The Gunny Sack

Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

This crave-worthy Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe makes the best toasted pumpkin seeds EVER! Everyone will love this easy snack or appetizer with bacon!

↑↑↑ Watch the Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds RECIPE VIDEO above. ↑↑↑

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds With Bacon

Although my kids enjoy carving pumpkins, the real reason they want to do it is to get the pumpkin seeds. We save the seeds from the pumpkins and roast them. Some of our favorite roasted pumpkin seeds include Cajun seasoned, ranch, garlic salt and of course, just plain salt.

This year I decided to take it to a whole new level by adding another favorite: BACON. These bacon roasted pumpkin seeds were fantastic.

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Pumpkin Carving Tips For Getting the Seeds Out

Carve Pumpkins With Ice Cream Scoop

1. Cut the bottom or the top off of a pumpkin. I recently read that it is easier to cut the bottom of a pumpkin so I gave it a try.

2. Use a sharp kitchen knife or a serrated knife meant for cutting pumpkins.

3. Scrape out the inside and the seeds. This year I discovered a new way to clean out a pumpkin. When I looked in my kitchen drawer for our pumpkin carving tools, I couldn’t find any of them. But I did notice my plastic ice cream scoops and wondered if they would work for cleaning out the pumpkin. So I gave them a try and they worked really, really well! The edges of the plastic scoop help scrape the insides to remove the membranes, and the dip in the scoop allows you to lift out the flesh, pulp and seeds.

4. Put the seeds, with the pulp still sticking to them, into a large colander. Put the colander in and empty sink under running water. While rinsing the seeds, separate the pulp from the seeds and remove it.

Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Instructions

Bacon Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Scoop pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin. I had about one cup of seeds from one large pumpkin.

Rinse the pumpkin seeds, removing the pulp and drain the water.

To get the best results, either soak the pumpkin seeds in salt water overnight or boil them in salt water for 10 minutes. I chose to boil the seeds so that I could get to the roasting part sooner.

Put the pumpkin seeds in a large pot. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes

Drain the seeds and spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Cut four slices of bacon into small pieces and place them in the pan with the pumpkin seeds.

Bacon Pumpkin Seeds

Bake the pumpkin seeds for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, stirring and turning the seeds every 5 minutes, until golden and crunchy.

Bacon Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Crumble the cooked bacon into smaller bits for easier snacking and so that the ratio of bacon bits to pumpkin seeds is more equal.

Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

These Bacon Toasted Pumpkin Seeds disappeared in the blink-of-an-eye! I had to set some aside for Brian because I wanted him to be able to try them too. The kids kept trying to eat them and I kept chasing them away.

Brian was glad that I saved some for him and after his first couple of seeds told me that they were really good. So, from now until pumpkin season is over, we will be making multiple batches of Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!

Updated from original post on October 2015

4.86 from 7 votes
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds With Bacon
Print
Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Course: Snack
Servings: 4
Calories: 93 kcal
Author: The Gunny Sack
Ingredients
  • 1 large pumpkin about 1 cup of seeds
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin.
  2. Rinse the pumpkin seeds, removing the pulp.
  3. Pour the seeds into a large pot, add water and one tablespoon of salt.
  4. Bring water to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. Drain and spread the seeds on a rimmed baking sheet.
  6. Cut the four slices of bacon into small pieces and place them in the pan with the bacon.
  7. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
  8. Bake the pumpkin seeds for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, stirring and turning the seeds every 5 minutes, until golden and crunchy.

  9. Crumble the cooked bacon into smaller bits for easier snacking, if necessary. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts
Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Amount Per Serving
Calories 93 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 2477mg 103%
Potassium 43mg 1%
Protein 2g 4%
Calcium 0.4%
Iron 0.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This crave-worthy Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe makes the best toasted pumpkin seeds EVER! Everyone will love this easy snack or appetizer with bacon! #bacon #jackolantern #Halloween

Before you go, be sure to check out these BACON RECIPES:

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Peppers | Sriracha Bacon Chicken Bites | Bacon Wrapped Meatballs

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Comments

  3. I made these yesterday and they were fantastic!! I skipped the original salt sprinkle because I was worried they’d be too salty with the bacon, but ended up doing a little sprinkle after they came out if the oven. Perfect.
    But then…
    I tossed those warm crackling bacon seeds with some brown sugar-and tbe angels sang. Try it 🙂

    Reply

    • Then work with the recipe and fix it for yourself. Everything changes with moisture in the seeds, bacon, & the humidity where you live. Even the altitude! So kinda experiment?? I’m so not trying to be critical or anything.. Just trying to help:))

      Reply

    • Yes, you can just bake them if you want. My main reason for doing that is because my mom always did. But it helps to get the salt inside the shell and makes the pumpkin seeds crispier. I’ve also read that it makes them easier to digest. Enjoy! ~Tonia

      Reply

  9. I’m just now getting ready to clean 3 pumpkins. I was going to use crumbled bacon that comes in a package from Costco. Any thoughts?

    Reply

    • Hi Jim,
      Since the crumbled bacon is already cooked, you might have to add additional oil and you might not get as much of a bacon flavor but you should be able to use it. Best of luck!
      ~Tonia

      Reply

  11. I’ve got some bacon loving boys around here, but not so much pumpkin seed lovers. So when I saw one of them eating out of the bag of pumpkin seeds I picked up at Costco I was surprised and then I saw your idea. I pinned this snack for sure – best of both worlds for him now!

    Reply

      • I’m glad this question was asked because I am (was) confused also. Written instructions r different from what video shows. Inst #6 says to “cut bacon in small pieces and add to pan with bacon”. Then, inst #9 says, “crumble the cooked bacon and add it to pumpkin seeds.”
        I think, between ur answer above, the written instructions and the video, I can do this! Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing.

        Reply

        • Hi Sandra,
          The bacon needs to be cut into pieces and baked with the pumpkin seeds to give them a delicious flavor. But you can’t cut the bacon into tiny pieces for roasting or it will burn during the 30 minute cook time. So, once it has completed cooking, you can crumble it into smaller bits so that the large bacon pieces don’t overwhelm the small pumpkin seeds. And so that it is divided out more evenly among the pumpkin seeds.
          Happy Autumn!
          ~Tonia

          Reply

  14. Not that their will be any leftover seeds but just in case should this be refrigerated after because of the meat? CANT WAIT TO Try!!!

    Reply

    • This is my question, too… I’m assuming yes, so I think I will make one batch for quick eating and another that doesn’t have to be refrigerated. I would refrigerate bacon that I baked/cooked and not leave it out, so I would assume this is the “right” thing to do.

      Reply

      • Am I missing something? I don’t see any mention of salad dressing. Also, do you put oil on the pumpkin seeds too or just use the bacon grease?

        Reply

        • Hi Leigh,
          The comment above is referring to the first paragraph of the post where I say:
          “We save the seeds from the pumpkins and roast them. Some of our favorite roasted pumpkin seeds include Cajun seasoned, ranch, garlic salt and of course, just plain salt.”
          Yes, I only used the bacon grease.
          Enjoy,
          ~Tonia

          Reply

    • I couldn’t believe that I’d never thought of it before! Especially for kids who want to try to clean their own pumpkin!

      Reply

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