What are pepitas? Pepitas are pumpkin seeds, but not all pumpkin seeds are pepitas. While closely related, they are different. Roast pepitas are a wonderful thing as a healthy snack, adding to salads, garnishing soups, and in savory dishes. They are addictively delicious and super nutritious. Don't save them for fall, make them year round. Just 3 ingredients and 20 minutes.
While pepitas are often called pumpkin seeds, these little green seeds are from specific varieties pumpkins called oil seed pumpkins or hulless (or shell less) pumpkins. Pepitas are more tender and less fibrous than regular pumpkin seeds with shells, like a carving pumpkin.
Chef's Note: If you love pine nuts and sunflower seeds, I bet you'll love the nutty flavor and crunchy texture of pepitas seeds too. A common ingredient in Mexican dishes and cuisines around the world, pepitas is a Spanish word for little squash seeds. Buy them at a local grocery store and online.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Roast pepitas is easy and fast.
- No fibrous shell to deal with.
- Use roast pepitas for snacking, excellent toppings for soup and salads.
- Enjoy them year round.
- For pepitas nutrition see the FAQ section at the end.
What else can you do with raw pepitas? If you like almond milk, try this pumpkin seed milk. It's great for those with nut allergies who can't drink almond milk.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pepitas: Buy raw pumpkin seeds (hulless seeds), not what you scrape out of a fresh pumpkin. Look for the beautiful green color. They are available at most grocery stores and online.
- Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil but another good choice is avocado oil or this healthy neutral oil. Just a very small amount is all you need.
- Salt: Sea salt is delicious and healthy.
For another variety of pumpkin seeds, try these heirloom pumpkin seeds grown in north America (instead of China). The flavor is amazing.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make your own pepitas into gourmet flavors. Toss them in a small bowl with the olive oil, then add you preferred spices such as smoked paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder, curry powder, black pepper, granulated garlic or garlic powder. Try a spice blend like pumpkin pie spice blend or cajun seasoning blend. Try my Ultimate Dry Rub recipe. Its got it all in terms of flavors.
- For a more breakfast friendly flavor, try cinnamon and a little sugar or monk fruit.
- Substitute pepitas as garnishes where you'd use sunflower seeds, pine nuts, walnuts, sliced almonds and other nuts and seeds.
Add pepitas to this homemade granola recipe or trail mix.
Recipe Instructions
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Serving Suggestions
Toss pepitas in salads. I especially love them in salads with goat cheese, fresh figs, pomegranate seeds or apples, and a delicious vinaigrette.
- Sprinkle on top of oatmeal.
- Sprinkle on pumpkin polenta.
- Garnish soups, like this cream of asparagus soup or black bean pumpkin soup.
- Add to granola.
- As a crunchy snack alone or as part of a nut mix.
- Sprinkle in plain Greek yogurt sweetened with a little honey or maple syrup.
- Eat them out of hand as a snack.
- Use them over green beans instead of almonds for a fall twist.
- Use them in green salads like this salad with fennel and orange slices.
- Swap pepitas for pine nuts in a classic basil pesto recipes.
Store them in a dry place in an airtight container. The pantry is good, or if you prefer, the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
Pepitas are pumpkin seeds but not all pumpkin seeds are pepitas. Pepitas come from several special varieties of pumpkins such as oilseed pumpkins and styrian pumpkins. They are called hull-less pumpkins because the seeds don't have hulls such as the kind carved for Halloween. And without the hull they are a lot easier to eat and enjoy in many ways.
Yes, these green little seeds are a nutritional powerhouse. Just 1 ounce (a ¼ cup of pepitas) provides 8 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and healthy fats. Pumpkin seeds are good source of iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E and magnesium. Pumpkin seeds also contain high levels of something called phytosterols, helping keep our hearts and brains young. They are good and good for you.
Absolutely! Don't limit pumpkins seeds to snacking. Sprinkle them in salads or to garnish soup. Use them almost anywhere you would use pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. Pumpkins seeds make delicious pesto. They are great in granola. You'l find many ways to use the delicious and healthy seeds. Pepitas are widely used in Mexican cuisine in moles, drinks, salsa, and soups. And you can even make pumpkin seed milk with them. It's a lovely pale green color. If you like almond milk, try pumpkin seed milk.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin seeds can be used in so many delicious ways. Ever tried pumpkin seed milk? It's a beautiful pale green color and tastes terrific.
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Pepitas Seeds
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet half sheet size
Ingredients
- 8 ounces raw green pumpkin seeds raw green pumpkin seeds, about 1 ½ cups
- 1 teaspoon olive oil avocado oil, coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
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Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300ºF. Line a half size rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss pumpkin seeds with oil and salt (and any spices if using). Toast for 20 minutes. Cool, package and enjoy.
Karyn Geffriaud says
I had to take mine out of the oven at 16 minutes so they would not burn, but they were perfectly cooked and so delicious!
Sally Cameron says
Hi Karen, yep, all ovens are different with timing. Glad you used your nose and knew to pull them so they did not burn. They are so tasty and good for you! Thanks for commenting.
Barbara Sikora says
can I substitute pumpkin oil for olive oil?
Sally Cameron says
Hi Barbara. No, while it seems like a good idea, pumpkin oil is not a cooking oil that you should heat. It's a finishing oil used to garnish something cooked or used raw, like in a vinaigrette. I hope you'll make these. They are so simple, useful and addictive in a good way!