Skip to content

Top Navigation

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Course
  • Baking
  • Global
  • Healthy
  • Favorite Ingredients
  • Holidays and Occasions
  • Quick and Easy
  • Convenience Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling
  • How To
  • Extra Crispy
  • Well Done
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Recipe Box this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore MyRecipes

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 1 55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

      Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty.Ā For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free. Read More Next
    • 2 The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes

      Trust me, it’s so worth it. Read More Next
    • 3 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party

      From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party.Ā No forks or spoons required, justĀ easy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time.Ā  Read More Next
  • Course

    Course

    See All Course
    • Best Appetizer Recipes...Ever
    • Best Drink Recipes for Any Occasion
    • Salad Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Sensational Sides
    • Soup and Stew Recipes
    • Easy Entertaining for Everyone
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Main Dishes and EntrĆ©es
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
  • Baking

    Baking

    See All Baking
    • Bread Recipes
    • Our Most-Loved Cake Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Pie Recipes
  • Global

    Global

    See All Global
    • Spanish Recipes
    • Thai Recipes
    • Vietnamese Recipes
    • Middle Eastern Recipes
    • Mexican Recipes
    • Malaysian Recipes
    • Korean Recipes
    • Japanese Recipes
    • Italian Recipes
    • Indian Recipes
    • Greek Recipes
    • French Recipes
    • Chinese Recipes
    • African Recipes
    • American Recipes
    • Cajun and Creole Recipes
    • Caribbean Recipes
    • South American Recipes
    • Southern Recipes
    • German Recipes
  • Healthy

    Healthy

    See All Healthy
    • Easy, Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Breakfasts
    • Healthy Dinners
    • Healthy Desserts
    • Diabetic Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Diet and Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Low Carbohydrate Recipes
    • Low Cholesterol Recipes
    • Low Fat Recipes
    • Low Sodium Recipes
    • Low Calorie Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Favorite Ingredients

    Favorite Ingredients

    See All Favorite Ingredients
    • The Ultimate Guide to Chicken
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Cheese Recipes
    • Chocolate Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Shrimp Recipes
  • Holidays and Occasions

    Holidays and Occasions

    See All Holidays and Occasions
    • A Foodie's Guide to Halloween Recipes
    • The Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
    • Hanukkah Recipes
    • Your Ultimate Christmas Recipe Guide
    • Our Most Festive New Year's Recipes
    • Best-Ever Super Bowl Sunday Recipes
    • Best Valentine's Day Recipes
    • Mardi Gras Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Easter Recipes
    • Labor Day Recipes
    • The Ultimate Fourth of July Guide
    • Memorial Day Recipes
    • Touchdown-Worthy Tailgate Recipes
    • Wedding and Shower Recipes
  • Quick and Easy

    Quick and Easy

    See All Quick and Easy
    • 15-Minute Recipes for Busy Home Cooks
    • 45-Minute Recipes
    • 5 Ingredients or Less
    • Dinner Tonight
    • No-Cook Recipes
  • Convenience Recipes

    Convenience Recipes

    See All Convenience Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Kid Approved
    • Our Top Make-Ahead Recipes
    • Our Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling

    BBQ and Grilling

    See All BBQ and Grilling
    • Grilled Beef Recipes
    • Grilled Chicken Recipes
    • Grilled Fish Recipes
    • Grilled Pork Recipes
    • Grilled Shrimp Recipes
    • Grilled Vegetable Recipes
  • How To

    How To

    See All How To
    • 7 Ways With...
    • Cooking Questions
    • Ingredients and Tools
    • Kitchen Cleaning
    • Videos
  • Extra Crispy
  • Well Done

    Well Done

    See All Well Done
    • Homemade vs. The Internet
    • How-to and Explainers
    • Mom vs.
    • Recipe Videos
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Recipe Box this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Best Your Best Chef-Self: The Complete How-To Guide Chevron Right
  3. Cooking with Pumpkin Seeds

Cooking with Pumpkin Seeds

Updated September 24, 2008
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Experience the best of fall flavor with a few of our favorite recipes featuring pepitas straight from the jack-o-lantern.

Start Slideshow

1 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Shredded Pork and Pinto Tacos with Pepita Slaw

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Shredded Pork and Pinto Tacos with Pepita Slaw Recipe

Before: Pork Carnitas Plate. Carnitas are a labor of love, as pork simmers in fat for hours until tender, then gets piled onto a plate with refried beans and rice. Very few veggies find their way into this classic dish.

