Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds
Most people have had pumpkin seeds. If you buy a whole pumpkin to cook for the flesh, then you also can roast the seeds and eat them. Did you know you can do the same thing with butternut squash? I am assuming you can do it for any squash, but butternut is the only kind that we have on hand and so the only squash I have tried it with.
This is a great way to stretch your squash even further as well as get some great flavor and nutrition. There are probably many ways to do this, but I will simply give you the method that I used. It is much more so a method than a recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds
Butternut squash
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
pinch of salt
When you are cutting up your whole squash simply remove the seeds from the pulp and set them aside in a bowl. This takes a bit of time and patience, but it was fun to do with my toddler. When you are ready to deal with them (that same day) rinse them in a sieve or colander. Lay the seeds out on a sheet pan in a single layer. They will be pretty sticky so do the best that you can. Then leave them to dry overnight on the sheet pan. You can cover the pan with a towel, but don’t let it touch the seeds otherwise the seeds will stick to it. The next day, when the seeds seem pretty dry, drizzle the olive oil over the seeds and sprinkle with salt. Roast them in a 250 degree oven for about an hour until golden and crunchy. You could also dehydrate them if you wanted to eat them raw.
Sounds yummy! Have never tried toasting butternut squash seeds. We do eat toasted pumpkin seeds, they are great garnished on salads, soup, or just a handful as a snack. The way I toast pumpkin seeds is to rub down a baking pan with a little olive oil, toss the seeds with some soy sauce and toast until golden.
Excellent. I have about 30 squashes and would hate to waste the seeds. I always end-up overcooking them, though, so I’m going to try your recipe.
Save yourself the oil and dry roast your butternut squash seeds with a sprinkle of rock salt and a light dusting of smoked paprika – REALLY yummying and so healthy.
I just made a roasted butternut risotto and popped the seeds in for an hour with the flesh – ready just in time to garnish… thanks for posting a great recipe!
Loved this, cooked mine just a little too long but good for a first try. I put garlic and basil on mine with the olive oil, and didn’t let them dry out overnight, just coated them in oil and stuck them in the oven on some aluminum foil. It was like slightly burnt popcorn! The paprika sounds like a great thing to try next time.
I just thought of this and looked it up and found your site, although I think I have been here before. I’m soaking them overnight, because that seems to be what to do with seeds, and then I’ll put them in the dehydrator tomorrow.
I’ve got the last few butternuts sitting on the cupboard in the kitchen, and I’m definitely going to try this with the seeds. Sounds lovely!