Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds

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If you love roasted pumpkin seeds, you'll love these perfectly crunchy Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds. It's an easy recipe with a simple seasoning of just oil and salt. Whether you're carving a pumpkin for Halloween or roasting a pumpkin for a recipe, don't throw out the seeds! I'm sharing my tips and tricks for cleaning the seeds and roasting them in the air fryer for a deliciously crispy snack!

Angled view of roasted pumpkin seeds in a small dish.

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Table of Contents

What makes these air fryer pumpkin seeds so good?
Ingredients and substitutions
How to clean pumpkin seeds
How to roast pumpkin seeds in the air fryer
Storage tips
Tips for making crunchy air fried pumpkin seeds
Additional tips
Recipe FAQs
More air fryer recipes
📖 Recipe

This recipe was originally published in September 2020, but since I'm using a different air fryer these days, I wanted to update the recipe to reflect this. I also decided to take new photos and share even more helpful tips to ensure you get the crispiest pumpkin seeds.

When I first shared this recipe, I used a carving pumpkin for the seeds. This year, we decided not to carve a pumpkin, but I had an abundance of seeds from the pie pumpkins I was roasting for soup and homemade puree, so that's what I ended up using. The seeds from both types of pumpkins are perfect for this recipe.

What makes these air fryer pumpkin seeds so good?

Air frying the seeds results in super crunchy seeds in less time than oven roasting.
It's a great way to reduce food waste. Instead of throwing out the seeds when you scoop out the stringy flesh, you can turn them into a quick and easy snack.
They're not only great for snacking, but also work as a crunchy salad or soup topping.

Ingredients and substitutions

You only need three ingredients!

Side view of a carving pumpkin. — Carving Pumpkin

Side view of a pie pumpkin. — Pie Pumpkin (or Sugar Pumpkin)

Pumpkin - To get a full cup of seeds for roasting, choose a large pumpkin like a carving pumpkin or pie pumpkin. Smaller pumpkins will work too, but you will likely need a few pumpkins to make up a cup.
Salt - The recipe calls for fine sea salt, but you can also use kosher salt or table salt.
Oil - You can use olive oil, extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.

How to clean pumpkin seeds

Making sure your pumpkin seeds are free of any pumpkin flesh and fully dried are key to getting the seeds crunchy in the air fryer.

Pumpkin cut in half on a wooden cutting board with the seeds scooped out into a glass bowl. — **Step 1:** Scoop the seeds out of the pumpkin. You can do this by cutting off the top of the pumpkin and scooping them out, or by cutting the pumpkin in half and scooping out the seeds from each half.

Pumpkin seeds being cleaned in a glass bowl full of water. — **Step 2:** The seeds will still have pieces of pumpkin flesh attached to them. Add them to a bowl with some water, and swoosh them around with your fingers to help remove the pieces of flesh. The seeds will float to the top.

Pumpkin seeds draining in a colander. — **Step 3:** Drain the seeds in a colander and rinse with more water to help get any remaining pieces of pumpkin flesh off the seeds.

Pumpkin seeds drying out on a paper towel lined tray. — **Step 4:** Spread the seeds out on a paper towel lined tray. Ensure all the flesh is removed and let them air dry for at least 2 hours.

How to roast pumpkin seeds in the air fryer

Now you're ready to season and air fry.

Dried pumpkin seeds in a bowl with oil and salt on the side. — **Step 5:** Once the seeds are fully dry, place them in a bowl.

Seasoned pumpkin seeds in a glass bowl with a spoon. — **Step 6:** Add the oil and salt and stir until the seeds are well coated.

Pumpkin seeds arranged in a thin layer in an air fryer basket. — **Step 7:** Spread the seeds out in a thin layer in the air fryer basket and air fry at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Shake the basket a few times to rotate the seeds around. Start checking on the seeds after 7-8 minutes.

Air fried pumpkin seeds in an air fryer basket. — **Step 8:** Remove the basket from the air fryer and let the seeds cool slightly before eating. If they're not crispy enough, just air fry them for another few minutes.

Storage tips

Let the roasted pumpkin seeds cool completely and then store them covered in a container at room temperature.

In terms of freshness, I suggest enjoying the roasted seeds within a few days. You can store them for longer (1-2 weeks), but they will start to lose their crunch.

Tips for making crunchy air fried pumpkin seeds

Make sure the seeds are free of any pumpkin flesh.
Don't skip the step of air drying the seeds.
Air fry the seeds in a thin layer. You want the air to circulate around the seeds in the air fryer so the seeds toast evenly.
Shake the basket a few times or stir the pumpkin seeds around while cooking. This will also ensure they roast evenly.
If the seeds still seem soft or chewy after 12 minutes of air frying, let them cool for a few minutes. They usually get crispier as they cool. If they're still chewy, just add them back to the air fryer for another few minutes.

Additional tips

These pumpkin seeds are roasted with a simple seasoning of salt and oil. I don't usually go overboard on salt, so feel free to add more salt to suit your taste.
You can also change up the seasonings with some fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, chili powder or smoked paprika.
Depending on the size and brand of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the temperature and air frying time slightly. (I used a Cosori 5.8 quart basket style air fryer).

Roasted pumpkin seeds in a small white bowl.

Recipe FAQs

What type of pumpkins have the best seeds for roasting?

You'll want a large pumpkin to yield one cup of fresh seeds for this recipe. I recommend either a carving pumpkin (sometimes called a jack-o-lantern pumpkin) or a pie pumpkin, also called a sugar pumpkin, which are normally used for baking and cooking.

Do you need to boil or soak the seeds first?

Some people boil or soak the seeds to help make the seeds easier to digest and to help get them extra crunchy. I don't boil or soak the seeds for this recipe but I do rinse them in a bowl of water first to help remove the pumpkin flesh from the seeds. In terms of crunchiness, the air fryer takes care of that!

Do you need to let pumpkin seeds air dry before roasting?

Yes. Air drying the seeds is essential to getting them crispy. I usually let them air dry for at least 2 hours.

Why are my roasted pumpkin seeds chewy?

This could be because the seeds still had some flesh stuck to them, or the seeds were not fully air dried before air frying. Wait a few minutes for them to cool in the air fryer basket. If they're still chewy, just air fry them for another few minutes.

Do you need to remove the shells before eating the pumpkin seeds?

No, you don't need to remove the shells. They're edible and actually contain fiber in addition to the fiber in the seed.

More air fryer recipes

If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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