A half-pound of pork is a gracious plenty for these tacos, which are beefed up with pinto beans, Greek yogurt-amped avocado crema, and a crunchy slaw topped with pumpkinseeds. The plant protein sources make up about half the total amount.

1 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Pepita Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms

Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee; Styling: Kaitlyn Du Ross

Pepita Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Brown the mushrooms and make the pesto ahead of time, and Ā­refrigerate. To serve, bring to room temperature, and fill caps.

2 of 21

3 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Easy Jasmine Rice Pudding

Credit: Greg DuPree

Easy Jasmine Rice Pudding Recipe

Treat yourself to a comforting bowl of warm, creamy rice pudding and enjoy a better night’s sleep. The goji berries sprinkled on top add fruity chew, while the pepitas offer nutty crunch and a tryptophan boost. Look for both at specialty grocery stores. If you can’t find them, sub tart cherries or pomegranates for the goji berries and walnuts for the pepitas; walnuts also contain tryptophan. A mild, less expensive honey works beautifully here; save the pricier, more robust honeys for a recipe where their flavor will be front and center.

3 of 21

Advertisement

4 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Creamy Turmeric Cauliflower Soup

Credit: Greg DuPree

Creamy Turmeric Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Briefly cooking the pumpkin seeds and cumin in hot oil—a process known as blooming—draws out the aroma of the seeds and spice and deepens their flavor. Turmeric pairs fantastically with winter produce like cauliflower or root veggies, where its brightness, astringency, and tartness balance the earthy sweetness of the plants. Use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, if you prefer.

4 of 21

5 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Southwestern Bowl

Credit: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Southwestern Bowl Recipe

Mango salsa, quinoa, black beans, red pepper, avocado, corn and pumpkin seeds? You can call this the healthy burrito bowl.

5 of 21

6 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pumpkin Seed-Oat Crumble

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pumpkin Seed-Oat Crumble Recipe

We use less sugar in this classic casserole and get sweetness instead from fragrant orange rind and vanilla. Turmeric boosts the orange color and adds a subtle earthiness to the sweet potatoes. Instead of an all-nut or marshmallow topping, an oat streusel made with pumpkinseeds adds crunch and contrast to the dish. Evaporated milk has a concentrated dairy flavor without the added sugar of sweetened condensed milk; it will help the potato base to thicken as it bakes.

6 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Apple Pie-Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Credit: Romulo Yanes

Apple Pie-Spiced Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

7 of 21

8 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Roasted Autumn Veggie Salad with Baby Kale

Credit: Daniel Agee,Ā Styling: Blakeslee Giles and Audrey Davis

Roasted Autumn Veggie Salad with Baby Kale Recipe

This hearty salad is brimming withĀ the flavors of fall with ingredients suchĀ as pumpkin seeds, brussels sprouts, cranberries, and dark, leafyĀ greens. The salad here is tossed with baby kale, which is much more tender and easier to eat uncooked, which makes it aĀ perfect greenĀ to use for a salad like this. The kale delivers a nice and hearty textureĀ while the marvelous toppings here elevate this salad to some gloriously good autumn territory.Ā 

8 of 21

9 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Candied pepitas

Credit: James Carrier

Candied pepitas Recipe

SautƩ pumpkin seeds in butter with cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, and a little honey for a sweet, delicately spiced topping to a tossed salad. Substitute them in for your usual nut or seed topping and enjoy the refreshing bite of flavor the pepitas bring.

9 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pepitas

Credit: Yunhee Kim; Styling: Kevin Crafts

Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pepitas Recipe

Chef-owner Mateo Granados, Mateo's Cocina Latina, Healdsburg, CA: "When I make Thanksgiving dinner, I prepare traditional ingredients like turkey or squash with my own Yucatecan twist."

10 of 21

11 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Sauvignon Blanc-Poached Pears with Spicy Pepitas

Credit: Erin Kunkel; Styling: Nissa Quanstrom

Sauvignon Blanc-Poached Pears with Spicy Pepitas Recipe

The natural acidity of dry Sauvignon Blanc adds a tang that brightens up the sweet syrup on these pears.

11 of 21

12 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle Recipe

Pack away the peanuts and make a lightly spiced pumpkin seed brittle instead this fall. Serve it in large pieces for guests to munch on, or use smaller sections to decorate a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Start with toasted pumpkin seeds or, if you'd rather toast them at home, bake then until they start to pop.

