Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds

Name: Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 152 min
Ingredients: 1 large pumpkin (enough for 1 cup of fresh pumpkin seeds); 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

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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 prepping a pumpkin for a recipe, like my air fryer pumpkin fries, 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.

Quick Look: Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds

⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 2 hours for the seeds to air dry)
👩🏻‍🍳 Air Frying Time: 12 minutes
⏳ Total Time: 2 hours 32 minutes
🍽 Servings: 4
⚡ Calories: 100 per serving
🌱 Diet: vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free
🔥 Flavor/texture: ultra crunchy and lightly salted.
👌 Difficulty: easy but it takes a little bit of time to scoop out the seeds and remove the flesh.
❤️ Why you'll love: reduces food waste; the seeds roast quicker in the air fryer compared to the oven.

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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. I love to add them to my pear and parsnip soup and my roasted root vegetable salad!

Table of Contents

Quick Look: Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
What makes these air fryer pumpkin seeds so good?
Ingredient notes
How to clean pumpkin seeds
How to roast pumpkin seeds in the air fryer
Storage tips
Expert tips for crunchy air fried pumpkin seeds
Air fryer pumpkin seeds FAQs
More recommended pumpkin recipes
📖 Recipe

Ingredient notes

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.

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.
Optional seasonings - Change it up with some fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, chili powder or smoked paprika.

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.

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.

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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.

Expert tips for crunchy air fried pumpkin seeds

Make sure the seeds are free of any pumpkin flesh.
Air drying the seeds is essential to getting them crispy. I usually let them air dry for at least 2 hours.
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.

Roasted pumpkin seeds in a small white bowl.

Air fryer pumpkin seeds FAQs

What type of pumpkins have the best seeds for roasting or air frying?

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.

Can I use this recipe to air fry seeds from other types of squash?

Yes, this recipe works with the seeds from butternut squash, acorn squash and others. I often air fry the seeds when I make my mashed acorn squash, air fryer butternut squash or red pepper and butternut squash soup. I also have a post on how to peel and cut butternut squash so getting at the seeds is easy!

Do you need to boil or soak the pumpkin seeds before air frying them?

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!

Why are my air fried 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 recommended pumpkin recipes

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📖 Recipe

Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds

If you're carving a pumpkin for Halloween, don't throw out the seeds! These air fryer pumpkin seeds are quick, easy and perfectly crispy.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 12

Drying Time: 2

Total Time: 2 32

Servings: servings

Author: Leanne Combden

Ingredients

▢ 1 large pumpkin, enough for 1 cup of fresh pumpkin seeds
▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil
▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

On a large, stable cutting board, cut the top off the pumpkin or cut it in half.
Scoop the seeds out and place them in a bowl of water. Use your fingers to swoosh the seeds around in the water to remove any pumpkin flesh from the seeds.
Drain the seeds in a colander and rinse with more water to get any remaining pieces of pumpkin flesh off the seeds.
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.
Once the seeds are fully dry, add them to a medium-sized bowl along with the oil and salt. Stir until the seeds are well coated.
Spread the seeds out in a thin layer in the air fryer basket and air fry at 350F for 10-12 minutes. (Start checking the seeds after 7-8 minutes). Shake the basket a few times to ensure even roasting.
Remove the basket from the air fryer and let the seeds cool before eating. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.