The seeds from acorn squash are surprisingly delicious when roasted. Next time you slice open an acorn squash give these crunchy, salty Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds a try!
Our Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are another must-make fall recipe.
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I have a little secret to share with you. When you toss acorn squash seeds with a little olive oil and garlic salt and roast them in the oven they turn into an irresistible snack.
Since we’re literally hours from Thanksgiving and I’m pretty certain some of you will be slicing open some acorn squash for your feast. You may be considering scraping the seeds out of your squash and tossing them in the garbage but I really hope you’ll take just a few minutes to give this recipe a try.
Table of contents
Acorn Squash Seeds vs. Pumpkin Seeds
You may only think of the granddaddy of all squash, the pumpkin, when it comes to roasting seeds. But, a large variety of winter squash seeds roast up beautifully and acorn squash seeds are especially flavorful.
Acorn squash seeds are smaller than pumpkin seeds and the outer shell is not nearly as fibrous. When you roast the tender seeds with olive oil, they get wonderfully fragrant and crispy.
There’s no need to crack the shell to get to the seed inside. Just crunch away. The entire seed, shell and all, is delicious.
We love pumpkin seeds in this house. And, considering the massive traffic to my recipe for Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds last month, I know there are lots of other pumpkin seed fans out there. It was seriously viral with over 600,000 people viewing the post in just one month.
But, I am aware it’s kind of a love hate thing. Clearly there is a big love out there but I had one person tell me that eating pumpkin seeds reminded her of eating mulch… hmm. Well, if you’re in the mulch camp, I’m certain that acorn squash seeds will change your mind.
Ingredient Notes
- Acorn squash: How many seeds an acorn squash yields can vary. I got about 1 cup of seeds from 3 acorn squash this time around. While it’s not common, I have had duds in the past that didn’t yield many seeds or had shriveled seeds that weren’t plump enough to roast. If your seeds resemble those pictured here you are good to go.
- Olive oil: A little extra virgin olive oil for roasting the seeds.
- Seasoning: We love our roasted seeds seasoned with garlic salt.
How to Roast Acorn Squash Seeds
- Slice: Slice your squash as directed for your recipe. I sliced these right through the middle but when I’m making making my Sweet Baked Acorn Squash I slice them from tip to stem. Watch the video at the end of this post to see how that’s done.
- Scoop: Use a metal spoon to scrape the seeds out of the squash and pull away as much of the stringy pulp as possible.
- Rinse and dry: Transfer the seeds to a colander and rinse them with cool water. Go through the seeds to pick out any remaining pulp as you rinse them. Drain them well and blot them dry with paper towels. You can pour them out on to a clean kitchen towel to dry but be warned, they will stick like crazy.
- Baking sheet: Transfer the seeds to a small rimmed baking sheet and use paper towels to blot up any excess water.
- Oil and seasoning: I like to keep it simple and drizzle them with a little olive oil and season them with garlic salt. You could get adventurous here but I’ve discovered this combination is our favorite.
- Roast: Then it’s just a matter of popping them in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Toss them with a spatula a couple of times while they roast. You may hear a pop or two and that’s just fine, just keep them in the oven until they are nicely golden brown.
Storing Acorn Squash Seeds
After the seeds have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and they will stay fresh, crunchy, and delicious for a week or more.
This is TV time snacking perfection, friends. A glass of wine and some crunchy, salty Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds on a fall evening makes this girl very happy. They are also an excellent choice to include on a holiday charcuterie board.
Be warned, they will disappear quickly!
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Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup acorn squash seeds
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Transfer your seeds to a colander and remove as much of the pulp and strings as possible. Rinse with cool water and continue to pick through the seeds to remove any remaining pulp. Shake the colander to drain off as much of the water as possible and pat the seeds lightly with paper towels to blot the excess water. Transfer the seeds to a 13- x 9-inch rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the seeds and sprinkle with garlic salt, to taste. Stir the seeds with a spatula until all of the seeds are coated with oil. Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the seeds are golden brown. Toss the seeds with a spatula once or twice during the cooking time, spreading them back out in an even layer. You may hear a pop or two and that’s just fine, just continue to roast until the seeds are browned to your liking.
- Remove from the oven. Taste and season with additional garlic salt, as desired. Allow the seeds to cool and then transfer them to an airtight container. Or eat them all immediately because they are DELICIOUS!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
I’m a little confused on one point. Your recipe sounds to me like I can take the seeds out of the squash, rinse and remove pulp, blot dry on paper towels, and cook right away. One comment above mentions soaking over night and another one mentions waiting till they out over night.
I would like to prepare and cook all in one fell swoop. Will that be ok? Or is there any benefit to soaking &/or drying over night?
Looking forward to trying them!
Hi Bonnie. There’s no need to soak overnight. Just blot them dry and you’re good to go. Follow the directions on the recipe card and you’ll be alright.
They were good, but it caught my oven on fire. That popping sound is them breaking open. Several of them were popping open, and one landed on the oven element. It was a very small fire (maybe an inch high) from the burning shell and right after I turned off the oven and opened the door the fire went out. I doubt this is a real danger, but people should be aware so they can keep an eye on it and not panic if they see a small flame inside their oven.
I’m so sorry you had this issue, Dave. I have roasted a whole lot of seeds in my life and have never had this happen or heard of it happening to anyone making these seeds or my Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. Could be the size of the oven or maybe your runs hotter than mine? I’m glad it worked out in the end!
Best to not use Olive oil, it isn’t for cooking.
Use Avocado oil or grapeseed oil. They work to 400 degrees
Olive oil is an excellent choice for roasting squash seeds and veggies. The smoke point for extra virgin olive oil is 425 degrees F so it is fine for this recipe. I highly recommend it over a neutral oil because in addition to crisping up the seeds it adds some great flavor too.
Made the recipe added cayenne pepper well the seeds were soaking overnight I let them dry out added the garlic salt roasted them turned out great I will do it again
Are they supposed to be kind of chewy and crunchy…or did I not leave them in long enough…or dry them well enough?
If you want them crunchier I would recommend roasting them a bit longer.
These were so good! I added a sprinkling of paprika (crazy fan of thst seasoning) and these were fantastic!
Made these for the first time tonight and they were amazing! I could not believe how good they tasted. I can’t have salt and they were just fine with garlic and oil. Nice nutty flavor, I liked them better than pumpkin seeds. Thanks!
Amazing!!! I thought pumpkin seeds were my favorite roasted seed but not anymore lol. Try them. They are soooooo good.
This is amazing!!!!
I decided to try Acorn Squash and saved the seeds to roast later after I read your recipe. I can’t wait until the seeds are dried out tomorrow so I can roast them. I am looking forward to this nice treat.
You didn’t say what temperature to bake them.
The recipe card has been updated. Thanks, Carolyn!
Delighted to find your instructions, I love acorn squash soup and have had seeds, but not home-made.
I sprayed them with herb seasoned avocado oil and lightly salted. Delicious!
So glad you tried them! Thanks, Vee 🙂