12 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Credit: Francesco Lagnese

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Scoop seeds fresh from the pumpkin (no need to rinse) and bake them for an hour until they're dried, then toss them in a skillet with olive oil, celery salt, and ground cumin until lightly toasted. For a sweeter treat, one user suggested adding brown sugar to the mix. Serve as an appetizer or snack during a fall gathering.

13 of 21

14 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Grilled Steak and Nopales Salad

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Grilled Steak and Nopales Salad Recipe

Add crunch to any salad by tossing roasted pepitas with vinaigrette.

14 of 21

15 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Roasted Squash Salad with Bacon and Pumpkin Seeds

Roasted Squash Salad with Bacon and Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Pick up a container of toasted unsalted pumpkin seed kernels and use them to add crunch to dishes throughout the fall. Add a handful on top of a salad drizzled with a homemade bacon-Dijon vinaigrette.

15 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Pepita-Roasted Tomatillo Dip

Credit: Leigh Beisch

Pepita-Roasted Tomatillo Dip Recipe

Dip your chips into a creamy dip that's dairy-free–the smooth texture comes from purĆ©ed tomatillos. The tart, faintly sweet flavor of the tomatillos is complemented by fresh cilantro, garlic, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Blend the ingredients and serve in a hollowed gourd or pumpkin.

16 of 21

17 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Fruit-and-Nut Breakfast Bars

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Dan Becker

Fruit-and-Nut Breakfast Bars Recipe

Make a hearty breakfast bar that calls for raw pumpkin seeds, dates, almonds, apricots, plums, and sunflower seeds. Bake the bars for about eight minutes on each side, turning when the nuts are lightly toasted but before the fruit begins to brown. The result is a chewy, nutty breakfast solution that keeps for about four days.

17 of 21

18 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Spinach and Pumpkin Salad

Credit: Brown Cannon III

Spinach and Pumpkin Salad Recipe

Roast your own pumpkin seeds or buy the store-bought, salted variety to add a bright crunch to this zesty spinach salad. A dressing made from pomegranate juice and red wine vinegar gets an extra punch of fall flavor thanks to the toasted pumpkin-seed oil. If you don't have pumpkin-seed oil, you can substitute extra-virgin olive oil.

18 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Pumpkin Soup with Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Credit: Jim Franco

Pumpkin Soup with Candied Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

A generous garnish of candied pumpkin seeds brings out the sweetness of the Vidalia onion in this harvest-season soup. Use a blender to get the soup rich and smooth, then serve in hollowed pumpkins or gourds and top with the sugared pumpkin seeds.

19 of 21

20 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Sourdough-Pumpkin Strata

Credit: HOWARD L. PUCKETT

Sourdough-Pumpkin Strata Recipe

Take this make-ahead strata to a potluck this fall or, as a user suggested, serve it as a main-dish meatless alternative to the turkey on Thanksgiving. The pumpkin seeds in this recipe are optional, but they add a fun texture to the dish and a nice crunch as they brown in the oven, so don't skip them.

20 of 21

21 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Lanny's Salad With Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Credit: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Lanny's Salad With Candied Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Candied pumpkin seeds, seasoned with paprika, orange juice, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, bring out the zesty flavor of this salad's bright Citrus-Cumin dressing. Toss the seeds and lettuce with dressing and top the salad with crumbled queso fresco before serving.

21 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 21 Shredded Pork and Pinto Tacos with Pepita Slaw
2 of 21 Pepita Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms
3 of 21 Easy Jasmine Rice Pudding
4 of 21 Creamy Turmeric Cauliflower Soup
5 of 21 Southwestern Bowl
6 of 21 Sweet Potato Casserole with Pumpkin Seed-Oat Crumble
7 of 21 Apple Pie-Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
8 of 21 Roasted Autumn Veggie Salad with Baby Kale
9 of 21 Candied pepitas
10 of 21 Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pepitas
11 of 21 Sauvignon Blanc-Poached Pears with Spicy Pepitas
12 of 21 Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle
13 of 21 Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
14 of 21 Grilled Steak and Nopales Salad
15 of 21 Roasted Squash Salad with Bacon and Pumpkin Seeds
16 of 21 Pepita-Roasted Tomatillo Dip
17 of 21 Fruit-and-Nut Breakfast Bars
18 of 21 Spinach and Pumpkin Salad
19 of 21 Pumpkin Soup with Candied Pumpkin Seeds
20 of 21 Sourdough-Pumpkin Strata
21 of 21 Lanny's Salad With Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Login

MyRecipes

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Advertising this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
MyRecipes.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. MyRecipes is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. MyRecipes may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.myrecipes.com

View image

Cooking with Pumpkin Seeds
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.