How to Microwave Pumpkin Seeds

Cooked pumpkin seeds are tasty and easy to make at home.

Fall is the time to pick pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, take them home for carving as decorations or to make pumpkin pie. Before carving, however, you have to get all of the icky innards out of there, including the seeds. Don't throw those pumpkin seeds away. Pumpkin seeds make a tasty treat when they are seasoned and roasted, toasted or baked. For a really fast treat, you can cook the pumpkin seeds in the microwave.

Things You'll Need

• Pumpkin seeds
• Microwave-safe dish
• Vegetable oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Remove seeds from the fibrous insides of the pumpkin. Separate the seeds from the slimy innards by hand. It can be a tedious process, but enlist your kids to help if you can because they will love getting their hands all slimy and gooey. Do not attempt to rinse them from the innards; washing them will take away the natural pumpkin flavor.

2. Place a layer of pumpkin seeds in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic dish, no more than 1 cup of seeds at a time.

3. Add vegetable oil. Pour about 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil onto the seeds and mix.

4. Microwave pumpkin seeds for two minutes on the normal microwave settings. After two minutes, stir the seeds and put them back into the microwave for another minute, then stir again. Continue to cook the seeds at one-minute intervals until they have reach your desired crispiness. Add salt or other seasonings to taste.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure not to overcrowd the dish with pumpkin seeds. Cook in batches if necessary.

• You also can roast pumpkin seeds in the oven.

References

• The Fun Time Guide: What to do with leftover pumpkin seeds
• Recipe Tips: How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Resources

• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds