that the seeds are well coated in oil and other seasonings. The pumpkin seeds have to be baked till they are golden brown and at a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Conclusion

Pumpkin seeds are a great dish to have when people do not want to have any heavy meal. It is a perfect light meal for serving as a snack. It can be cooked easily and effortlessly and be ready to eat within half an hour.

Separating the pumpkin seeds from the fruit takes about 10 minutes, but it would be easy if you have previously stored seeds from the Halloween party. The next is to boil those seeds with a small amount of salt for 10 minutes before roasting them in the oven for 5 to 20 minutes, depending on their size.

References

  1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11947-017-1978-0
  2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01192866

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