I’ve been missing out…

Who doesn’t love the sweet, buttery flavor of roasted butternut squash in the fall? Whether you use butternut squash to make soup or have it as a side dish simply roasted, this vegetable (or fruit as some would debate) is likely on most tables this time of year. Yet, before you throw out those seeds…did you ever think to eat them?

The seeds of the butternut squash are often overlooked and end up in the waste bin or possibly saved for future gardening plans. These seeds are not only edible but totally delicious! When you think of roasted seeds it’s hard not to think of the common pumpkin or sunflower. Roasted butternut squash seeds are not only a best kept secret, they are super easy to make and extremely versatile like their counterpart the pumpkin.

Impress your family and friends the next time you make something with butternut squash and use the seeds! I like to use them simply for snacking or as a garnish to soups, salads, pastas, and more. The possibilities are endless. What I love most about roasted butternut squash seeds is they are smaller than pumpkin seeds, making them easier to eat and chew. In my recipe, I used these as a garnish to my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup. (<Click to Go)

So simple, so good

This concept, was brought to my attention by one of my line cooks when I saw him casually snacking on roasted seeds. At first I thought they were pumpkin seeds but they were noticeably smaller.

He offered me some; they were simply salted, roasted, and quite amazing. Nutty, crunchy but surprisingly an easy bite to chew. They were perfect. Ever since then I’ve been hooked. So, shout out to Jeremy for opening my eyes and my foodie heart to roasted butternut squash seeds. I am forever grateful.

To start the roasting process, you’ll want to make sure you wash the seeds thoroughly so no pulp is left on them. I used a fine mesh strainer as pictured above. Once rinsed, disperse seeds onto a paper towel and pat dry. Place the seeds into a small bowl. Add one drop of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of honey and mix well.

Next, comes the fun part. You can use all different kinds of spice mixes and combinations as they are just as versatile as their sister the pumpkin seed. Since I knew I wanted to use them for soup I used complimentary spices for that dish. I used salt, pepper, chili powder, nutmeg, and cayenne.

What’s next?

Don’t forget you can make this vegan by substituting the honey for agave! I brought some vegan style seeds to my friends made with agave, olive oil, and pink Himalayan salt and they were asking me for the recipe instantly. They couldn’t believe that not only they were vegan but just so simple to make.

Once your seeds are evenly mixed and spiced, we are ready to roast them. Preheat your oven to 400 F. I used a cast iron skillet to roast my seeds because I just love my cast iron pans. Since cast iron keeps heat well and even, the seeds turn out really nicely. You can you a simple cooking sheet also.

However, we should note that depending on your oven and the type of pan used to roast the seeds may fluctuate the cooking time as well as it’s possible the temperature may need to be reduced. Just like cakes and pastries, the thickness, composition, and color of the pan needs to be factored in when considering time and temperature.

Ready to roast…

Spread your seeds evenly in a single layer across your selected pan. Unless you roast seeds all the time, I would watch your first batch just to make sure you don’t over cook them. Once overcooked, the seeds tend to have a bitter aftertaste. When the oven is up to temperature, bake your seeds on the middle rack. I’d start with 12 minutes and up the interval from there.

Your final roasted butternut squash seeds should be a nice golden brown. Almost like a honeycomb color could be a good comparison. After the initial 12 minutes, for my batch I decided to cook them longer. At this point I gave them a quick stir on the pan and redistributed them evenly.

The final roasting time for me in the cast iron was 18 minutes. I did not preheat my cast iron pan just as a side note. When you reach the desired color of your seeds, carefully pull them out of the oven and let cool about ten minutes on the pan stirring once more to move the seeds around.

Start snackin’

When the seeds are finally cooled, start enjoying! As mentioned earlier, I used these to garnish my butternut squash soup. These are so versatile you can use them in salads, pastas, or as a healthy simple snack.

Let me know how you like your roasted butternut squash seeds and if you put your own spin on this awesome recipe. Looking forward to your comments. Post a picture of what you did with them!

Happy Cooking!