Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Carving pumpkins is fun, but roasting the seeds is the best part! The air fryer makes it super easy to get them perfectly crispy and delicious in no time with no oven needed. Enjoy Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds and whip up a healthy, crunchy snack for fall!
Pumpkin seeds are the edible seeds found inside pumpkins. They are those little pieces hiding in all that pumpkin goop when you carve a jack-o’-lantern. You might’ve also heard of pepitas, which are often confused with pumpkin seeds. The difference? Pepitas come from specific pumpkins (like Styrian pumpkins) and are shell-free, while the seeds we scoop out of our pumpkins still have their crunchy outer shell.
Pumpkin seeds are packed with omega-3s, magnesium, antioxidants, and fiber, making them a sneaky way to add some serious nutrition to your day. Plus, roasting them brings out a deeper, nutty flavor that makes them even better. Instead of tossing the pumpkin innards, I love cleaning up the seeds and throwing them in the air fryer or Ninja Foodi.
In just 10 minutes, you’ll have crispy, perfectly roasted pumpkin seeds. It’s seriously the easiest (and healthiest!) way to enjoy them. You can keep it simple with salt and pepper or get creative with sweet or spicy seasonings. Whether you’re munching on them as a snack or adding a crunchy boost to salads and oatmeal, air-fried pumpkin seeds are a fall tradition in my kitchen.
🎃 Ingredients & Tools
- Pumpkin Seeds – Pumpkin seeds are a good source of omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber. Regardless of size, they typically contain 1 cup of seeds each. If it isn’t pumpkin-carving season and you’re craving fresh roasted pumpkin seeds, you can use raw pumpkin seeds from the store!
- Avocado Oil – You’ll need a small amount of oil to coat the shells, giving the spices and seasonings something to cling to and encourage even browning. You can also use melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil here.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – This is as simple as it gets, but you can season yours with any fiery, savory, or sweet spices.
👉 How To Prepare Pumpkin Seeds For Air Frying
Cleaning the pumpkins and getting rid of the slimy pulp may take a few rinses, but it’s well worth the effort. Follow these simple steps:
1️⃣ First, rinse the pulpy pumpkin seeds in a colander under cool water to remove dirt or debris. Then, spread the seeds out on a clean towel, pat dry, and pick out the pulp attached to the shells.
2️⃣ Add the seeds back to the colander and rinse again under cool water. Then, spread the seeds back out on the towel, pat dry, and pick out more of the pulp; repeat until all of the seeds are clean.
🥣 Step By Step Instructions
1️⃣ Season pumpkin seeds. Once clean, pat the pumpkin seeds completely dry with a paper towel, then add to a bowl and toss with oil and seasonings. Coat the shells thoroughly in oil and spices.
2️⃣ Preheat air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 350F for 3-5 minutes (you can do this while cleaning the seeds). Then, spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket.
3️⃣ Air fry pumpkin seeds. Cook for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
4️⃣ Cool and serve. Promptly remove the pumpkin seeds from the basket, and let cool completely before eating. Enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Prefer shelled pumpkin seeds? Boiling the seeds for 10 minutes makes separating the seed kernel from the shell much easier.
- During cleanup, check the bottom of the fryer for seeds that may have slipped through, just in case!
- Preheat the Air Fryer. Preheating helps the seeds crisp up right away, giving them that perfect crunch.
- Pat the Seeds Dry. Make sure the seeds are completely dry before seasoning. Extra moisture can cause them to steam instead of roast.
- Shake the Basket Halfway Through. This keeps the seeds from burning and makes sure they roast evenly.
- Use a Light Coat of Oil. A little oil goes a long way, helping the seasonings stick and promoting even browning.
- Season Before and After Roasting. For bold flavor, toss the seeds in seasoning before roasting and sprinkle a little extra when they’re hot out of the fryer.
- Check for Doneness Early. Seeds can go from golden to burnt fast. Start checking them at 8 minutes to prevent overcooking.
- Cool Completely Before Storing. Let the seeds cool on a tray before storing to keep them crispy and avoid condensation.
- Work in Batches if Needed. Got a lot of seeds? Roast them in smaller batches to avoid overcrowding and get the best results.
- Line the Basket for Easy Cleanup. Use parchment or air fryer liners to keep the seeds from falling through the basket and to make cleaning up a breeze!
🌶️ Flavor Variations & Serving
Keep it simple with salt and pepper, or switch things up with spicy and sweet flavors, like:
- Cinnamon sugar – Toss with oil and 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, and a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Chocolate – Toss with oil, 1-2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Spicy – Coat with oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
- Ranch – Toss with 1-2 tablespoons of dry ranch seasoning.
- Use any sweet, spicy, or savory spice blend – Chili-lime, everything bagel, pumpkin pie spice, dry buffalo seasoning, mushroom salt, curry & garam masala, etc.
🥥How To Use Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Bake into gluten-free pumpkin bread.
- Add crunch to pumpkin overnight oats.
- Add to coconut trail mix.
- Sprinkle over the top of Green Beans Almondine
- Add crunch to a Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
❄️Proper Storage Instructions
To keep your roasted pumpkin seeds fresh and crunchy, store them in an airtight container once they’ve completely cooled. At room temperature, they’ll stay good for about a week, but if you want them to last longer, pop them in the fridge for up to a month. For even more extended storage, place them in a sealed container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to three months. Whenever you’re ready to enjoy them, give the seeds a quick shake to loosen them up before enjoying.
❔ FAQ
Yes! Pumpkin seeds are safe to eat in the shell and especially tasty when seasoned and roasted in the air fryer.
If kept in an airtight bag or container, they will last about a week at room temperature, 1 month in the fridge, and 3 months in the freezer.
Yes! And you should. Air-fried pumpkin seeds come out perfectly roasted, toasted, and most importantly -crisp and crunchy!
More Air Fryer Snack Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Snack Wraps
- Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
- Air Fryer Soft Pretzels
- Air Fryer Cheese Quesadilla
Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Equipment
- air fryer or Ninja Foodi
- colander
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pumpkin seeds
- ½ teaspoon avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a colander and rins under cool water to remove any dirt or debris. Then, spread the seeds out on a clean towel, pat dry, and pick out the pulp attached to the shells.
- Add the seeds back to the colander and rinse again under cool water. Then, spread the seeds back out on the towel, pat dry, and pick out more of the pulp, Repeat until all of the seeds are clean.
- Once cleaned, pat the pumpkin seeds completely dry with a paper towel, then add to a bowl and toss with oil and seasonings. Coat welll.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350F for 3-5 minutes. Then, spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket.
- Cook for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Promptly remove the pumpkin seeds from the basket, and let cool completely before eating. Enjoy!
