39 Pumpkin Seed Recipes That Are Anything But Boring

Pumpkins, we love you, but these 39 recipes are just using you for your seeds.

July 11, 2017

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Pumpkins, we love you, but we're just using you for your seeds. No matter what you call them—pumpkin seeds or "pepitas" when they're green and feeling free from big ol' shells—these seeds are crunchy, nutty, dazzling in their versatility, and totally worth the effort. These 39 recipes know it's true.

Peden & Munk
1/39
Chocolate Chunk–Pumpkin Seed Cookies
For the ideal chewy brownie-ish texture, take care not to overbake these spiced cookies.
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Christopher Testani
2/39
Sweet-and-Spicy Mixed Nuts
Any combination of nuts and seeds will be fine, so feel free to finish up any odds and ends you have around.
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Kyle Johnson
3/39
Seared Halibut with Fall Mole and Radicchio
What makes the dish is a 26-ingredient mole, a riff on the Oaxacan sauce that the chef calls a "happy accident."
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Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
4/39
Herby Avocado Hummus
Creamy avocado hummus, where have you been all our lives?
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Christopher Testani
5/39
Black Bean Soup with Roasted Poblano Chiles and Pepitas
Choose dried chiles that are fairly flexible, a sign they’re not too old.
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Peden + Munk
6/39
Seedy Cherry-Quinoa Bars
Be sure to rinse the quinoa before toasting or these could end up bitter tasting.
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Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
7/39
Savory Peach and Cucumber Salad
This is the future of fruit salad—with avocado, herbs, a little spice, and peak season peaches.
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Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
8/39
Red Salad with Pickled Beet-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette
The color-coded salad is one of Babylonstoren’s signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Chef Maranda Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she’s developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options.
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Ted Cavanaugh
9/39
Barbecue Pork with Blistered Chile–Pumpkin Seed Salsa
You can always ask your butcher to slice the pork shoulder on the electric slicer for you, which will ensure even pieces and save you time.
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Alex Lau
10/39
Overnight Oats With Cashews, Seeds, and Turmeric
This sizzled seed and cashew mixture is delicious sprinkled over dip and soups, so you might want to make extra.
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Photo by Peden + Munk
11/39
Mackerel with Cauliflower-Pumpkin Seed "Couscous" and Tahini
Use one 2-pound mackerel if you can’t find smaller ones, or substitute arctic char or trout.
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Alex Lau
12/39
Maple, Pecan, and Sour Cherry Granola Bars
If you want to change up the mix of nuts and seeds in these bars, go for it. Just make sure the total quantity adds up to 3 cups total (you could use sunflower seeds in place of the pumpkin seeds, sesame for flaxseed, peanuts for pecans, etc.).
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Peden + Munk
13/39
Horseradish–Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Try this schmeared on toast, tossed with pasta, or dolloped on a baked potato.
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Christopher Baker
14/39
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Raw Green Mole
This uncooked mole gets heat from jalapeño, cooling freshness from lettuce and herbs, and a touch of richness from toasted seeds. Use any extra as a dip for crudités.
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Associate Web Editor. When she’s not posted up at a café, reading and praying that sipping her cappuccino won’t mean sacrificing a night’s sleep, Elyssa writes about food culture and restaurant trends for bonappetit.com. The team’s unrelenting sweet tooth and beverage nerd, Elyssa can also be found refreshing the Wait-or-Buy ... Read More

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