When the pumpkin has been carved for Halloween or is about to become soup, the seeds all too often end up in the bin. That is a shame, because with a little oil, fine salt and a spin in the air fryer they turn into a golden, crispy snack that costs next to nothing. The seeds keep their shells, so they get properly crunchy, and smoked paprika and garlic powder are tossed in at the end while the seeds are still warm.
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Most of the work lies in rinsing the seeds free of fibres and getting them completely dry. The air fryer handles the roasting itself in 15 minutes at 170 °C, and the whole recipe is ready in 35 minutes including cooling. Here you get my method, the typical mistakes and a suggestion for shop-bought seeds.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love roasted pumpkin seeds in the air fryer
Pumpkin seeds are the kind of snack I rarely buy myself, but they disappear from the bowl as soon as it is on the table. They are crunchy, lightly salted and have a nutty flavour that gets deeper the more golden they become.
The air fryer is tailor-made for the job. The hot air circulates closely around the seeds, so the moisture disappears quickly and the shell turns crisp all the way round. At the same time, I can easily shake the basket and taste-test as I go, without heating up the big oven.
The difference between the air fryer and the oven
In the oven, the seeds have to be spread out on a baking tray and turned along the way to get colour on both sides. In the air fryer you simply shake the basket, and the powerful airflow gives a more even roast in less time. The same fan can, however, make the light seeds fly around, in which case the solution is to put them in a small ovenproof dish that fits in the basket.
My kitchen test of roasted pumpkin seeds
I roasted the seeds from a large Halloween pumpkin in my Cosori Dual Blaze, where heating elements at both the top and the bottom of the single basket give an even heat. At 170 °C for 15 minutes, with a shake every 5 minutes, they turned golden and crunchy all the way through. After 12 minutes I tasted a single seed, and it was still a little chewy, so the last 3 minutes made the difference.
What surprised me most was the cooling: the seeds were good straight from the basket, but after 5 minutes on a plate they were noticeably crisper. In my Philips XXL there is room for the whole portion in one thin layer, while a smaller air fryer manages the job fine in two batches.
Pat the seeds completely dry, and ideally let them air-dry for an hour or so on the tea towel. Wet seeds steam instead of roasting, so they never get really crisp.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is roasting the seeds while they are still damp. Then they steam and end up chewy instead of crisp, so pat them dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel before the oil goes on. The next mistake is overfilling the basket. If the seeds lie in several layers, the top ones turn brown while the bottom ones stay soft – stick to a thin layer, shake the basket every 5 minutes, and roast in two batches if the basket is small. The third mistake is seasoning too early. Smoked paprika and garlic powder burn easily in the hot air and can blow around the basket, so toss the spices through the hot seeds just as they come out. The oil on the seeds makes the spices stick. Also keep a close eye on them at the end, because the seeds go from golden to burnt quickly.
How to serve roasted pumpkin seeds
Here are my favourite ways to serve the seeds:
- As a snack in a bowl for movie night or the Halloween party
- Sprinkled over a creamy pumpkin soup for extra crunch
- On a green salad with feta and roasted beetroot
- In a sweet version with cinnamon and a little sugar over yoghurt
- In a packed lunch as a crunchy alternative to crisps
Storage and reheating
Let the seeds cool completely before you put them in an airtight container, otherwise steam collects and they go soft. At room temperature they keep for up to 1 week. If they have gone soft anyway, give them 2-3 minutes in the air fryer at 160 °C and let them cool again. You can also freeze them in an airtight bag for up to 3 months – handy if you have roasted seeds from several pumpkins at once.
Next time you cut up a pumpkin, save the seeds. With a little patience at the sink, a clean tea towel and your air fryer, you get a crispy, homemade snack that both children and adults reach for.
FAQ
Yes. Once the seeds are roasted crisp, the shell can easily be eaten too, and it adds extra crunch. The green seeds you buy in a bag are already shelled.
Yes, then you skip the rinsing and drying. Toss the seeds in oil and salt and roast them at 170 °C for 5-7 minutes, shaking after 3 minutes. They pop easily and quickly turn too dark, so keep a close eye on them towards the end.
Most often they are not dry enough, or they lie in too thick a layer in the basket. Pat them completely dry, roast them in a thin layer, and remember that they only get really crisp once they have cooled down.
Recipe
Roasted pumpkin seeds in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Chefs knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Colander
- 1 Kitchen towel
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Oven-safe dish
- 1 Plate
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 150 g pumpkin seeds (With shells on, from about 1 large pumpkin)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
Seasoning
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
How to make it
Preparation
- Cut the fresh pumpkin in half with a large knife and scrape out the seeds and stringy fibres with a spoon.
- Put the seeds and fibres in a large bowl of cold water and rub the seeds free of the fibres with your fingers. The seeds float to the top, while most of the fibres sink to the bottom.
- Scoop the seeds into a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Pick off the last fibres until the seeds are completely clean.
- Spread the seeds out on a clean tea towel and pat them completely dry. Wet seeds steam instead of turning crisp, so take your time.
- Put 150 g pumpkin seeds in a bowl and toss them with 1 tbsp olive oil and 0.5 tsp fine salt until all the seeds have a thin coating of oil.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 170 °C fan.
- Spread the seeds in the basket in a thin, even layer. If your air fryer has a powerful fan, the light seeds can fly around – in that case, put them in an ovenproof dish that fits in the basket.
- Roast the seeds at 170 °C for 15 minutes. Shake the basket, or stir the seeds in the dish, every 5 minutes so they turn an even golden colour.
- Check the seeds after 12 minutes by taking out a single seed, letting it cool for a moment and biting into it. They’re done when they’re golden and crunchy – if they’re still chewy, give them the last 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them at the end, because they go from golden to burnt quickly.
Serving
- Tip the hot seeds back into the bowl and toss them straight away with 0.5 tsp smoked paprika and 0.25 tsp garlic powder. The oil on the hot seeds makes the spices stick.
- Spread the seeds out on a plate and let them cool for 5 minutes before serving. They get even crispier as they cool.
Our notes for the recipe
The seeds must be completely dry before you toss them in oil – otherwise they steam instead of getting crisp. If you have time, let them air-dry on the tea towel for about an hour after you’ve patted them dry. Spread them in a thin layer and shake the basket along the way so they turn an even golden colour. They only become really crisp once they’ve cooled down. Shop-bought, shelled seeds:
If you’re using green, shelled pumpkin seeds from a bag, you can skip the rinsing and drying. Toss them in oil and salt and roast them at 170 °C for 5-7 minutes, shaking after 3 minutes. They pop easily and quickly turn too dark, so keep a close eye on them towards the end. Variations:
Swap the seasoning to taste: curry or garam masala gives a warm flavour, chilli flakes add more heat, and cinnamon with a little sugar gives a sweet version. Always toss the spices with the hot seeds at the end – in the air fryer they burn easily and can blow around. If you want the salty flavour all the way into the seeds, you can boil them for 10 minutes in salted water and dry them thoroughly before roasting; allow a couple of extra minutes in the air fryer. Serving:
Serve the seeds as a snack in a bowl, or sprinkle them over soup, salad or yoghurt. The shell can be eaten too once the seeds have been roasted crisp. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can roast the seeds in two batches so they stay in a thin layer.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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