Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds

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Don't throw away your butternut squash seeds. Roast them instead! Roasted butternut squash seeds are a great snack or salad topper. Enjoy them plain or jazzed up with one of the variations below.

Active Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
2
  • This recipe transforms squash seeds into a flavorful snack, salad topper or crunchy addition to cookies and oatmeal.
  • Roasted butternut squash seeds may help reduce inflammation and provide protection against cancer and heart disease.
  • Keep an eye on the seeds while roasting as they cook up super-fast, and overcooked seeds taste bitter.

Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds are the crunchy, perfectly salty snack you're looking for. If you've ever wondered if you could roast squash seeds other than those from pumpkins, here's your answer! These little protein nuggets are perfect on their own or tossed into oatmeal cookies or your morning oatmeal. Keep reading for our expert tips, including the best way to separate the seeds from the flesh.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • We used a large rimmed baking sheet, making spreading the seeds easier, but you can roast them in a cast-iron skillet.
  • When seeds are overcooked, they taste bitter and can quickly go from perfectly cooked to burned. So it's best not to walk away from the oven while they're cooking.
  • It is tempting to eat roasted seeds straight from the oven, but it's important to let the seeds cool down a little so they're warm but not scorching hot.
  • While these seeds are a great snack, you can make a double or triple batch, freeze them and have them on hand for garnishing everything from soups to salads.

Nutrition Notes

  • Butternut squash seeds offer fiber, plant protein and antioxidants. They also provide some omega-3s, those heart- and brain-healthy fats that most of us don't get enough of.
  • Nutrition-wise, butternut squash seeds are about the same as pumpkin seeds (the USDA even lumps them into the same category). Butternut squash seeds offer plant-based protein, fiber, healthy fats and antioxidants. Regularly eating them has been shown to reduce inflammation and protect against cancer and heart disease.
Ingredients for roasted butternut squash seeds

Christine Ma

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 2 servings

  • ¼ cup butternut squash seeds, rinsed and patted dry

  • ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • Pinch of salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Toss ¼ cup squash seeds, ½ teaspoon oil and pinch of salt together on a large rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Roast, stirring halfway through, until the seeds start to pop and are lightly browned, 14 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.

    image of roasted butternut squash seeds

    Caitlin Bensel

Equipment

Large rimmed baking sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are butternut squash seeds edible?

    Yes, they are! All squash seeds are edible and nutritious. You can roast butternut squash seeds, spaghetti squash seeds and acorn squash seeds the same way you would roast pumpkin seeds.

  • How do I harvest seeds from butternut squash?

    To harvest seeds from butternut squash, scoop out the inside of the squash. Separate the seeds from the flesh as well as you can, then place the seeds in a bowl of water. Use your hands to swish the seeds around to loosen any remaining flesh or strings. The seeds will float, so you can remove them with a spoon or your fingers. Drain the seeds on a dry dish towel or a plate lined with paper towels; pat dry with paper towels. This recipe can be doubled or tripled depending on how many seeds you have.

  • What flavor variations can I try?

    Sweet & Spicy: Stir in ½ teaspoon light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper with the oil and salt. Proceed as directed.


    Taco Seasoning: Stir in ¼ teaspoon chili powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin, ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano and ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder with the oil and salt. Proceed as directed.


    Curry Seasoning: Stir in ½ teaspoon curry powder and ¼ teaspoon ground coriander with the oil and salt. Proceed as directed.

  • How do I store roasted butternut squash seeds?

    Roasted butternut squash seeds can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for about 3 months. Make sure they're cool and dry before storing. When you're ready to use them, thaw at room temperature. Then, you can crisp the seeds up again in the oven or an air fryer.

Recipe developed by Jasmine Smith

EatingWell.com, July 2021

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

95 Calories
8g Fat
2g Carbs
4g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 2
Serving Size 2 Tbsp.
Calories 95
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Added Sugars 0g 0%
Protein 4g 8%
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 75mg 3%
Potassium 111mg 2%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Carrie Myers, M.S.,
Carrie Myers
Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.
Jan Valdez,

Jan Valdez has years of experience working in test kitchens, primarily in research and development and product development. Her experience in the Good Housekeeping test kitchen in New York City launched a career in professional test kitchens.

and
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.