These golden brown roasted pepitas are the perfect tasty snack packed with health benefits and made in under 20 minutes. With 4 tasty flavors to choose from (plain, herby, smoky & sweet), you'll be spoiled for choice!
After such a warm response to my roasted lentils, I'm back with another perfect crunchy snack you're going to love!
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🌱 What To Expect
- Super crunchy - that gorgeous pepita texture is made even better by being baked in olive oil and immersed in delicious herbs & spices.
- Not just a salad topper - you can use it to top off pretty much any dish from lasagne to risotto, soup, sandwiches, pasta & more.
- Something for everyone - with 4 flavor options (plus 3 extra ideas below), this recipe truly delivers something for every taste!
Did you know? The Spanish word pepita simply translates to 'little seed'.
🌿 Ingredients
You'll require just a handful of ingredients!
Base Ingredients
- Raw pepitas - Also known as hull-less pumpkin seeds. You can find them in the seeds & nuts section of your local supermarket.
- Olive oil - I like using light olive oil. You can replace it with sunflower, sesame, hemp, or coconut oil. Remember this might affect the taste though!
- Sea salt & pepper - Adjust it to taste, adding more or less depending on your preference.
This is all you'll need for the plain version.
Below are the additional ingredients you'll need for each variation.
- Smoky - Sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and a custom amount of chili flakes. For an extra spicy version, you can add some cayenne pepper or chili powder too.
- Herby - Garlic powder (or granules), parsley, basil & oregano (all dried). Can be replaced with an Italian seasoning mix.
- Sweet - You'll need pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon & maple syrup. You can also use brown or coconut sugar instead of maple syrup. Leave out salt & pepper.
Green tip - This recipe is so easy to customize so it's a good way to use up any dry herbs and spices you've got lying around your kitchen cupboard.
⏲️ Steps
Find detailed instructions & exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
No matter which flavor variation you've chosen the process of making these roasted pepitas is always the same.
1 - In the first step, add the pepitas to a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with oil & add the additional ingredients depending on flavor variation. Toss pepitas or use a fork to stir, coating them evenly.
2 - Transfer the pepitas to a lined baking sheet. Use a spoon/spatula/fork to arrange them in a single layer.
3 - Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 12 minutes*. For best results, stir them about halfway through to ensure even baking.
4 - Serve & enjoy! They'll be scorching hot when you remove them from the oven so allow a few minutes for them to cool down a little first.
* Important disclaimer: Every oven works differently - yes, even if you've set it at the exact same temperature as I did! Yours might roast these a little faster or it might need a few minutes longer. I recommend checking the seeds around the 10-minute mark and checking them regularly every few minutes afterward to ensure they're not burnt.
🥄 Equipment
- Medium-sized bowl
- Baking sheet/tray
- Parchment paper
- Spoon/spatula/fork for stirring
💡 Top Tips
- Coat in a bowl - As the recipe suggests, mix in the oil and the spices in a bowl, rather than on a sheet pan. This will make it easier to coat evenly.
- Adjust the flavors - While this recipe provides a great base, everyone's tastes are different. You might want to add more or less of a certain ingredient depending on your own preference. This is especially relevant for the amount of salt or spices you want to use.
- Food prep - If you know you'll love these pepitas, why not save time and energy and make a larger batch? If you're struggling to eat enough seeds or protein, making a large batch and storing it in a visible spot in your kitchen will trick you into eating more.
- Gift it - these make such a wholesome gift! Pack them up into cute jars, add a hand-written label and you've got the perfect homemade gift!
Why the pop? Don't be alarmed if you hear pepitas sizzling or popping in the oven. This is completely normal.
❓ FAQ
Contrary to popular opinion, pepitas are not just de-shelled pumpkin seeds!
Instead, they are a special seed variety that can only be found in specific hulless pumpkins. (Source: Food & Wine)
Yes, you can, but keep in mind that the end result might be a little different.
Yes, this little seed contains a good range of nutrients.
Pepitas are full of heart-healthy fats as well as an excellent source of protein. They're also a rich source of magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin K, and beta carotene (Source: Healthline and Medical News Today)
🥗 Serving
There are so many ways you can eat these crispy little seeds.
- Sprinkle them on your favorite salad,
- Serve on top of pasta, stews, and soups for extra plant-based protein,
- Use it to top off hummus or avocado crema,
- You can even add it to pizza or vegan mac & cheese,
- Eat as a snack on its own!
The sweet variation can be used to add crunch to your breakfast granola, yogurt, smoothies & smoothie bowls.
🍋 Variations
There are endless flavor variations you could play around with.
- Zesty: Add a few teaspoons of lime or lemon juice and sprinkle with some lemon zest before baking.
- Curry-inspired: Add garam masala, curry powder, and cumin powder to taste. The perfect topping for curries!
- Extra salty: Use tamari or soy sauce instead of salt. You can even mix in a little miso paste.
📦 Storing
First, let the roasted pepitas cool at room temperature.
Then transfer them to an airtight container such as a mason jar.
Green tip - Any jar or box container will do. There's no need to go out and buy brand-new containers. I like to use old pickle jars, jam jars, or mustard/mayo jars. Of course, make sure to give them a thorough clean and dry them completely before re-using them.
Store for 4-5 days at room temperature.
🥕 Similar Recipes
If you love tasty plant-based food you might want to try out my:
That's it - hope you enjoyed this recipe!
If anything didn’t make sense or if you have any questions, simply leave a comment below.
Made these roasted pepitas? I would appreciate it SO MUCH if you could leave a comment or review below.
🍴Recipe
Oven Roasted Pepitas - 4 Ways!
Equipment
- Medium-sized bowl
- Baking sheet/tray
- Parchment paper
- Spoon/spatula/fork for stirring
Ingredients
Plain
- 2 cups (240 g) pepitas
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Herby
- 2 cups (240 g) pepitas
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt & pepper to taste
Smoky
- 2 cups (240 g) pepitas
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- chili flakes to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
Sweet
- 2 cups (240 g) pepitas
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- ½ tablespoon (0.5 tablespoon) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the pepitas to a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle oil on top & add the additional ingredients depending on flavor variation. Toss pepitas or use a fork to stir, coating them evenly.
- Transfer the pepitas to a lined baking sheet. Use a spoon/spatula/fork to arrange them in a single layer.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 12 minutes*. For best results, stir them about halfway through to ensure even baking.
- Serve & enjoy! They'll be scorching hot when you remove them from the oven so allow a few minutes for them to cool down a little first.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.
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