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!
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.
Pumpkin Carving Tips For Getting the Seeds Out
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
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.
Bake the pumpkin seeds for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, stirring and turning the seeds every 5 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
Crumble the cooked bacon into smaller bits for easier snacking and so that the ratio of bacon bits to pumpkin seeds is more equal.
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
Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 1 large pumpkin about 1 cup of seeds
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Remove the seeds from the pumpkin.
- Rinse the pumpkin seeds, removing the pulp.
- Pour the seeds into a large pot, add water and one tablespoon of salt.
- Bring water to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Drain and spread the seeds on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Cut the four slices of bacon into small pieces and place them in the pan with the bacon.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Bake the pumpkin seeds for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, stirring and turning the seeds every 5 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
- Crumble the cooked bacon into smaller bits for easier snacking, if necessary. Store in the refrigerator.
Video
Nutrition
Before you go, be sure to check out these BACON RECIPES:
Bacon Wrapped Sweet Peppers | Sriracha Bacon Chicken Bites | Bacon Wrapped Meatballs
Alex says
I just made these – I have to refrain from eating ALL of them. I made a few modifications:
1. Soaked the seeds, overnight, in water with smoked salt.
2. Added about a tablespoon of bacon grease because when I took them out for the first stir, they
were sticking to the pan. If you are worried about too much bacon grease (these aren’t meant to be
low calorie, then poor them out on a few sheets of paper towel before they cool.
3. Baked them for a few minutes longer because I like them a bit darker.
Wish I had another three or four pumpkins to make more of these delicious morsels.
Dani says
Great Idea… My pumpkin and bacon seeds tuened out great Thank you!!
Tonia says
Thanks! This recipe makes me wish I would roast pumpkin seeds year-round!