Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds, often called pepitas when hulled, are flat green seeds central to Mexican cooking, especially as the base of rich sauces, and are also popular worldwide as a crunchy, nutty snack.
How to buy
Hulled pepitas should look uniformly green and smell mild and slightly sweet, without a stale or bitter smell. In-shell pumpkin seeds (sometimes sold as whole roasted seeds) have a white husk and are eaten by cracking the shell.
How to store
Keep pepitas in an airtight container; at room temperature they stay fresh for a few weeks, while refrigerating or freezing extends freshness to several months, since their oil content makes them prone to rancidity.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Nutty, mildly sweet, and faintly grassy, with roasting bringing out a deeper, toastier flavor that's especially pronounced in Mexican mole and pipián sauces.
- Texture
- Flat and tender with a light crunch, softer than almonds or peanuts, and they grind easily into a paste for sauces.
- Aroma
- A mild, nutty, faintly grassy smell that deepens into a toasty aroma once roasted.
How to prepare
- Toasted — Dry-toasted in a pan until they puff slightly, deepening their flavor before eating or grinding.
- Ground into sauce — Ground into a paste that thickens and flavors Mexican pipián and mole verde sauces.
- Candied or spiced — Coated in sugar, chile, or salt and roasted for a sweet-and-spicy snack.
- Tossed into salads or bowls — Scattered raw or toasted over grain bowls and salads for crunch.
Classic dishes
American
- American pumpkin seed granola — Homemade granola mixed with pepitas alongside oats and dried fruit.
- Fall harvest salad with pumpkin seeds — A seasonal salad of greens, squash, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Pumpkin seed bread — A hearty loaf studded with pumpkin seeds mixed into the dough and pressed onto the crust.
- American pumpkin seed brittle — Pumpkin seeds set into a crisp caramel candy, a fall-season treat.
- Pumpkin seed-crusted chicken — Chicken coated in ground pumpkin seeds before baking for a crunchy, nutty crust.
Italian
- Pumpkin seed pesto — A modern pesto variation using ground pumpkin seeds in place of pine nuts.
Mexican
- Pipián — A rich Mexican sauce thickened with ground pumpkin seeds, often served over chicken or pork.
- Mole verde — A green mole sauce built on ground pumpkin seeds, tomatillo, and fresh herbs.
- Toasted pepitas snack — Simply toasted and salted pumpkin seeds, eaten as a quick snack.
- Palanqueta de pepita — A traditional Mexican brittle made from pumpkin seeds set in caramelized sugar.
- Salsa macha — A chile-oil condiment studded with toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.
Mediterranean
- Mediterranean grain bowl with pepitas — A grain and vegetable bowl finished with a scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds.
Middle Eastern
- Middle Eastern spiced roasted pumpkin seeds — Pumpkin seeds roasted with warm spices like cumin and paprika for a savory snack.
- Pumpkin seed hummus — A modern take on hummus blending roasted pumpkin seeds into the chickpea base.
German
- Styrian pumpkin seed oil drizzle — A dark, nutty oil pressed from roasted pumpkin seeds, drizzled over salads and soups in German-speaking Europe.
Substitutions
- Sunflower Seed — A close substitute in texture and flavor, though slightly milder and less grassy.