Pumpkin to Table: 16 Ways to Eat Your Seeds

Celebrate pumpkin season with these delicious recipes.

By: Allie Holcomb King

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When it comes time to carve your pumpkins, I beg you not to make the worst mistake of the season. Don’t throw away those precious pumpkin seeds! Dig your hands into the pumpkin glop, my friends, and salvage those gems. They may be small, but they pack a powerful, nutritious punch. Filled with calcium, potassium, zinc, manganese and other vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and fiber, pumpkin seeds can aid in the prevention of osteoporosis, kidney stones and some types of cancer. See? Totally worth getting your hands a little gooey!

The best part about pumpkin seeds is how downright delicious they are when prepped the right way or paired with the right foods. I’ve rounded up 16 ways to eat your seeds to please every palate. Whether you want to incorporate them into your dinner spread or sip them up, I’ve got the recipe for you.

Eat 'Em Straight-Up:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Toss pumpkin seeds in your favorite spices to put a new spin on a fall favorite.

With six different spice mixes to choose from, these roasted pumpkin seeds can be tailored to fit your mood. Try mixing half your seeds in a savory mix and the other half in a sweet mix.

Make Them: Classic Salted, Spicy, Parmesan, Curry, Pumpkin Pie and Crawfish Boil Seeds

Incorporate Them Into Your Breakfast:

Acai Breakfast Bowl

Serve Mom a delicious and nutritious breakfast this Mother's Day with bowl of fresh fruit and other super foods.

From: Kristin Guy

Jump-start your day with an energy-packed acai bowl. The seeds help make the delicious, crunchy topping.

Make It: Acai Breakfast Bowl

Orange and Pepita Granola

Anyone who grew up eating boxed, processed cereal remembers how delicious the milk tasted when you got to the bottom of the bowl. This nutritious granola has the same nostalgic taste without the unwanted chemicals, dyes and flavorings.

Photo by: Heather Crosby

Heather Crosby

A nutritious but delicious take on cereal? I’m all in.

Make It: Orange and Pepita Granola

Work Them Into Your Afternoon Snack:

Homemade Trail Mix

Trail Mix

Trail mix combines dried fruit, nuts and other ingredients for a healthy “on the go” snack.

Photo by: Photo by Mick Telkamp

Photo by Mick Telkamp

Make your own trail mix, and throw in as many handfuls of pumpkin seeds as you’d like.

Make It: Trail Mix

Fruit, Nut and Seed Bars

Fruit, Nut and Seed bars

Homemade fruit, nut and seed bars are a nutritious on-the-go snack.

Stay fueled on the go with these healthy fruit, nut and seed bars.

Make It: Fruit, Nut and Seed Bars

Throw Them in the Dinner Mix:

Southwestern-Style Poblano Cornbread Stuffing

Forget store-bought mix: With toasted pumpkin seeds, sweet potatoes and just the right amount of kick from roasted poblano peppers, this homemade stuffing is destined to become your family's new favorite.

Pumpkin seeds, sweet potatoes and poblano peppers make this homemade stuffing sing.

Make It: Southwestern-Style Poblano Cornbread Stuffing

Roasted Butternut Squash With Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Roasted Butternut Squash With Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Savory and flavorful, butternut squash tops the list of favorite fall side dishes. As a tasty twist, top this healthy comfort food with toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch.

Toasted seeds give this healthy fall food a crunchy twist.

Make It: Roasted Butternut Squash With Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Kale Salad

Manchego Kale Salad

The Asheville farm to table restaurant Posana makes a Manchego kale salad that inspires great swooning devotion from its regulars.

Photo by: Image courtesy of Posana

Image courtesy of Posana

A crunchy, tangy take on the trendy kale salad, this recipe is sure to impress guests.

Make It: Manchego Kale

Drink Them:

Non-Dairy Pumpkin Seed Milk

Pumpkin Seed Milk

This milk alternative is an excellent healer for digestive ailments of all kinds. Plus, high levels of tryptophan make it helpful for anxiety issues, too.

Photo by: Heather Crosby

Heather Crosby

This milk alternative is a healer for digestive ailments.

Make It: Non-Dairy Pumpkin Seed Milk

Pumpkin Shooter

Pumpkin Soup Shooter

This rich, creamy soup is sure to hit the spot. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve in tall shot glasses for a 5-star-restaurant-worthy presentation.

Photo by: Beryl Cohen

Beryl Cohen

Take your fall party up a notch with these savory shooters.

Make It: Pumpkin Shooter

Let Them Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth:

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Toasted pumpkin seeds and cinnamon bring the taste of fall to classic brittle.

Photo by: Photo by Mick Telkamp

Photo by Mick Telkamp

This festive brittle would make the perfect treat to share with family and friends.

Make It: Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Or, If Pumpkin Seed Recipes Aren’t Your Thing...

Consider saving those seeds for planting next spring. Simply rinse off all the pulp, and lay them on a screen to dry. Store them in an envelope in a cool, dark but ventilated area, or store them in a jar with an anti-desiccant.