A crunchy snack bursting with Fall flavours, these Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds are a great way of putting to use all those seeds that would otherwise get discarded after carving pumpkins for Halloween, or turning cooking pumpkins into scrumptious recipes. They are super easy to make, and absolutely delicious, with a lovely hint of cayenne pepper and coarse sea salt.
There is something so satisfying about snacking on seeds. As a Romanian through and through, I can't have enough of munching on them, sunflower seeds in particular. It's one of the most popular snacks in Romania, cheap and plentiful, and seriously addictive.
And since pumpkin season is upon us, and the Halloween fever can already be felt, pumpkins are absolutely everywhere. Whether you just carve them, or turn them into yummy sweet and savoury dishes, there are always so many seeds that mainly end up in the bin.
You can snack on them raw, but they aren't as delicious as they are when roasted. The oven is perhaps the obvious way to roast them, but if you have an air fryer, even better. Not only that cuts down the cooking time by half, but you get perfectly crunchy pumpkin seeds that are super delicious.
You can go for any seasoning of your choice, there are endless possibilities here. I went for a simple salt and pepper seasoning, with a touch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat, and they were amazing!
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Ingredients used
- pumpkin seeds - you can use the seeds from any pumpkin
- salt & pepper - I prefer coarse sea salt for some extra texture, and freshly ground black pepper
- chilli powder - for a fiery touch
- vegetable oil - adds colour and helps with the crunch
Variations
When it comes to seasoning, absolutely everything goes. You can swap cayenne pepper for paprika, either sweet, hot or smoked, or you can go for a Fall-inspired seasoning of cinnamon or pumpkin spice.
As for oil, I used vegetable oil as it has a high smoking point, but you can choose any other oil of your choice: sunflower oil, olive oil, avocado oil, rapeseed oil, etc.
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- remove the pumpkin pulp from the seeds, add them to a colander, and rinse them well under cold water
- use kitchen paper to pat them dry, and transfer them onto a baking tray in a single layer
- allow them to dry completely - I had used the oven before making these seeds, so it was still hot, I just transferred the tray in the oven for 5 minutes to ensure that the seeds were completely dry
- add the oil, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to the dry seeds, and mix well to coat
- transfer them to the air fryer drawer, making sure they are in one single layer, and air fry them for 12 minutes, shaking the drawer half the way through
Expert tips
The seeds must be completely dry before adding the oil and seasoning to them, or it will be very hard to get a good crunch on them, they will stay rather soft even after air frying.
The prepping time may sound a bit time consuming, but it is worth it! The seeds get a fantastic crunch, and stay crunchy for days after air frying them. That is, if they last that long!
The seeds can also be roasted in the oven, but while you won't notice any difference taste way, they will take longer to be ready in the oven.
What to do with pumpkin seeds
If you have lots of pumpkin seeds around, and have enough of snacking on them, they can also be used to top a heart-warming roasted pumpkin soup.
Or they can be added to a nice salad for a good crunch, but Roasted Pumpkin Quinoa Salad is a great choice, as well as my Kale Butternut Squash Salad.
They can also be added to your porridge for a next-level breakfast, my Apple and Cinnamon Porridge is a good option here that everybody loves.
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Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- â…› teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Remove the pumpkin pulp from the seeds, add them to a colander and rinse them well under cold water.
- Use kitchen paper to pat them dry, then arrange them in one single layer on a baking tray to allow them to dry completely.
- Add the oil, sea salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to the seeds, and toss them well.
- Transfer the seeds to an air fryer drawer, making sure they are in one single layer.
- Air fry for 12 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius ( 390 Fahrenheit) for 12 minutes, shaking the drawer half the way through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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